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Fluid Dynamics of Stentors Offers New Insight Into Evolution of Multicellular Life

Life emerged on Earth some 3.8 billion years ago. The "primordial soup theory" proposes that chemicals floating in pools of water, in the presence of sunlight and electrical discharge, spontaneously formed organic molecules.

1 Apr 2025

Plants Repurpose Gas Exchange Genes for Improved Defense Against Herbivores

Throughout evolution, plants have continuously adapted to survive in changing environments. Apart from complex structural changes, plants have also developed various defense strategies against herbivores, including tougher protective layers, thorns, and chemical deterrents.

29 Mar 2025

New AI Model Helps Predict Future Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein

It's been five years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. As SARS-CoV-2 shifts to endemic status, questions about its future evolution remain.

28 Mar 2025

CZI Launches Grand Challenge for Revolutionary Imaging Technologies

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced a new grand challenge to develop groundbreaking imaging technologies to transform how scientists observe, measure and understand living cells and organisms.

27 Mar 2025

Serendipitous Discovery Reveals How Whole-Genome Duplication Drives Evolution

Sometimes, the most significant scientific discoveries happen by accident. Scientists have long known that whole-genome duplication (WGD) - the process by which organisms copy all their genetic material - plays an important role in evolution.

27 Mar 2025

Dual Gene Role in Brain Progenitor Cell Dynamics

Scientists have uncovered a crucial genetic mechanism that plays a key role in the development and evolution of the human brain.

27 Mar 2025

How B Cells Know When to Mutate—and When to Chill

Study reveals B cells suppress mutations during rapid division, enhancing immune response and offering critical insights for vaccine and treatment development.

27 Mar 2025

Novel Synthetic Antibiotics Against Drug-Resistant Pathogens

Frogs have flourished for hundreds of millions of years, occupying nearly every habitat on Earth, from tropical rainforests to subarctic woodlands.

26 Mar 2025

Non-Active Site Mutations Drive Enzyme Adaptation to Low Temperatures

Enzymes initially developed in high-temperature environments and subsequently adapted to cooler conditions as the Earth underwent a cooling phase.

26 Mar 2025

How Drug-Resistant Bacteria Use Antimicrobial Tools to Outcompete Others

A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominate strain.

24 Mar 2025

Unraveling the Evolutionary Link to Eukaryotic Cells

A decade ago, the existence of Asgard archaea was unknown. However, in 2015, researchers analyzing deep-sea sediments uncovered gene fragments that suggested the presence of a new, previously unidentified group of microbes.

24 Mar 2025

‘Genetic Time Machine’ Uncovers the History of Sophisticated Chimpanzee Cultures

Associate Professor Federico Battiston and PhD Student Onkar Sadekar, both researchers from the Department of Network and Data Science at Central European University (CEU), contributed to research on chimpanzee culture with their network analysis insights.

24 Mar 2025

Researchers Unveil the Architecture of Mitochondria at Unprecedented Resolution

Mitochondria are the powerhouses in our cells, producing the energy for all vital processes. Using cryo-electron tomography, researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, have now gained insight into the architecture of mitochondria at unprecedented resolution.

22 Mar 2025

Research Unveils Mechanism Behind Evolution of Organelles from Bacteria

Organelles in cells were originally often independent cells, which were incorporated by host cells and lost their independence in the course of evolution.

20 Mar 2025

New Insights into How B Cells Strategically Clone High-Affinity Antibodies

A vaccine's ability to generate long-lasting, high-affinity antibodies hinges on a delicate balance. Upon exposure to a vaccine or pathogen, B cells scramble to refine their defenses, rapidly mutating in hopes of generating the most effective antibodies.

20 Mar 2025

Advanced Imaging Deciphers B Cell Dynamics in Lymph Nodes

Germinal centers are machines of rapid evolution. Germinal centers are tiny clusters in the lymph nodes that refine antibodies through proliferation and mutation to create high-affinity B cells that are suited to control various infections.

20 Mar 2025

New Chromosome Identification System Revolutionizes Alfalfa Research

In a recent study, scientists have developed a revolutionary chromosome identification system for alfalfa, one of the world's most economically vital forage crops.

19 Mar 2025

Genetic Research Uncovers a Lost Chapter of Human Evolution

Utilizing sophisticated analyses grounded in complete genome sequences, researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered indications that modern humans emerged from a genetic mixing event involving two ancient populations that diverged approximately 1.5 million years ago.

19 Mar 2025

Scientists Unlock Genetic Secrets of Wild Barley to Improve Crop Yields

An international team of scientists from Australia and China has unveiled the first chromosome-scale genome of a wild barley species, with their findings offering direct implications for more sustainable agriculture and significant yield improvements for Australian grain production.

17 Mar 2025

Study Shows How Transposons Exploit Telomeres in Bacteria

Transposons, or "jumping genes" – DNA segments that can move from one part of the genome to another – are key to bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

8 Mar 2025