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Plants & Animals News
September 29, 2016
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More Plants & Animals News
September 29, 2016

Ancient Reptile Fossils Claw for More Attention

Sep. 29, 2016 — Newly recovered fossils confirm that Drepanosaurus, a prehistoric cross between a chameleon and an anteater, was a small reptile with a fearsome finger. The second digit of its forelimb sported a ... read more

Structure of the BinAB Toxin Revealed

Sep. 29, 2016 — Could we get rid of mosquitoes without polluting the environment? Yes, we can, say researchers. The BinAB toxin, produced in crystal form by a bacterium, specifically kills the larvae of Culex and ... read more

Scientists Reveal How Signals from Pathogenic Bacteria Reach Danger Sensors of Cells

Sep. 29, 2016 — An essential protein induced by the signaling protein interferon is needed to activate danger-sensing proteins in the cytoplasm of cells, scientists describe in a new ... read more

Cells Migrate Collectively by Intermittent Bursts of Activity

Sep. 29, 2016 — Cell migration is a central process in the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms. Researchers have now discovered that this motion occurs by intermittent bursts of activity. It can ... read more

Cocaine Accumulation in Fish Eyes

Sep. 29, 2016 — A study using a new imaging method has revealed that, surprisingly, cocaine accumulates in the eyes of zebrafish. The findings indicate that chemicals – especially psychoactive drugs – need to be ... read more

Wireless, Freely Behaving Rodent Cage Helps Scientists Collect More Reliable Data

Sep. 28, 2016 — The EnerCage (Energized Cage) system is created for scientific experiments on awake, freely behaving small animals. It wirelessly powers electronic devices and sensors traditionally used during ... read more

Randomized Trial Suggests Eating Bread Made With Ancient Grains Could Benefit Heart Health

Sep. 28, 2016 — Eating bread made with ancient grains could help lower cholesterol and blood glucose, a recent randomized trial suggests. Compared with modern grain varieties which are often heavily refined, ancient ... read more

Fungus Makes Mosquitoes Much More Likely to Become Infected With Malaria

Sep. 28, 2016 — A fungus that compromises the immune system of mosquitoes, making them more susceptible to infection with the parasite that causes malaria, has been discovered by scientists. Because environmental ... read more

One Fly to Rule Them All: Flies Are the Key Pollinators of the High Arctic

Sep. 28, 2016 — Forget the view of the Arctic as an icy desert devoid of life. The Arctic summer is buzzing with insects -- and here as everywhere else, plants rely on them for pollination. But who are the insects ... read more

How Choosy Should You Be?

Sep. 28, 2016 — When animals choose their mates, how discriminate they are varies a great deal. For some male Mormon crickets, any female will do; in contrast, blue peahens rarely fall for the first cock courting ... read more

Foreign Farms Increase the Risk of Conflicts in Africa

Sep. 28, 2016 — For the first time, researchers point to areas in Africa where foreign agricultural companies’ choice of crops and management of fresh water are partly responsible for the increased water shortages ... read more

Forbidden Fruit a Fatal Temptation for Grizzly Bears in Southeastern British Columbia

Sep. 27, 2016 — With its rustic small mountain towns, postcard-perfect vistas, and abundance of “pow” days, British Columbia’s East Kootenay region has an undeniable lure for outdoor enthusiasts of all ... read more

Optimization Technique Identifies Cost-Effective Biodiversity Corridors

Sep. 27, 2016 — A new optimization technique could help conservation biologists choose the most cost-effective ways of connecting isolated populations of rare, threatened and endangered species living in protected ... read more

Researchers Modify Yeast to Show How Plants Respond to a Key Hormone

Sep. 27, 2016 — Researchers have developed a novel toolkit based on modified yeast cells to tease out how plant genes and proteins respond to auxin, the most ubiquitous plant hormone. Their system allowed them to ... read more

Antibiotic Resistance Can Occur Naturally in Soil Bacteria

Sep. 27, 2016 — Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in prairie soils that had little or no exposure to human or animal ... read more

Toxins from Food Mold Weaken Airways' Defenses to Cause More Damage

Sep. 27, 2016 — Toxins from mold found growing on nuts or corn can weaken the airways’ self-clearing mechanisms and immunity, opening the door for respiratory diseases and exacerbating existing ones, suggests a ... read more

Fossils Can Help Predict Future Species Survival

Sep. 27, 2016 — Many people are concerned about conservation of the planet's cute and cuddlies. But in a world of global climate change, sometimes we must prioritize which species we can and should save from ... read more

California's Almond Boom Has Ramped Up Water Use, Consumed Wetlands and Stressed Pollinators

Sep. 27, 2016 — A new study using aerial imagery across the state of California has found that converting land to grow almonds between 2007 and 2014 has led to a 27% annual increase in irrigation demands -- despite ... read more

The Urge to Upgrade

Sep. 27, 2016 — In order to properly decide if an upgrade is worth the cost, consumers should compare the new product with what they already own. But new research shows there‘s a wide gap between what buyers ... read more

Missing Fish Catch Data? Not Necessarily a Problem, New Study Says

Sep. 27, 2016 — Recording how many fish are caught is one important requirement to measure the well-being of a fish stock -- if scientists know the number of fish taken from the ocean, they can adjust management of ... read more
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