Articles tagged with Animals
Research from Monash University reveals that human hip evolution was simpler than previously thought, with key elements present in fish ancestors. The study found that major changes could be made in just a few evolutionary steps.
A new study finds weak support for the dilution effect, which suggests that higher biodiversity reduces disease transmission from animals to humans. Instead, researchers found variable links between biodiversity and disease prevalence, influenced by disease systems, local ecology, and human social context.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have made a breakthrough in understanding how prion diseases spread between different types of animals. By studying the adaptation process, they aim to determine why certain strains can infect one type of animal but not another.
A new species of scorpion, Vaejovis brysoni, was found in the Santa Catalina Mountains near metropolitan Tucson, Arizona. The discovery is significant as it represents the first documented case of two vorhiesi group species inhabiting the same mountain range.
A University of Missouri study failed to replicate previous research on the toxic effects of BPA and genistein, two chemicals that have been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans. The findings suggest that the chemicals may not have the same adverse effects as previously reported, highlighting the need for more reliable data ...
Researchers found that bonobos will share food with a stranger before an acquaintance in a series of experiments. In most cases, the test subject chose to release the stranger first, even when there was no social interaction afterwards. This behavior contrasts with chimpanzees and highlights the unique social dynamics of bonobos.
A recent study using computer modelling shed light on the origin of sight in animals, including humans. The researchers found that the ability to detect light developed over a span of 11 million years from a 'blind' opsin ancestor.
Researchers at U of A have found fossilized tracks of a primitive bilaterian animal from 585 million years ago, indicating the presence of soft-bodied animals on Earth 30 million years earlier than previously thought. The discovery provides new insights into the evolution of animal life and its adaptation to environmental conditions.
A study published in Nature reveals that Australopithecus sediba consumed between 95 and 100 percent forest-based foods, contradicting the assumption that early hominins ate a varied diet. This finding provides insight into the dietary habits of our ancestors and sheds light on why some species thrived while others became extinct.
Research investigated Italian endemic flora's chromosome number variation and its connection to polyploidy. Statistical analysis revealed a significant link between higher even ploidy levels and lower species frequencies.
Researchers discovered that mice with an extra copy of the tumor suppressor Pten gene experience hyperactive brown fat, burning energy instead of storing it. This leads to improved metabolic balance, reduced insulin resistance, and lower liver fat, contributing to longer lifespan and cancer prevention.
A bizarre 'tulip-shaped' creature, Siphusauctum gregarium, has been discovered in the Canadian Rockies from Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale fossils. The unique filter feeding system challenges current knowledge of animal evolution.
Researchers found that the loss of elephant bones at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov site may have imposed significant nutritional stress on Homo erectus. This led to a shift towards hunting smaller prey, which is evident in the physical appearance of modern humans and suggests their emergence in the Middle East 400,000 years ago.
A recent study reveals a diverse range of microscopic animals in soils from tropical forests to tundra and boreal forests. The research found that each ecosystem has its unique set of soil animals, contradicting the long-held assumption that diversity decreases at higher latitudes.
Researchers found that male koalas produce lower resonances in their bellows, which may be related to the length of their vocal tracts. The team also discovered that koalas can make themselves sound larger than they are by using simultaneous resonance in their oral and nasal tracts.
Researchers found that hyenas can count individual voices and assess their numerical advantage, supporting the concept of complex social groups leading to big brain evolution. Hyenas were more cautious when outnumbered and took risks with a numerical advantage.
Researchers discovered that ancient microbial mats could produce enough oxygen to support tiny, mobile life forms billions of years ago. The study challenges the long-held assumption that oxygen was necessary for animal evolution.
Research suggests that oxygen-depleted waters during the Neoproterozoic era, due to a global ice sheet, may have enabled the survival of early life forms. This harsh climate could have been a vital step in the evolution of animals.
Researchers found evidence of oxygen-poor ocean conditions lasting 2-4 million years after the first appearance of animals, suggesting fluctuating oxygen levels may have driven rapid evolutionary turnover during the Cambrian Period. This study provides new insights into how early life evolved and flourished on Earth.
