Researchers reconstruct origins of 1918 H1N1 influenza A virus, finding it arose from bird flu virus acquired by human H1 virus before 1918. Childhood exposure to previous flu strains may predict susceptibility to future strains and inform vaccination strategies.
Scientists at the University of Arizona have discovered a molecular pathway that could help create new therapies for end-stage liver disease. By understanding how Nrf2 is suppressed in cirrhotic livers, researchers have identified Hrd1 as a key player in exacerbating the disease process.
Researchers have created a polymer material that can be used for quality thermal imaging, providing a potential solution for heat detection and infrared applications. The new plastic lenses are inexpensive, lightweight, and can be easily molded into various shapes.
Researchers discovered an ancestor of modern crustaceans with a sophisticated cardiovascular system, including a heart and blood vessels. The finding sheds light on the evolution of body organization in the animal kingdom and suggests that even ancient creatures had internal systems similar to those found in their modern descendants.
The study provides a detailed picture of biological events like flower blooming, animal emergence, and leaf fall, showing a more complex pattern than previously thought. Over 39 years, the flowering season expanded by more than a month due to earlier snowmelt and warming climate.
Researchers successfully captured an image of exoplanet Beta Pictoris b using a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor in visible light, confirming its atmosphere is at 2600 degrees Fahrenheit. The achievement marks a significant step towards detecting habitable planets around other stars.
A collaborative effort has created a standardized nomenclature for the architecture of insect brains, tripling the number of identified structures. This will enable future research on brain function and disease to be more efficient and accurate.
A new study reconstructing the evolutionary tree of flu viruses challenges conventional wisdom, resolving mysteries surrounding historical outbreaks. The research provides the most comprehensive analysis to date, revealing how the virus evolves at different rates in various host species.
A University of Arizona researcher has shown that genetic mutations in the titin gene can cause skeletal muscle myopathy, a disease characterized by muscle weakness. The study, published in the Journal of General Physiology, could be an important step in developing treatments for this condition.
A study by University of Arizona anthropologist David Raichlen found that human hunter-gatherers use a Lévy walk pattern while searching for food, similar to sharks and honeybees. The pattern involves short movements in one area followed by longer treks to another area.
The discovery of HD 106906 b, a giant planet orbiting its star at 650 times the average Earth-Sun distance, has puzzled astronomers. The planet's unusual orbit and mass throw doubt on existing planet formation theories, leaving scientists searching for alternative explanations.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have discovered a surprisingly diverse ecosystem of microbes living in the perpetual darkness of Kartchner Caverns, a limestone cave system. The microbes thrive on limited nutrients, including nitrogen-containing compounds, and can even harness energy from minerals dissolved in rock fissures.
Researchers found that brainwaves indicate the brain processes and understands hidden objects in everyday life, despite the subjects not consciously perceiving them. The study challenges existing models of how the brain processes visual information, suggesting a more complex role for the brain in interpreting visual input.
Researchers have discovered a 520-million-year-old fossilized nervous system in an extinct marine arthropod, revealing a spider-like brain structure. The ancient creature, Alalcomenaeus, had a central nervous system similar to that of horseshoe crabs and scorpions, linking its ancestors to the modern chelicerates.
A new study led by UA graduate student Johanna Teske reexamines the composition of a potentially diamond-rich exoplanet, finding it may contain less carbon than previously thought. The analysis, based on revised star observations, suggests that the 'diamond planet' could be more rocky than initially proposed.
A team of researchers has made the first detailed observation of how energy travels through diamonds containing nitrogen-vacancy centers, defects that can be manipulated with optical methods. The findings could help scientists understand the properties of these diamonds, which have potential applications in quantum computing and imagin...
A UA-led international collaboration studies how microbes release greenhouse gases as they access nutrients in thawing permafrost soils. The team aims to explain the relationships between microbial processes and climate change, with potential implications for solving the 'big biology problem' in climate change.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $50 million grant to create a national cyberinfrastructure for the biological sciences at the University of Arizona. The iPlant Collaborative will provide computational tools and services for analyzing large datasets, advancing understanding of biology beyond individual research groups.
A study projects how climate change affects West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes across the southern US, with changes varying by region. Warmer temperatures and drier conditions may lead to longer mosquito seasons but smaller summer populations.
University of Arizona researchers have discovered a new secret in spider venom, finding that the venom produces a different chemical product in the human body than previously thought. This discovery has implications for understanding how brown recluse spider bites affect humans and developing possible treatments.
A University of Arizona-led study has provided the first on-the-ground evidence that Southwestern plants are being pushed to higher elevations by an increasingly warmer and drier climate. Plant communities were found to be different 50 years ago due to individual species shifting their ranges independently.
Researchers found that embryonic nerve cells use two versions of a signaling molecule to determine which end is the axon and which is the dendrite. This discovery could help improve therapies for spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have discovered that trees across species exhibit remarkably similar branching patterns, allowing scientists to infer a tree's function regardless of its shape or size. The study confirms a theory developed by UA ecology professor Brian Enquist and has implications for models used to assess forest ecosystems.
A study published in PNAS reveals that the human herpes virus uses histone proteins to package and store its genetic material, allowing it to remain dormant. Researchers identified a viral protein called IE1 as a potential target for new therapies to control the virus's activity.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have identified a dozen new types of unknown viruses infecting different strains of marine bacteria. These bacteriophages play key roles in global processes such as oxygen and carbon cycling, climate patterns, and nutrient availability.
A team of researchers has discovered a previously unknown mechanism that prevents the immune system from going into overdrive, shedding light on autoimmune diseases, allergies and chronic inflammation. The discovery could lead to new therapeutics for disorders caused by faulty immune responses.
