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Reversing age-related fertility decline in male fruit flies: The crucial role of seminal fluid
As males age, their reproductive success typically declines. A study on fruit flies, led by University of Oxford researchers, has found that while old males do produce fewer offspring than young males, this is not because they have fewer sperm, but it is due to seminal fluid limitation. This study highlights the importance of the seminal fluid in reproductive success and may have crucial implications for improving animal fertility and IVF.
How evolutionary adaptations enable a fruit fly to detect and thrive on toxic food sources
The ability to tolerate toxic substances can help animals find new food sources and thrive in certain ecological niches. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena have now discovered that the fruit fly Drosophila busckii has developed a tolerance to the toxic sulfur compound dimethyldisulfide (DMDS).
Ancient viral DNA shapes early embryo development, study finds
Over half of our genomes consist of thousands of remnants of ancient viral DNA, known as transposable elements, which are widespread across the tree of life. Once dismissed as the "dark side" of the genome, researchers at Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) have now revealed their crucial role in early embryo development. The study is published in the journal Cell.
New fossil species sheds light on divergent life-history strategies in early land plants
The initial radiation of vascular land plants, evidenced by increases in both diversity and morphological disparity during the Silurian and Devonian periods, is considered plant terrestrialization, which can be seen as the terrestrial equivalent of the Cambrian explosion of marine animals. During this period, novel structures such as tracheids, stomata, leaves, roots, and secondary xylem evolved. However, the evolution of life-history strategies in early land plants remains poorly understood.
Leaf beetles' evolutionary success linked to gene transfer and symbiosis
With more than 50,000 described species, the leaf beetle family is distributed worldwide and represents about a quarter of the species diversity of all herbivores. Leaf beetles can be found to feed on almost all plant groups. They live in the rhizosphere, the canopy and even underwater.
Isotopes in early South African hominin teeth show they ate little meat
A team of climate geochemists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand and Princeton University has found evidence that early hominins living in South Africa ate a mostly vegetarian diet. In their study, published in the journal Science, the group conducted isotopic analysis of fossilized teeth found in the region looking for evidence of meat consumption.
Identity-by-descent method reveals hidden genetic ties in rhesus macaques
Understanding biological relationships is often critical when studying animal populations. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig University, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research and the Freie Universität Berlin have now developed a transformative approach that identifies stretches of DNA that two individuals inherited from a common ancestor. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Conquest of Asia and Europe by snow leopards during the last Ice Ages uncovered
An international team of scientists has identified fossils of snow leopards for the first time. The discovery has allowed them to trace the evolutionary history of the species during the Quaternary period and to propose how it dispersed from the Tibetan plateau to the Iberian Peninsula, far from the high and icy Himalayan mountains.
Human-fed red squirrels in Britain develop weaker jaws and flatter skulls
A large team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.K. has found evidence that red squirrels fed by humans in a town on England's west coast lost muscle mass and experienced changes to the shape of their skulls. In their study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group compared the remains of squirrels in the area before, during and after human feeding began.
The power of touch in the animal world: Research highlights its role in the persistence of friendships and cooperation
An international research team led by the University of Konstanz and Oxford Brookes University concludes that gentle touch is not only good for mental health, but also for the evolution of cooperation.
Exploring evolution: Strength connected to sexual behavior of women as well as men
While many studies have looked at possible evolutionary links between men's strength and sexual behavior, a Washington State University study included data on women with a surprising result. Women, as well as men, who had greater upper body strength tended to have more lifetime sexual partners compared to their peers.
Study challenges a major theory on why some kangaroos mysteriously went extinct
The extinction of the megafauna—giant marsupials that lived in Australia until 60,000 to 45,000 years ago—is a topic of fierce debate. Some researchers have suggested a reliance on certain plants left some species susceptible to changes in climate.
Woodrats use 'quantity over quality' as a detox plan, study finds
Woodrats (Neotoma spp.) are one of the only animals that can tolerate large quantities of creosote, a shrub with leaves coated in a chemical cocktail of poisonous resin. The critter's constitution has astounded biologists and represents a decades-long debate—over evolutionary time, how do animals adapt to a deadly diet? Do detoxification enzymes become more specialized or more abundant?
