Chinese and US researchers have identified the world's oldest flowering plant, a 140-million-year-old fossil found in northeast China. The plant predates the previous oldest-known flower by over 25 million years, shedding light on the origins of flowering plants.
Scientists found that genetically altered mice with altered neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels exhibited changes in alcohol consumption behavior. Mice lacking NPY drank more, while those with high NPY levels consumed less and were more sensitive to the sedative effects of alcohol.
A new statistical analysis of 115 years of global temperature data strengthens the argument that human-caused emissions are warming the earth's atmosphere. The study found strong year-to-year correlations between actual temperature data and simulations from two leading computer models, indicating a consistent long-term trend.
Researchers at the Carnegie Institution for Science have isolated the protein that responds to UV-A/blue light, a crucial step in understanding plant growth and development. The discovery of NPH1 as the photoreceptor for phototropism has significant implications for agricultural research and future studies on plant development.