https://phys.org/biology-news/ en-us Read the latest science news from Phys.org on biology, evolution, microbiology, biotechnology Researchers have found that a group of chemicals known as PFAS can be transferred from mother dolphins to their nursing calves, adding to the evidence that these persistent contaminants can be transferred from mothers to offspring during early development. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-pfas-dolphin-mothers-calves.html Ecology Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:04:50 EDT news695714541 Rising stream temperatures may be weakening the foundation of river food webs by altering how carbon moves through these watery ecosystems. In a new study published in the journal Ecosphere, researchers from Northern Arizona University found that when water temperatures increase, microbes and aquatic insects process fallen leaves, twigs, and bark more rapidly, but a smaller fraction of that leaf litter supports their growth and a bigger fraction is released into the water and air as carbon dioxide. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-warmer-streams-river-food-webs.html Ecology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:00:01 EDT news695651920 In the past several years, Rockefeller University's Kivanç Birsoy and his team in the Laboratory of Metabolic Regulation and Genetics have revealed remarkable details about the antioxidant glutathione, which plays many essential roles in the body, from clearing free radicals to repairing cellular damage. Among other things, they've discovered the transporter that shuttles glutathione to where it's needed, how glutathione keeps iron levels in check, and the metabolite's complicated relationship with mitochondria, the energy center of the cell, where it both keeps the lights on yet can drive the metastasis of breast cancer. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-antioxidant-glutathione-play-key-role.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:00:01 EDT news695651461 Bacterial sensors usually rely on emitting light to transfer information about what they're sensing, but that method isn't practical in many settings. That's why most information transmission is done via electricity. And while electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Rice University professor Caroline Ajo-Franklin's group, working in collaboration with researchers from Tufts University and Baylor College of Medicine, recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system (e-COSENS). The study is published in Nature Biotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bacteria-chemical-electricity-options.html Biotechnology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:40:01 EDT news695650681 Restoring once abundant oyster reefs in temperate marginal seas such as the North Sea is a challenging task. New research by NIOZ marine ecologist Zhiyuan Zhao and colleagues shows that it is necessary to consider the short-term risk that introduced oysters will become buried by shifting sediment or will be dislodged by strong near-bed currents. For restoration success, these short-term physical disturbances can be more decisive than longer-term water-quality conditions. The results of pioneering experiments at 32 m depth, were published today in One Earth. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-oyster-reefs-site-dont-sand.html Plants & Animals Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:20:01 EDT news695647106 For the first time, a research team at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) has succeeded in reducing the size of, or even completely removing, chromosomes in plants with large genomes, such as wheat. They achieved this by using the CRISPR/Cas gene-editing tool to target highly repetitive sections of DNA. The results of the study, published today in the journal Plant Communications, could significantly accelerate breeding processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-team-successfully-trims-wheat-chromosomes.html Biotechnology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:00:01 EDT news695649961 Like many animals, parrots make sounds that suggest they are talking with each other, maybe even calling out to a specific parrot. But do they truly have names in the same way people do? To find out, Lauryn Benedict, a biology professor at the University of Northern Colorado, didn't set up shop in the tropics to record parrot chatter, as they've done in the past. She instead found birds who spoke her language—birds that live with humans and mimic what they hear, including people's names. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-parrots-mimicking-words-proper-humans.html Plants & Animals Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:04 EDT news695636041 A newly designed AI-powered tool is effective in developing treatments to attack antibiotic-resistant bacteria by breaking down their outer defenses, according to new research from Houston Methodist. The study, published in Nature Communications and led by Eleftherios Mylonakis, M.D., Ph.D., chair, Houston Methodist Charles W. Duncan Jr. Department of Medicine, details how researchers used the tool to identify antimicrobial peptides—small proteins that are part of the body's natural immune system—that effectively targeted bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in lab tests. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-powered-tool-treatments-antibiotic.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:40:01 EDT news695645102 An emerging type of artificial intelligence, known as "agentic" AI, seems to do everything that biomedical scientists do—and often, does it faster. This next-generation technology can interpret experimental data, report the results and make decisions on its own. But is agentic AI smart enough to replace actual scientists? https://phys.org/news/2026-04-qa-agentic-ai-human-scientists.html Biotechnology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:00:04 EDT news695644443 Assisted evolution could help corals survive future heat waves, but careful trait choice and strong repeated selection will be needed for it to be effective. As global temperatures rise, marine heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, driving coral bleaching and mortality. While some coral populations are already showing signs of natural adaptation, researchers warn that these changes are unlikely to keep pace with future warming. