A longitudinal study found that taurine levels in the blood remain stable or increase with age, rather than decrease, and are more influenced by individual differences and diet. The study's findings suggest that taurine is not a reliable biomarker for aging.
Analysis of ancient proteins in fossilized tooth enamel reveals greater diversity within Paranthropus than previously recognized, suggesting multiple distinct species. The findings also support the presence of genetically distinct individuals, including one individual that appears to be part of a different Paranthropus group.
A new study reveals that a strain of leprosy-causing mycobacterium, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, infected humans in the Americas longer ago than previously thought. The findings indicate that this strain was already circulating within human populations across the continent several centuries before European arrival.
A collection of fossils discovered in northern Alaska reveals that birds were nesting in harsh Arctic environments as early as 72.8 million years ago. This finding provides new insights into how modern birds adapted to polar ecosystems and offers clues about their evolutionary history.
A growing number of adolescents are experiencing anxiety disorders, which may be linked to early life stress and environmental factors. The authors suggest that these factors can shape a child's developing brain and lead to anxiety disorders if the anticipated threats never materialize.
New genomic evidence suggests that Borrelia recurrentis diverged from its tick-borne relatives and adapted to use human body lice around 6000-4000 years ago. This transition coincided with the widespread use of wool textiles by humans, leading to genome reductions and host specialization.
New research reveals that turf algae in warming Gulf of Maine waters are chemically inhibiting the recovery of kelp forests, threatening these crucial marine ecosystems. Laboratory experiments show that turf-derived compounds inhibit early growth stages of kelp, altering the chemical ecology and preventing re-establishment.
Astronomers have identified a rare type of binary star system featuring a rapidly spinning millisecond pulsar and a helium star companion. The system is thought to have formed through common envelope evolution, with the neutron star spiraling closer to its companion before ejecting energy and leaving behind a tightly bound binary.
Researchers found that sloths' body size was largely influenced by their habitats, and human activities led to the rapid decline of large-bodied species. The study suggests that secluded forest canopies allowed small arboreal sloths to survive, while direct human pressures drove the extinction of giant terrestrial sloths.
A new study on mountain ecosystems under climate change found little empirical support for the widely recognized 'escalator to extinction.' Instead, biotic homogenization is identified as a more immediate concern, with species communities across different elevations becoming increasingly similar.
A large-scale genomic analysis reveals Brazil as one of the most genetically diverse countries on Earth, shaped by centuries of colonization and Indigenous heritage. Researchers uncovered over 8.7 million previously undocumented genetic variants, including those potentially affecting population health.
A large genomic study reveals distinct ancestry patterns and early diversification of Indigenous South American populations. The study suggests northern and southern Native American groups diverged between 17,500 and 14,600 years ago, with human presence in southernmost South America confirmed by 14,500 years ago.
A new study combines Indigenous knowledge systems with Western genomics to uncover how megafauna were impacted during a period of substantial habitat change. Repeated trans-Beringian horse migrations between 50,000 and 13,000 years ago revealed genetic exchanges occurring in both directions.
The US needs a stable scientific ecosystem to develop an effective national science diplomacy strategy, writes Kimberly Montgomery. The Trump administration should outline how policies can advance diplomatic objectives and work with the private sector.
A new study in Bangladesh finds that simple and inexpensive interventions can cut emissions by up to 10% and boost profits for producers. The findings offer a scalable model for tackling pollution in hard-to-regulate informal industries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Researchers developed soft robots that use airflow and simple design to move efficiently without centralized control. The robots' self-oscillating limbs can perform rapid stepping motions and adapt to environmental changes.
A new study reveals that a gene typically used for detoxifying smelly compounds has evolved to produce unpleasant odors in flowers. This unique reaction involves the transformation of methanethiol into dimethyl disulfide, a key feature of foul-smelling flowers.
Researchers developed a novel imaging-guided platform to fabricate biomaterials directly within the body, overcoming limitations of current approaches. The technique uses focused ultrasound and ultrasound-responsive bioinks to create tailored implants and tissues with real-time imaging capabilities.
Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking HIV treatment, provides six-month protection with each shot, almost completely preventing new infections. The development of this drug involved significant contributions from multiple individuals and organizations, highlighting the importance of collaboration in scientific innovation.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) CEO, Sudip S. Parikh, testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee about the importance of funding for biomedical research in America. He highlighted the risks of recent budget cuts and proposed budgets that could irreparably damage the nation's innovation ecosystem.
A new study analyzing citizen science data reveals that North American bird populations are shrinking most rapidly where they are still most abundant. This pattern suggests ecological stress, primarily driven by climate change and habitat loss, is the primary driver of decline.
Researchers discovered a symbiotic gut fungus that produces a molecule capable of reversing liver disease progression in mice. The findings may inform future therapeutic approaches to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a highly prevalent disease affecting one in four adults worldwide.
The ASU-Science Prize for Transformational Research aims to empower next-generation scientists to create tangible benefits for society. The prize recognizes early-career researchers whose work uses new methods to identify problems and produce findings with impacts on policy.
Rose petal shape is shaped by Mainardi-Codazzi-Peterson (MCP) incompatibility, a stress-focusing phenomenon that not only sculpts the form but also influences growth. This study offers new insights into nature and potential inspiration for bio-inspired materials.
A nine-year study of Drummond's rockcress plants found that climate change is outpacing natural gene flow, threatening population survival even within a broadly distributed plant species' native range. Assisted gene flow could help maintain genetic diversity and species persistence, but must be carefully managed.
