Life Sciences – Page 2 – PossibleThreat Articles

The impact of human-caused noise pollution on birds

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Birds, Endangered Animals, Extinction, Life Sciences, Mating and Breeding, Nature, New Species, Wild Animals

Anthropogenic noise pollution (ANP) is a globally invasive phenomenon impacting natural systems, but most research has occurred at local scales with few species. Researchers in this study investigated continental-scale breeding season associations with ANP for 322 bird species to test whether local-scale predictions are consistent at broad spatial extents for an extensive group of North American bird species in the continental United States.

News Science

Capturing elephants from the wild hinders their reproduction for over a decade

October 10, 2019 0 Comments Animal Learning and Intelligence, animals, Dogs, Endangered Animals, Fisheries, Life Sciences, Nature, Wild Animals

Capturing elephants to keep in captivity not only hinders their reproduction immediately, but also has a negative effect on their calves, according to new research.

News Science

Identifying a cyanobacterial gene family that helps control photosynthesis

October 8, 2019 0 Comments Air Quality, Botany, Endangered Plants, Genetics, Global Warming, Life Sciences, Rainforests, Sustainability

A new study has identified a family of genes in cyanobacteria that help control carbon dioxide fixation.

News Science

Scientists uncover genetic similarities among species that use sound to navigate

October 4, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Developmental Biology, Dolphins and Whales, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Life Sciences, New Species, Wild Animals

Insect-eating bats navigate effortlessly in the dark and dolphins and killer whales gobble up prey in murky waters thanks in part to specific changes in a set of 18 genes involved in the development of the cochlear ganglion — a group of nerves that transmit sound from the ear to the brain, according to a new study.

News Science

Identifying a gene for canine night blindness

October 4, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Biotechnology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Dogs, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Life Sciences, Veterinary Medicine

Researchers have identified the gene mutation responsible for a form of night blindness in dogs. Strategies to treat this condition, which affects a layer of neurons just below the primary photoreceptor cells, could also inform treatment of other diseases that rely on targeting this cell type.

News Science

How the Texas puma saved the Florida panther

October 3, 2019 0 Comments Biodiversity, Biology, Ecology, Ecosystems, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Life Sciences, Wildfires

Scientists have pieced together the first complete picture of the Florida panther genome — work that could serve to protect that endangered population and other endangered species going forward.

News Science

Why are there no animal species with three legs?

October 2, 2019 0 Comments Charles Darwin, Early Humans, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Human Evolution, Life Sciences, Nature, Trees

If 'Why?' is the first question in science, 'Why not?' must be a close second. Sometimes it's worth thinking about why something does not exist. Such as a truly three-legged animal. At least one researcher has been pondering the non-existence of tripeds.

News Science

Gene responsible for lutein esterification in bread wheat identified

October 1, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Cell Biology, Food, Food and Agriculture, Genetics, Life Sciences, Molecular Biology

Researchers have identified and confirmed the gene responsible for lutein esterification in bread wheat. The activity of this gene controls the timing of esterification in grain, which is related to storage and nutritional qualities of bread wheat and other grains.

News Science

Collagen fibers encourage cell streaming through balancing act

October 1, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Biotechnology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics, Life Sciences, Molecular Biology

Engineers have shown that the length of collagen fibers has a roll to play in the ability of normal cells to become invasive.

News Science

How a protein connecting calcium and plant hormone regulates plant growth

September 26, 2019 0 Comments Agriculture and Food, Botany, Endangered Plants, Genetics, Life Sciences, Nature, New Species, Seeds

A new study finds that a unique mechanism involving calcium, the plant hormone auxin and a calcium-binding protein is responsible for regulating plant growth.