What marsupials can teach us about brain development

Scientists have discovered that marsupial forelimbs rapidly develop over a four-day period, challenging current understanding of limb development in vertebrates. This finding highlights the unique biology of marsupials and has important implications for conservation efforts.

The study found that genes involved in facial development are largely conserved across species but their regulatory elements vary significantly. Marsupials have unique dunnart-specific regulatory elements near highly-expressed genes related to skin, muscle, and sensory system development.

Researchers from the University of Melbourne found high levels of synthetic PFAS in possums from the greater Melbourne region, linked to serious health effects. The study is the first to investigate PFAS levels in Australian marsupials and highlights broad contamination of Australian ecosystems.

Research from Stockholm University reveals that marsupials possess a not fully evolved form of brown fat, a crucial finding for understanding the origin and regulation of this heat-producing organ. The study suggests that the gene networks required to enable thermogenesis existed before the divergence of marsupials and placental mammals.

Research from La Trobe University reveals 'broken' genes as a common factor in marsupial fur color. The study found missing DNA stretches disabling the Agouti Signalling Protein gene in black morph eastern quolls and Tasmanian devils, leading to unique coat colors.

The Teach Pendant software developed by ETRI has won the main prize in the User Experience (UX) category at the 'iF Design Award 2024'. This award signifies global recognition of the technology's user-friendly and intuitive design, making it easier for people to teach robots. The software has improved upon traditional teach pendant pro...