A Yale University study tracked Ice Age mammals to understand how they impact ecosystems. The research found that even small extinctions can have significant effects on functional diversity.
Researchers linked RBC size to oxygen delivery efficiency in extinct mammals and birds using fossilizable indicators. They found that these organisms had smaller RBCs and were likely better athletes than earlier terrestrial vertebrates.
Mammals have evolved a specialized germline in their sex cells to pass on high-quality mitochondria, driven by the need to counteract rapid genetic mutations. This process restricts genetic variation in offspring, but allows for the transfer of better-functioning mitochondria.
Researchers found that juvenile IGF-1 concentrations predict heavier weight, greater survival to reproductive maturity and earlier birth, but also shorter adult lifespans. Measuring IGF-1 during the first year of life can be used to predict later-life traits in wild mammals.
The study found that human ALOX15 has a higher capacity for producing anti-inflammatory lipid mediators than its lower primate counterparts. This suggests an evolution to better control inflammation and speed up the healing process.
A new study describes an early marsupial relative called Didelphodon vorax with the strongest bite force of any mammal ever recorded. It had a powerful bite and could eat a variety of foods, including small dinosaurs.
Researchers found a benign tumor, called a compound odontoma, in a fossilized gorgonopsian jaw from 255 million years ago. The discovery suggests that this type of tumor may have existed before the first mammals evolved.
Researchers have developed a new passive acoustic monitoring method using autonomous underwater vehicles, gliders, and floats to capture sounds of marine life. The method, which was tested in the US Pacific, has the potential to provide more accurate data on marine mammal density and abundance.
A University of Pittsburgh researcher has successfully regenerates heart tissues in mice using components from zebrafish, a skill lost among humans and other mammals. Human heart cells have also shown promising results in vitro, paving the way for potential treatments for heart disease.
Researchers have developed a new method to track ocean temperature changes using internal tidal waves, which can be detected through satellite data. This approach is cheaper and more reliable than existing methods, allowing for long-term monitoring of ocean warming without harming marine mammals.
A team of geneticists found that mammary glands emerged due to the recycling of Hox genes, which are responsible for organizing organ formation during embryonic development. This discovery explains how placental mammals and marsupials developed mammary glands, but not in platypuses.
A study found that a gene regulating bone growth is highly active in the brains of humans and nonhuman primates, but not in mice. The researchers believe this gene may play a role in brain maturation and cognitive function.
Researchers found that tooth shape influenced diet and feeding biomechanics, with selection favoring maximum damage, not just force or energy. The study used 3D-printed replicas of ancient mammal teeth to test the impact of different diets on early mammals.
Studies have shown that most mammals live longer in zoos compared to their wild counterparts, with smaller species exhibiting the greatest increase in longevity. This is likely due to reduced mortality rates from predation and intraspecific competition, which are prevalent in the wild.
Researchers reconstructed the body cavity volume in over 120 tetrapods and found that herbivores have twice as large bodies as carnivores of similar size. The study reveals a fundamental difference in morphological principles between mammals and other tetrapods, with possible implications for respiratory systems.
Scientists have found a key protein, connective tissue growth factor A (ctgfa), that facilitates spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish. The protein promotes the formation of bridges across damaged tissue, leading to improved healing outcomes.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that a low-oxygen environment can regenerate heart muscle in mice. This discovery builds on previous research that showed the ability of newborn mammals to regenerate their hearts, and demonstrates the potential for this approach to reverse heart disease.
The study reveals that overhunting of mammals is concentrated in countries with poorer populations, threatening their livelihoods. The researchers suggest five broad steps to address the issue, including changing laws and providing property rights to communities benefiting from wildlife presence.
Researchers fabricate fur-like, rubbery pelts to trap warm pockets of air in dense layers of fur. The findings provide a detailed mechanical understanding of how mammals insulate themselves while diving underwater.
A study published by Texas A&M scientists found that red imported fire ants can increase the abundance of small mammals and reduce the number of ticks in an ecosystem. This could lead to a decrease in tick-borne disease transmission to humans and animals.
Scientists have recovered ancient DNA from a West Indian mammal known as the 'Island Murderer,' tracing its evolution back to 70 million years ago. The study sheds light on the impact of humans on recent extinctions in the Caribbean.