Researchers found evidence of ancient ocean 'dead zones,' where oxygen levels were low, around 499 million years ago. This challenges the long-held assumption that oceans became oxygen-rich about 600 million years ago. The findings suggest that fluctuations in oxygen levels may have played a major role in shaping early animal evolution.
A new study reveals that antibiotics in agricultural areas can contaminate water sources, potentially contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Researchers at Virginia Tech have identified patterns of antibiotic resistance gene occurrence in a Colorado watershed, suggesting that specific manmade sources can be traced.
A study published in PNAS reveals that large predatory fish and vascular plants emerged around 400 million years ago, coinciding with a significant increase in oxygen levels. This finding suggests that animals evolved under lower oxygen conditions than previously thought.
Researchers at Harvard University found that humans use the same brain circuits for complex moral decisions as those used in mundane choices. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex tracks expected moral value, integrating information on number of lives saved and probability of success. This discovery advances our understanding of how peopl...
Princeton researchers uncover ancient sponge-like creatures with fossilized shells dating to 650 million years ago, rewriting the timeline of life on Earth. The discovery provides direct evidence that animal life existed before and survived a severe 'snowball Earth' event.
The discovery of primitive sponge-like creatures living in ocean reefs around 650 million years ago pushes back the clock on when animal life appeared on Earth. The fossils, found in South Australia, represent the earliest evidence of animal body forms in the current fossil record.
The new School for Global Animal Health will support scientific staff with two floors of research laboratory space and an administrative wing. The facility aims to reduce zoonotic diseases through vaccination and strategic interventions in animal populations and the environment.
A Duke University engineer, Adrian Bejan, argues that animal movement is like a natural wheel, distributing stresses uniformly. As animals evolve to move better, they develop fewer legs, allowing them to rise higher with each stride and increase their speed.
Researchers developed Inductive Game Theory to study conflict, identifying strategies that generate intense conflict and highlighting the importance of group interactions. The approach suggests individual agency may over-estimate in social evolution and considers the impact of friends' and enemies' actions on conflict.
A recent study from the University of Rochester found that humans rely on several brain regions to process sentences, not a single advanced area. The researchers used American Sign Language to investigate how different grammatical structures activate distinct brain regions.
Researchers at UC Berkeley found that dominant hyenas produce steady, confident-sounding giggles, while subordinate ones have more variable calls. The study's findings suggest that the frequency analysis of these calls can reveal an animal's social stature and age.
A U.S. Geological Survey scientist is using a satellite collar on a North Pole wolf named Brutus to learn about the Arctic wolves' behavior in winter. The collar collects and stores locations every day, which are then emailed to researchers, allowing them to track the wolf's movements and habitat use.
Researchers discovered that tropical paper wasps' brain structures alter to tackle complex tasks, integrating sensory inputs. The brain's dendrite network grows in complexity as the wasps transition from nest work to foraging, adapting to new environments.
A study in Evolution Canyon, Israel, shows that scorpion species exhibit different distributions on the south-facing and north-facing slopes, despite identical regional geology. The results suggest that environmental pressures, such as sunlight and drought, can lead to local changes in biodiversity.
A database detailing life history traits of over 4,000 animal species has been developed for studying ageing, evolution, and conservation. The AnAge resource provides insights into the mechanisms of ageing and how environmental adaptations influence lifespan, with potential applications in conservation efforts.
A recent study by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute suggests that non-conscious exposure to advertisements can increase consumer preference for promoted products. The research, led by cognitive scientist Mark Changizi, reveals how advertising tactics like apparel branding and product placement in movies and TV shows tap into our brain's...
Researchers have generated a synthetic SARS-like bat coronavirus that is infectious in cultured cells and mice, identifying pathways by which a bat coronavirus may have adapted to infect humans. The findings provide a model approach for rapid identification, analysis, and public health responses to future natural or intentional virus e...
