Thermotolerance is a biological process by which cells, tissues, or organisms acquire the capacity to survive and maintain function under elevated temperatures that would otherwise be lethal or damaging. It involves coordinated molecular responses including induction of heat shock proteins and molecular chaperones, stabilization of protein structure, remodeling of membranes, modulation of reactive oxygen species detoxification systems, and activation of protective signaling pathways such as heat shock factor (HSF)-mediated transcription. Thermotolerance can be constitutive or inducible, often developing after a mild heat pretreatment, and contributes to cellular homeostasis, proteostasis, and integrity of critical processes such as DNA replication, transcription, translation, and photosynthesis under thermal stress.
New research, led by the University of Glasgow reveals that adaptation to warmer waters causes fish to display a range of behavioral and biological differences, including obesity, overeating and lower metabolism.
Plants & Animals
13 hours ago
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New research from Costa Rica's Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) suggests that tropical insects may be vulnerable to rising temperatures. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 28, 2026
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With global warming and extreme weather intensifying, can animals raise their thermal tolerance to cope with a continuously warming environment? A joint research project by the Division of Science at Lingnan University and ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 27, 2026
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The planet is getting hotter, and life will need to adapt to rising temperatures to survive. One way cells adapt to changing conditions is by synthesizing new proteins. That works well when the environment changes slowly, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 20, 2026
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If you want to beat the heat of the summer sun, slowing down and doing less is a good strategy. However, researchers have long asked whether the same occurs at the cellular level. While cellular stress responses have been ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 18, 2026
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Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them spread tick-borne diseases farther north, a UC study has found. Biologists with the University of Cincinnati ...
Ecology
Jul 17, 2026
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If you visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, on the edge of London, you will see a brightly painted skeleton of a dead oak tree. The tree, known as the climate-changed oak, succumbed in the heat wave of 2022. Instead of ...
Ecology
Jul 9, 2026
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As heat waves continue one after another, we are feeling their effects on our own bodies: It becomes harder for us to function normally. Trees also have their limits when temperatures are too high. Above a certain critical ...
Ecology
Jul 9, 2026
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Feeling hot at home may seem like a simple matter of temperature or whether the air conditioning is switched on. But a new study suggests that less visible factors—from closed windows and blocked airflow to household routines ...
Environment
Jul 8, 2026
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As climate change warms rivers across British Columbia, young salmon are facing increasing heat stress at vulnerable stages of their lives. Two studies from UBC's Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Lab have found that ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 29, 2026
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