University of Arizona researchers have discovered that ultrasound waves applied to specific areas of the brain can alter patients' moods. The study, led by Dr. Stuart Hameroff, found improvements in mood for up to 40 minutes following treatment with brain ultrasound, compared to no difference when the machine was switched off.
A study led by a University of Arizona ecologist found that many species evolve too slowly to adapt to the rapid climate change expected in the next 100 years. Terrestrial vertebrate species appear to evolve too slowly to be able to adapt to the dramatically warmer climate expected by 2100.
A new study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that during high mutual cooperation, men tend to match their partner's emotions, while women experience an 'antiphase' pattern. Women may serve as emotional regulators during cooperation, potentially impacting relationship outcomes.
A global assessment of genetically modified crops reveals why some pests have adapted to Bt proteins in a few years, while others resisted for over 15 years. The study found conditions favoring sustained efficacy include rare resistance genes and abundant refuges.
Researchers aim to discover planets with conditions suitable for life by detecting faint dust clouds around nearby stars. The new technology will improve the odds of finding Earth-like planets with liquid water on their surface.
Researchers using NASA's HiRISE camera have identified almost 250 fresh impact craters on Mars each year, providing a more accurate measure of surface processes on the Red Planet. The cratering rate is estimated at an average of one per area roughly the size of Texas, offering insights into climate change and the planet's activity.
A University of Arizona research team has identified unusual swellings within neurons caused by statin drugs, which may lead to cognitive declines. Removing statins results in the disappearance of these 'beads-on-a-string' effects, offering promise for personalized medication and therapy.
Researchers at the University of Arizona used a state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technique to determine the genetic mutations causing severe epilepsies in seven out of ten previously undiagnosed children. The study found 15 mutations in nine children, seven of which are known or likely to cause epilepsy.
A new study from the University of Arizona found that making daily sacrifices for a partner on days when an individual is feeling especially stressed may not improve relationship quality. Instead, researchers suggest that couples should work together to cope with daily stressors and support each other in managing their own stress levels.
Researchers at University of Arizona's Tumamoc Hill have digitized 106 years of growth data on individual plants, offering new insights into how ecosystems behave. The permanent research plots represent the world's longest-running study monitoring individual plants.
A new University of Arizona study in the journal Science challenges two prevailing theories on how the ancient Maya civilization began, proposing that its origins are more complex than previously thought. The research suggests that both Ceibal and La Venta, two ancient Mayan sites in Guatemala, were part of a broader cultural shift occ...
Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a new chemical process that transforms waste sulfur into a lightweight plastic, which may improve batteries for electric cars and other applications. The new plastic has great promise as something that can be produced easily and inexpensively on an industrial scale.
A new study by University of Arizona entomologists reveals that the pyramid strategy for genetically modified crops may not be as durable as previously assumed. The research found that critical assumptions underlying the strategy do not always apply, and that some degree of cross-resistance between toxins can reduce its effectiveness.
A study of over 800,000 painted ceramic and 4,800 obsidian artifacts reveals dramatic changes in social networks over a 250-year period in the late pre-Hispanic Southwest. Researchers found that people maintained surprisingly long-distance relationships despite physical distances, using walking as their only mode of transportation.
Astronomers use ALMA to observe distant galaxies that churned out tens of thousands of stars each year at dawn of the universe. The study finds that these galaxies are more abundant than thought and host intense bursts of star formation.
A new study led by the University of Arizona has found that monsoon failure plays a significant role in prolonged droughts in the Southwest. The researchers used tree-ring analysis to reconstruct summer precipitation patterns over a 470-year period, revealing that dry summers coincided with severe winter droughts.
A team of geoscientists from the University of Arizona led by Stuart N. Thomson discovered that East Antarctica's landscape changed dramatically when big glaciers appeared there, carving deep valleys quickly. The research used sediment cores to analyze minerals and determine the rate of erosion over time.
A newly discovered Y chromosome variation has pushed back the age of the most recent common ancestor for the Y chromosome lineage by almost 70 percent. The findings suggest that the Y chromosome divergence occurred around 300,000 years ago, before the emergence of anatomically modern humans.
A study from the University of Arizona suggests that learning to use Facebook can improve cognitive function in older adults. Participants who used Facebook performed about 25% better on tasks measuring updating and mental performance compared to those who didn't use the site.
A study by the University of Arizona and USDA found that plants can adapt their water demand to changing climate conditions, but this resilience has a limit. Prolonged droughts threaten the survival of plant communities, especially in sensitive environments like arid grasslands.
Researchers discovered that some single-celled algae cheat on producing toxins to gain an advantage, contradicting the theory that cooperation should break down in such circumstances. The cheaters can survive and multiply while their 'honest' peers produce toxins, allowing them to invest energy into making more offspring.
A study of 177 teenagers found that most were open to receiving texts about health, but preferred tone and content over phrases like 'you should' or 'always.' Interactive quizzes, simple recipes, and links to websites were well-received. The study suggests text messaging as a supplement to in-person nutrition education for teens.
A recent study by University of Arizona professor Sudha Ram analyzed the Twitter activity of 12 major news organizations over a six-month period. The research found that articles on Twitter dissipate fairly quickly, with retweeting typically ending between 10 and 72 hours after an article is originally shared. The BBC had the maximum r...
Research by Rodger Thompson finds that a popular dark energy alternative does not fit newly obtained data on the proton to electron mass ratio. This impact our understanding of the universe's accelerating expansion and point to a new direction for further study, potentially leading to a return to Einstein's General Relativity.