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-coral-reefs-require-ruthless-generations.html Evolution Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:01 EDT news695635441 A greater focus on roots during plant breeding could ensure staple grain crops continue to feed the world as recycled nutrients substitute conventional fertilizers in the future, a University of Queensland study published in npj Sustainable Agriculture has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-modern-crops-lazy-underground-sorghum.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news695638205 A sprinkle of nutmeg powder on baked goodies or mashed potatoes can immediately lift the flavor with its warm and sweet aroma. Even though it is used globally, not much is known about the true origins of the nutmeg spice tree, Myristica fragrans. In an attempt to retrace evolutionary history, researchers traveled to five different islands in the Moluccas archipelago, Indonesia, traditionally known as the Spice Islands and collected leaves from 393 nutmeg trees to analyze their DNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dna-nutmeg-hidden-revealing-south.html Plants & Animals Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:40:03 EDT news695636402 Does a male bird with a long and complex courtship dance have superior cognitive abilities? Simply put, is a talented dancer a smarter bird? To answer the question, researchers at Université de Montréal studied the zebra finch, a small bird known for the dramatic differences between the male and female of the species. The scientists wanted to determine whether females choose males who perform elaborate dances because those displays reflect above-average intelligence. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-birds-dancers-smarter.html Plants & Animals Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:20:02 EDT news695635683 Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have revealed the detailed workings of a cell membrane protein that has essential roles in all animals. The discovery could lead to new therapeutic strategies for blood coagulation disorders, cancers and other conditions in which the protein, called a TMEM16 scramblase, works abnormally. Scramblases operate within cell membranes, where they alter or "scramble" the normal layered arrangement of lipid molecules—an essential step in many biological processes. The scramblase TMEM16F also works as an ion channel, allowing small, charged molecules such as potassium or chloride ions through the membrane. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scramblase-pave-blood-disorder-cancer.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:01 EDT news695572430 Bacterial blight (BB) is a serious plant disease that mainly affects rice plants, especially in warm, humid regions. Due to the severity of BB, discovering and applying BB-resistance genes is strategically important for ensuring stable rice production in Asia. However, genetic strategies to improve disease resistance face a trade-off between crop yield and immunity to disease—since better immunity may be associated with lower yield. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gene-discovery-path-disease-resistant.html Biotechnology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:10:01 EDT news695575081 A study conducted at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University (ICT-UNESP) in São José dos Campos, Brazil, shows that Moringa oleifera, also known as moringa or white acacia, has the potential to remove microplastics from water. The study, titled "Removal of Microplastics from Drinking Water by Moringa oleifera Seed: Comparative Performance with Alum in Direct and in-Line Filtration Systems," is published in the journal ACS Omega. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-common-asian-brazil-potential-microplastics.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:40:01 EDT news695569201 Humans adjust to changes in temperature by putting on a sweater or taking off layers. Plants adjust to temperature changes, in part, by switching the way they express the protein that performs the critical first step of photosynthesis, according to new research from Cornell, Texas A&M and Stockholm University. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-temperature-shifts-proteins-power-photosynthesis.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news695574601 Cells are enveloped by a lipid membrane that gives them structure and provides a barrier between the cell and its environment. However, evidence has recently emerged suggesting that these membranes do more than simply provide protection—they also influence the behavior of the protein receptors embedded in them. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cancer-hidden-cell-membrane-growth.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:10:01 EDT news695574421 Parasitic wasps of the genus Trichogramma are among the smallest insects in the world—yet they play an important role in natural ecosystems and agricultural landscapes as natural antagonists of pest species. Research teams from the Universities of Regensburg, Wageningen and Groningen have now identified for the first time the sex pheromone of a Trichogramma wasp. The study shows that unimaginably small amounts of the female pheromone are sufficient to attract males and trigger their courtship behavior. The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-sex-pheromone-sandgrain-sized-insect.