Roundworms are a colloquial designation for nematodes, a highly diverse phylum of unsegmented, bilaterally symmetrical pseudocoelomate animals characterized by a cylindrical body, complete digestive tract, and a chitinous cuticle that undergoes molting. As a research topic, roundworms encompass free-living and parasitic species that serve as models in developmental biology, genetics, neurobiology, ecology, and host–pathogen interactions, with Caenorhabditis elegans being the most extensively studied. Investigations focus on their conserved molecular pathways, reproductive strategies, environmental adaptations, and impact on human, animal, and plant health, including their role in soil ecosystems and as agents of helminthic disease.
During animal cell division, a highly synchronized and tightly regulated dance of chromosomes takes place, ensuring the chromosomes split correctly into the two cells. Spindle fibers—complex machinery responsible for choreographing ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 27, 2026
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Parasitic nematodes (commonly known as roundworms) are a large, diverse and poorly studied group of disease-causing organisms that severely impact the health of humans and animals. They infect almost one-quarter of the global ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 19, 2026
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Researchers have identified a previously unknown cell type hidden on the roots of common beans, a microscopic survival mechanism that could inform the development of more climate-resilient crops and reduce fertilizer dependence.
Cell & Microbiology
May 6, 2026
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In 2025, Konstanz scientists looked very closely at rotting fruit in local orchards, and observed what no one had before—worms, hundreds of them, twisting skyward into self-assembled living structures known as "towers." It ...
Plants & Animals
May 4, 2026
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A newly published study from the University of Guam sheds light on a tiny but powerful ally in the soil and how it could help Guam farmers and growers protect their crops naturally. Published on Dec. 11, 2025, in the journal ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 2, 2026
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Studying social behavior is crucial for understanding how certain neuromodulatory pathways—like the serotonin pathway, which influences mood and social interactions—are regulated. Kavita Babu, Professor at the Centre for ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Feb 25, 2026
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Researchers at the School of Biological Sciences of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have uncovered how eukaryotic cells can control gene activity even after losing one of their major gene-regulatory systems during evolution. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 2, 2026
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Soybean farmers around the world face a persistent and costly enemy hidden beneath the soil: soybean cyst nematode (SCN), a microscopic roundworm that attacks plant roots and drains yields. SCN is one of the most damaging ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 24, 2026
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When observing small worms under a microscope, one might observe something very surprising: the worms appear to make a sweeping motion to clean their own environment. Physicists at the University of Amsterdam, Georgia Tech ...
General Physics
Jan 5, 2026
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While the spread of raccoons in Europe is often discussed, their companion tends to remain unnoticed: The raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis arrived in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century with the first raccoons ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 19, 2025
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