Neurotoxocarosis (NT) occurs in humans when larvae of the Toxocara roundworm migrate into the central nervous system. That infection is accompanied by a complex molecular signaling cascade, including changes to anti-inflammatory lipid molecules, researchers now report.
Read moreSuccess is no accident: To reach your goal you need perseverance. But where does the motivation come from? Scientists have now identified the neural circuit in the brain of fruit flies which makes them perform at their best when searching for food.
Read moreDarker male giraffes have been found to be more solitary and less social than their lighter-colored counterparts, according to new research. A long-term study revealed that the color of male giraffes' spots more strongly relates to their patterns of social association, rather than their age, as previously thought.
Read moreA Tyrannosaurus rex could bite hard enough to shatter the bones of its prey. But how it accomplished this feat without breaking its own skull bones has baffled paleontologists. That's why scientists are arguing that the T. rex's skull was stiff much like the skulls of hyenas and crocodiles, and not flexible like snakes and birds as paleontologists previously thought.
Read moreFruit-eating monkeys show a preference for concentrations of alcohol found in fermenting fruit, but do not seem to use alcohol as a source of supplementary calories, according to a new study. The findings do not support the idea that human alcoholism originated from a predilection of primates for alcohol-containing overripe fruit.
Read moreBy looking at 90-year-old crocodile skulls in museum collections and double-checking with live specimens at a zoological park in Florida, researchers have just discovered a new species of ten-foot-long croc. The new species, Crocodylus halli, is from the southern part of New Guinea, and until now, scientists had thought it was the same species that lived on the northern part of the island.
Read moreAs some of the most savvy and sophisticated predators out there, bats eavesdrop on their prey and even on other bats to collect a wide variety of information as they hunt.
Read moreAn evolutionary biologist has spent more than three decades studying the skulls of many species of large carnivores — including wolves, lions and tigers — that lived from 50,000 years ago to the present. She reports today the answer to a puzzling question.
Read moreNumerous studies show that children who had a rough start in life are more likely to have health problems later on. The pattern isn't unique to humans. But for baboons, the impacts aren't just borne by one generation — the next generation bears the brunt as well. A study finds that a baboon mother's early trauma is linked to shorter lifespans for her kids, even if they grew up more carefree than she did.
Read moreDog welfare campaigns that tell people to be 'responsible owners' don't help to promote behaviour change, a new report suggests. Dog owners interviewed for a study all considered themselves to be responsible owners, despite there being great variation in key aspects of their dog-owning behavior.
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