Plant and animal testing encompasses experimental methods that use whole organisms or their tissues to assess biological responses to chemicals, drugs, genetic modifications, environmental stressors, or other interventions under controlled conditions. In plants, testing commonly involves growth assays, phytotoxicity and ecotoxicological evaluations, and phenotypic or molecular analyses following exposure or genetic manipulation. In animals, it includes in vivo toxicology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy studies, and behavioral or physiological assessments, often guided by standardized protocols and regulatory frameworks. These methods aim to elucidate mechanisms of action, dose–response relationships, safety margins, and translational relevance to ecosystems or human health, while increasingly integrating refinement, reduction, and replacement strategies.
Laboratory animals are anesthetized to avoid pain during invasive procedures. Anesthesia is necessary for these animals' welfare, but it is not always without problems: Substandard anesthesia can cause suffering, distort ...
Veterinary medicine
Sep 14, 2026
0
15
Animals fulfill a wide range of roles in human society. They provide food, contribute to scientific research, live alongside people as companion animals, and play important roles in education, conservation, research and public ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 4, 2026
0
11
Lucerne seed wasp (LSW) is a serious pest in alfalfa crops, causing damage that is difficult to see in the field. Its larvae feed inside developing seeds, meaning losses may not become apparent until harvest, cleaning or ...
Ecology
Aug 30, 2026
0
13
Heart-healthy oats are finding their way into a wider variety of products and recipes as consumer demand grows. Although oats are grown on far fewer acres than other U.S. crops, farmers are able to keep up with demand through ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 6, 2026
0
7
A new Murdoch University study has uncovered alarming levels of pesticide contamination in the food sources of endangered Carnaby's cockatoos in the Wheatbelt—including concentrations well above regulatory limits found in ...
Ecology
Jul 19, 2026
0
13
Seeds from South Africa's world-famous rooibos tea are headed to the International Space Station to see how they respond to space conditions in the first such experiment for Africa, organizers announced Thursday.
Space Exploration
Jul 16, 2026
0
10
Mizani, a 12-year-old male western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, underwent a first-of-its-kind mastoidectomy to treat an infection that had spread into portions of his skull. The surgery was performed ...
Biotechnology
Jul 14, 2026
1
96
Rutgers Office for Research (OfR) leaders collaborated with researchers around the world to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) program that has the potential to revolutionize lab research.
Biotechnology
Jul 10, 2026
0
10
It started as a joke. Representatives of menswear brand MJ Bale had spent three days in a design sprint with CSIRO scientists trying to nail what kind of tool the company needed to prove its sustainability credentials.
Environment
Jul 7, 2026
0
9
In biomedical research using mouse models, preparing pseudopregnant recipient females is a standard step in embryo transfer protocols. Conventionally, this process requires technicians to select female mice showing clear ...
Other
Jul 6, 2026
0
7