A new low-energy chemical recycling method using boron and gallium can convert common silicone waste into useful chlorosilanes with high efficiency and yield. This approach offers a promising new chemical pathway toward circularity in silicone materials, addressing both resource sustainability and emissions reductions.
The newly discovered bone collector caterpillar is a rare, carnivorous species found only on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It patrols spiderwebs while adorned in body parts of its prey, likely as a form of macabre camouflage to avoid detection by its hosts.
A new study reveals that farms with more intensive management have lower overall soil functionality, suggesting a shift towards productive deintensification for sustainable agriculture. Soils play a critical role in supporting human well-being and ecological stability, but intensive farming practices can degrade soil health.
A study found that the H5N1 virus in U.S. dairy cattle originated from a single spillover event from a wild bird, likely in Texas in 2023. The virus then spread rapidly across multiple states via infected or presymptomatic cattle, infecting other species such as poultry and wildlife.
The Curiosity rover has identified high concentrations of carbonate minerals, indicating a carbon cycle operated on ancient Mars. The findings suggest that large amounts of carbon dioxide were locked into the planet's crust, providing insights into the planet's past climate.
Researchers discovered that metal fatigue in the anode is the primary cause of solid-state battery failure, leading to microcracks and dendrite growth. The study provides a predictable framework for designing longer-lasting batteries using established mechanical laws.
Researchers found that different dendritic segments of a single neuron follow distinct learning strategies, with apical dendrites strengthened by local interactions and basal dendrites linked to the neuron's overall output.
A recent study estimates that up to 17% of global cropland is contaminated with toxic heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium, posing significant risks to ecosystems and human health. The study reveals a high-risk zone in low-latitude Eurasia, where concentrations of these pollutants exceed safety thresholds.
A new study found that clobazam, a common anxiety medication, alters the migration behavior of wild Atlantic salmon by acting on neural pathways. The findings suggest that even trace levels of psychoactive drugs can disrupt essential survival behaviors in wildlife, posing a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
A combined study on human pelvis morphology reveals genetic links between pelvic structure and function, locomotion, and childbirth outcomes. The findings suggest that the transition to bipedalism led to a balance of competing demands, resulting in shorter and wider pelvic shapes.
A Pleistocene-age hominin jawbone from Taiwan has been identified as belonging to a Denisovan, providing direct molecular evidence of their presence outside Siberia. The discovery offers new insights into the morphological traits of this enigmatic hominin lineage.
The KATRIN experiment has set the most precise upper limit on neutrino mass to 0.45 electron volts, refining previous limits by a factor of two. This finding strengthens constraints on one of the universe's most elusive fundamental particles and pushes physics beyond the Standard Model.
Applications are now open for the 2025 EurekAlert! Travel Awards for International Science Reporters, offering travel funding to attend the 2026 AAAS Annual Meeting. Early-career science journalists from Brazil and Eastern European countries can apply through May 5, 2024.
The World Health Organization recommends universal introduction of rubella-containing vaccines into childhood vaccination programs globally. This effort will significantly boost global immunity against both diseases, bringing the world closer to eradicating them.
Bacteria evolved oxygen tolerance over billions of years, preceding the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) by 1-2 billion years. This adaptation may have driven the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis in Cyanobacteria and influenced the Earth's atmosphere.
Researchers found that specific high-order thalamic regions send signals to the prefrontal cortex, facilitating conscious perception and driving PFC activity. The study sheds light on the neural foundations of human consciousness, challenging previous theories on its role in subcortical-cortical loops.
Wild bonobos use nontrivial compositionality in their vocal communication, combining meaningful vocalizations into complex structures that mirror key features of human language. The study found four compositional structures in bonobo call types, three of which exhibit non-trivial compositionality.
Researchers have discovered a key genetic mutation in the KEAP1 gene that enables horses to produce more energy while protecting against cellular damage. This adaptation, found in modern horses, donkeys, and zebras, involves a premature stop codon that is efficiently recoded into a functional cysteine residue.
Researchers analyzed Lyft rideshare data from 2017 to 2020 and found that minority drivers are significantly more likely to receive speeding tickets than white drivers. They face steeper fines, even when traveling at identical speeds. The analysis suggests that policing bias drives these disparities, rather than driver behavior.
A recent Policy Forum discusses how China's increasing focus on strategic goals threatens basic research, which underpinned groundbreaking discoveries such as mRNA vaccines and quantum computers. The author argues that balancing targeted investments with sustained support for fundamental research is essential to mitigate these risks.
A dopamine-producing brain circuit controls hedonic eating by promoting continued consumption of palatable food. Semaglutide temporarily suppresses this circuit, but weight loss reverses the effect. Targeted inhibition of dopamine neurons counteracts semaglutide's appetite-suppressing effects.
A new study finds that the majority of carbon dioxide absorbed by ecosystems is stored in dead plant material, soils, and sediments. This discovery suggests that terrestrial carbon stocks are more resilient and stable than previously thought, with most carbon sequestered over the last three decades stored in nonliving organic matter.
Research reveals that mountain uplift and dynamic topography significantly shape biodiversity over geological timescales. By simulating millions of years of tectonic uplift, scientists found a direct link between species richness and the magnitude and pace of mountain building, with topographic relief stabilizing species equilibrium.
A novel fMRI study reveals that infants can encode individual memories, suggesting that infantile amnesia is caused by memory retrieval failures rather than inability to form memories. The findings support recent rodent studies showing that memories created during infancy can persist into adulthood.
Gray seals possess the cognitive ability to perceive oxygen levels, regulating dive duration accordingly. Elevated CO2 levels do not impact dive duration, suggesting a separate mechanism for oxygen perception.