The report highlights detectable scientific evidence of ocean warming's impact on marine life, from microorganisms to mammals. Ocean warming is causing increased disease in plant and animal populations, impacting human health as pathogens spread more easily in warmer waters.
A recent study confirms forest elephants as one of the world's slowest reproducing mammals, with females taking up to 23 years to breed and giving birth only once every five to six years. This low birth rate means that forest elephant populations will take nearly a century to recover from poaching since 2002.
Researchers found that logged forests can retain high levels of mammal diversity, especially for small mammals, and should be better protected. However, oil palm plantations show significant losses in diversity for both large and small mammals.
The study found that the marsupial lion's elbow joint had a unique rotational capacity, similar to arboreal mammals, but also features not seen in living climbers. The researchers suggest this allowed the animal to use its dew claw to kill prey. The incisors were blunt and functioned better for gripping than piercing flesh.
Researchers found high levels of pesticides and contaminants in California condors near the coast compared to inland birds. The study suggests that feeding on marine mammal carcasses could complicate condor recovery due to potential harm from toxic substances.
A team of 43 wildlife experts warns that preventing the extinction of iconic species like gorillas and tigers demands bold political action and financial commitments. The scientists highlight the urgent need to address threats such as illegal hunting, deforestation, and habitat loss.
Researchers at Yale and Cincinnati Children's Hospital propose that the human female orgasm evolved to stimulate ovulation, a trait shared with many other placental mammals. The study suggests that female orgasm became superfluous for reproduction later in evolution, freeing it for secondary roles.
A study published in Nature Communications suggests that timely conservation action can slow extinction rates and save species. The research found similar patterns of species loss following habitat disruption across various taxonomic groups, including birds, mammals, plants, reptiles, and invertebrates.
Researchers developed a new index to predict if extinct mammalian species lived exclusively in water, were occasionally on land, or were fully land-based. The index uses rib strength measurement to differentiate between habitats and was applied to four extinct species with partially or completely aquatic lifestyles.
A study reveals that viruses have driven protein adaptation in humans and other mammals, with 30% of all protein adaptations since humans' divergence from chimpanzees being influenced by viruses. This discovery sheds light on the impact of viruses on cellular machinery and could lead to new therapeutic leads against viral threats.
A new study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science ranks the suitability of mammals as pets, with Agile Wallaby, Sika Deer, Tamar Wallaby, Llama, and Asian Palm Civet making the top five list. The research developed a methodology to assess mammal suitability for domestic ownership, considering behavioral needs and welfare risks.
New research suggests mammals evolved and diversified after the extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago, contradicting a long-held scientific theory. Fossil records support this finding, which was achieved by recalibrating DNA evolution rates using reliable fossil data.
A new study published in PLOS Computational Biology found that genes involved in cellular remodeling are conserved across honey bees and mammals, suggesting a common origin for social behavior. These findings provide insight into the evolution of complex sociality in animals.
Researchers found placental mammals evolved at a constant rate before the extinction event but accelerated rapidly after, resulting in diverse modern groups like bats and cats. The team analyzed fossils from the Cretaceous to present day, finding a massive spike in evolution rates after dinosaur extinction.
Researchers demonstrate that hairs, feathers and scales share a common evolutionary origin, developing from placodes with similar molecular signatures. The study provides new insights into the evolution of skin appendages and their diversity.
A recent study by Maria Chikina and Nathan Clark found that during three major independent evolutionary events, mammals returned to the sea, involving many genetic trade-offs. The researchers identified hundreds of genes affected, including those involved in sensory systems, muscle function, skin, and metabolism.
Scientists from Wits University discovered that mammal-like reptiles evolved hair around 240-246 million years ago, assisting their survival. This discovery suggests a possible link between the evolution of hair and whiskers with the development of mammals.
A new study led by NIH researchers suggests that rod photoreceptors in mammals evolved from cone cells through a protein-mediated transformation, enabling nocturnal animals to thrive. The findings provide insights into the evolution of night vision and have potential applications for regenerating retinal cells.
In early mammals, rods in the mammalian eye developed from color-detecting cone cells, giving them an edge in low-light conditions. This evolution allowed early mammals to take up a nocturnal lifestyle and survive as predators were dominant during the day.
Over 90% of mammal species were wiped out by the asteroid that killed dinosaurs, but they recovered rapidly and diversified in different regions. The recovery took just 300,000 years, with small mammals being key survivors.