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news695568181 The south coast of South Africa's Western Cape province is a rich source of fossil tracks and traces—clues suggesting what this environment may have been like many thousands of years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bird-tortoise-fossil-tracks-south.html Paleontology & Fossils Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:09 EDT news695567462 Baby Neanderthals may have been much larger and grown much more quickly than their modern Homo sapiens counterparts, according to a new study of the most intact Neanderthal infant skeleton. Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) are our closest extinct relatives, an ancient group of humans that lived in Eurasia from several hundred thousand years ago until they disappeared around 40,000 years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-baby-neanderthals-rapid-growth-spurt.html Evolution Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:40:03 EDT news695563623 Investigating a common gene in three very different species—salamanders, mice and zebrafish—scientists have discovered the potential for a novel gene therapy aimed at eventually regrowing limbs in humans, according to new research published this week. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-regrowing-human-limbs-salamander-gene.html Biotechnology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:40:07 EDT news695562421 Photosynthetic bacteria helped shape planet Earth. Among them are cyanobacteria that produced the oxygen in the atmosphere and made complex life possible, captivating scientists for decades. Now, researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) report a surprising new discovery—a system thought to separate DNA has developed to sculpt the shape of the cell in cyanobacteria instead. The results, published in Science, shed light on how protein systems evolve and how multicellularity emerged in this type of ecologically essential bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cyanobacteria-scientists-evolutionary-shift.html Evolution Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:07 EDT news695472121 Biological tissues have a remarkable ability to organize and change shape, driven by forces generated by their own cells. One of the major challenges in bioengineering is harnessing this natural behavior to design synthetic living materials capable of adopting predetermined shapes. However, precisely controlling how a tissue behaves and directing its internal forces to adopt the desired shape remains a significant scientific challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-shifting-tissue-cells-flat.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:05 EDT news695548261 A new study reveals that some of the ocean's most powerful predators are running hotter, and that they are likely paying an increasingly steep price for it. The significance of this headline finding is the "double jeopardy" in which it places these iconic animals, which have high fuel demands due to their lifestyle and physiology, as they now face a future of warming oceans and declining food resources. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bodied-sharks-tunas-jeopardy-seas.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:04 EDT news695547961 As a part of a study testing out a new type of implanted brain-computer interface (BCI), three rhesus monkeys controlled movements in a virtual reality (VR) world using only brain signals. The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates a major step toward practical BCIs that can work outside of lab conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-monkeys-virtual-forest-thought-brain.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:30:01 EDT news695563610 A German–Argentine team of paleontologists led by SNSB dinosaur expert Oliver Rauhut has discovered a new long-necked dinosaur, Bicharracosaurus dionidei, from the Upper Jurassic period in Argentina, dating back approximately 155 million years. Long-necked dinosaur fossils from the Jurassic period in the Southern Hemisphere are rare, so the new fossil contributes to a better understanding of the evolution of these giant herbivores on the southern continents. The researchers have now published their findings in the journal PeerJ. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-patagonia-yields-million-year-necked.html Evolution Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:06 EDT news695556361 From the ability to detect the smell of wet soil to the scent of ripe fruit, the human olfactory system has evolved over thousands of years in response to how people live and what they eat, according to a new genetic study of Indigenous populations in Malaysia. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-human-evolved-diets-lifestyle-genetic.html Evolution Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:09 EDT news695473502 Scientists from Skoltech and the University of Potsdam have developed a physical theory that sheds light on how molecular motors organize the three-dimensional structure of the genome. Using theoretical polymer physics and computer simulations, the researchers for the first time calculated a universal parameter of this organization—the density of loops formed through active extrusion by cohesin motors in each living cell. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-polymer-physics-reveals-dna-loops.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:20:06 EDT news695551217 Research has shed important new light on the enemies-turned-allies that allow bacteria to exchange genes, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The insights, which expand our understanding of the major global health threat of AMR, came as John Innes Center researchers investigated the curious phenomena of gene transfer agents (GTAs). https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ancient-viruses-gene-delivery-couriers.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:17 EDT news695483581