A new genus and species of primate, Diablomomys dalquesti, has been discovered in Texas dating back to 44-43 million years ago. The finding provides evidence that primates lingered in Texas longer than previously thought due to the warm climate during the late middle Eocene.
A Hebrew U study has shown that humans can detect finer frequency differences than animals, using single neuron recordings in the auditory cortex. This suggests a unique neural representation of frequency in the human brain.
A new species of bacteria, Leptospira licerasiae, has been identified as a cause of severe leptospirosis in the Peruvian Amazon region. The pathogen was found to have novel biological features and is significantly different from other forms of the bacteria.
Researchers argue that autistic savants' exceptional skills come at a cost in other aspects of processing, while animals process sensory inputs according to rules. This shared processing method is thought to be a specialized feature of the left hemisphere, common to both humans and nonhuman animals.
A Harvard University scientist has synthesized four key differences in human and animal cognition into a hypothesis on what exactly differentiates human and animal thought. The theory of
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that monkeys can perform mental arithmetic, solving problems with accuracy and speed similar to those of college students. The study suggests that basic arithmetic may be part of our shared evolutionary past.
Rats who received help in the past were more likely to help another unknown partner, demonstrating generalized reciprocal cooperation. This finding suggests that evolutionary explanations for cooperation in animals may be broader than previously thought, potentially involving cultural and anonymous experiences.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have identified two proteins, ROP16 and ROP18, that are critical to Toxoplasma's ability to infect and reproduce inside human cells. The study found that changes in these proteins can ramp up damage to the host by 10,000-fold.
A study found female budgerigars pair with males that sound like them, receiving more assistance during nesting. Males that mimic similar calls are also less aggressive and provide better support to females.
Researchers at New Mexico State University offer a new approach to understanding desertification by studying past events, environmental factors, and soil properties. Their six-step scheme integrates information from broad scale to fine scale to determine the most important influences.
The analysis shows that animals have varying sleep patterns to optimize their chances of finding food and avoiding danger. Human sleep follows similar rules as other animals, but is shorter in duration.
A positive relationship between male status and offspring count was found in a modern society subsample, indicating evolutionary forces may still be at work. This finding has implications for economics and management, explaining the striving for high and prestigious positions in men.
A new study found that horses with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) trail the winner by an average of 14 feet after intense exercise. Horses with mild EIPH perform just as well as those without the disorder, but severe cases significantly hinder performance.
A new study reviews 80 published studies, finding that routine animal handling, blood collection, and force-feeding can cause significant stress responses. This stress can lead to impaired immune function and elevated levels of stress hormones.
Researchers found thousands of 600 million year old embryo microfossils in China's Doushantuo Formation. The discoveries suggest that these ancient embryos may have hatched into adult forms with tubular structures, linking them to a coral-like animal.
Researchers discovered that bacteria have acquired a gene from animal immune systems, allowing them to evade host defenses. This finding has significant implications for vaccine development and our understanding of bacterial evolution.
Researchers suggest that vibrant egg colours advertise females' ability to defend against deleterious free radicals, indicating genetic quality. This hypothesis can be applied to all animals with colourful eggs and paternal care.
Dr. David Bartel and colleagues have identified 16 novel miRNAs in Arabidopsis that regulate gene expression during development. The researchers demonstrate a plant homologue of the Dicer enzyme, CARPEL FACTORY (CAF), which processes plant miRNAs with sequence and structural similarities to animal miRNAs.
Scientists discovered a receptor tyrosine kinase in single-celled choanoflagellates, a group of protists with characteristics similar to those of multicellular animals. The finding provides strong support for the hypothesis that choanoflagellates are closely related to metazoans and may represent modern examples of animal ancestors.
Researchers propose that early animal life evolved to thrive in unique Cambrian environments with microbial mats. This new perspective suggests alternative evolutionary explanations for the development of strange morphologies, such as those seen in helicoplacoids, the earliest known echinoderms.
Arctic ground squirrels experience long periods of torpor punctuated by costly rewarming periods. Hibernation is about finding rest, not conserving energy, according to zoophysiologist Brian Barnes.