Researchers have created summative world maps of mammal-to-human diseases, revealing understudied patterns and insights into zoonotic disease emergence. The maps show that hotspots of zoonotic diseases don't match hotspots of biodiversity closely, with more zoonotic hosts in the tropics but more zoonotic diseases in temperate regions.
A new study of fossil records found that the modern latitudinal diversity gradient for North American mammals is an exception to the rule, with more species at the equator than poles. The team analyzed 63 million years of mammalian life and found a strengthening of the gradient between 10 million and 4 million years ago.
Harvard researchers have identified a new mechanism for detecting odors in mammals, using 'necklace' neurons that express MS4A proteins to respond to specific smells like nuts and pheromones. This discovery revises the canonical view of how animals probe their chemical environment.
Researchers have sequenced the mitochondrial genome of the Hispaniolan solenodon, revealing that it diverged from other living mammals 78 million years ago. The venomous mammal survived asteroid impact and human colonization, but is now threatened by habitat loss and introduced predators.
Scientists have discovered REM and slow-wave sleep in bearded dragons, a finding that suggests brain sleep dates back at least to the evolution of amniotes. The study's authors believe that this common origin is more plausible than convergent evolution, given the early branching out of reptiles.
A new study reveals that reptiles, like mammals and birds, experience REM and slow-wave sleep patterns. This discovery suggests a common ancestor for these sleep states, evolving over 300 million years ago in amniotes.
Researchers found fossils in Japan that suggest tritylodontids co-existed with early mammals for millions of years, overturning the widely accepted theory about their extinction. The discovery sheds new light on the ecological dynamics of these animal families.
Scientists find 21-million-year-old fossil evidence of mammals traveling from South America to North America. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of Western Hemisphere monkeys, revealing they stopped migrating north due to a barrier of North American vegetation.
A new species of extinct rodent, Sayimys negevensis, has been discovered in Israel's Negev desert, providing insights into the early dispersal route of mammals from Asia to Africa. The discovery bridges the gap between primitive ctenodactylines and gundis, highlighting Israel's unique paleogeographic position.
CRI researchers found that inactivating a certain protein-coding gene promotes liver tissue regeneration in mammals. The study showed that mice without the gene had healthier livers, improved liver function, and faster healing of damaged tissues.
A recent study has identified malaria's origins in bird hosts, with the parasite then spreading to bats and other mammals before reaching humans. The research, led by Cornell University's Holly Lutz, provides a comprehensive analysis of malaria's genetic code, offering insights into its adaptability and evolution.
A Field Museum study identifies malaria's evolutionary history in bird hosts, revealing its spread to bats and other mammals. The analysis sheds light on the connection between animals and their parasites, providing insights into the natural environments we share with animals and plants.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a new innate immunity pathway that protects mammals from viral oncogenesis, a process causing cancer. The study found that the autophagy-related protein beclin 2 can help break down key oncogenic viral proteins associated with Kaposi's sarcoma.
Researchers uncovered a group of retroviruses called ERV-Fc that affected 28 out of 50 modern mammal ancestors, spreading across every continent except Antarctica and Australia. The study also reveals patterns of evolutionary change and gene exchange between these viruses and other pathogens.
A molecule has been identified that promotes a sleep-like state in nematode worms, which is similar to the sleep of humans and other mammals. The protein VAV-1 regulates this process and is also involved in maintaining normal amounts of EGFR in the neuron.
Researchers found that birds have sophisticated cognitive skills, matching those of apes, in tasks such as hoarding food and recognizing themselves in mirrors. The brains of birds and apes share similar single modules and prefrontal brain structures controlling executive functions.
Glyptodonts likely originated less than 35 million years ago from ancestors within modern armadillo families, contradicting previous assumptions. The close relatives of glyptodonts include giant armadillos and the four-ounce pink fairy armadillo, challenging existing concepts of their distinctiveness.
Researchers tracked over 300 individual Sand Tiger sharks and found complex social networks with fission-fusion behavior, similar to mammals. The study sheds light on shark interactions in the open ocean and has implications for conservation efforts.
Researchers assembled largest mammalian phylogenomic dataset to test models of molecular evolution and confirm findings that Atlantogenata is the sister group to all other placentals. The study resolves the controversy over placental mammal family tree, revealing that Afrotheria and Xenarthra diverged from each other around 90 million ...