Fossil discovery sheds light on the early evolution of animal nervous systems
An international team of scientists has uncovered a fascinating piece of the evolutionary puzzle: how the ventral nerve cord, a key component of the central nervous system, evolved in ecdysozoan animals, a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms.
Chimpanzees are genetically adapted to local habitats and infections such as malaria, research reveals
Chimpanzees bear genetic adaptations that help them thrive in their different forest and savanna habitats, some of which may protect against malaria, according to a study by an international team led by UCL researchers.
Mammalian outer ear traced back to ancient fish gills
The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, this intricate coil of cartilage has a surprisingly ancient origin in the gills of fishes and marine invertebrates.
The extreme teeth of saber-toothed predators were 'optimal' for biting into prey, study reveals
Saber-toothed predators—best known from the infamous Smilodon—evolved multiple times across different mammal groups. A study titled "Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of the extreme 'saber-tooth' morphology" published in Current Biology reveals why: these teeth were 'functionally optimal' and highly effective at puncturing prey.
How ancient flying reptiles ruled the skies: Study uncovers pterosaur tail structures that enhanced flight capabilities
Scientists have long puzzled over how pterosaurs became the first vertebrates to master flight. Some pterosaur species, such as the Quetzalcoatlus were the largest known animals to ever take to the skies, with wingspans of over ten meters (on par with military aircraft like the Spitfire). My team's new study may help solve the evolutionary mystery, revealing how a vane on the tip of their tails may have helped these ancient animals fly more efficiently. Our findings are published in the journal eLife.
Echidna genome study unravels the events leading to multiple sex chromosomes
The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is one of Australia's most iconic animals. Belonging to a unique group of mammals called "monotremes" (with the platypus as the other prominent member). Echidnas may at first glance be mistaken for a weird-looking hedgehog, but they are in fact egg-laying mammals.
Fossil killifish: New findings reveal unforeseen diversity
Killifish, or egg-laying toothcarps, are known for their ecological adaptability and species diversity. Two families of killifish exist in Europe today: the highly species-rich Aphaniidae and the relatively species-poor Valenciidae, which has just three species. How these differences in species diversity originated is one of the questions that the group of Professor Bettina Reichenbacher investigates.
Scorching climate drove lampreys apart during Cretaceous period, DNA and fossil record reveal
A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart—genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
Tiny microbe colonies may use electrical signaling to coordinate their behavior
A new study published in Science Advances reveals evidence of electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals. This elaborate example of cell communication offers key insights into the early evolution of animal multicellularity and nervous systems.
Facultative sex allows some animals to reproduce with or without a partner. So why can't humans do it?
If you've ever had a spiny leaf insect as a pet, or you're considering getting one, hopefully someone has warned you about this: if you put one in your enclosure, you might come back some time later to find two.
Why are lemurs nearly extinct, and yet so diverse?
Lemurs, small, big-eyed primates that live in the trees of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa, are a mystery of evolution. When the first ones arrived there tens of millions of years ago, they found an island with wildly diverse ecosystems, from wet tropical forests in the east to arid expanses in the southwest.
Why do falcons have stripes under their eyes? The answer is more complex than we thought
Falcons are found worldwide, from the fast and slick hobbies to the large and powerful gyrfalcon of the Arctic tundra. In Africa, falcons are found across many habitats. Several species are unique to the continent, including the endangered Taita falcon, which nests on high cliffs, and the greater kestrel, which breeds in the old nests of other species, particularly crows.
A passive resistance phenomenon: Marine bacteria use low tRNA levels to fend off viruses
As humans, we often focus on viruses and bacteria because of their role in causing various, sometimes severe, diseases. However, an equally fascinating but lesser-known phenomenon is the ongoing battle between bacteria and bacteriophages—viruses that specifically target and infect bacteria.
Study finds two classes of plant enzymes that ignore common rule of evolution
Made up of tiny threads known as cellulose microfibrils, plant cell walls are important for regulating a plant's growth and protecting them from pests and pathogens. Previously, only one route for producing these microfibrils was known: a class of enzymes called CESA.
Hornwort genomes provide clues on how plants conquered the land
Over 450 million years ago, plants began the epic transition from water to dry land. Among the first pioneers were the ancestors of humble hornworts, a group of small, unassuming plants that have persisted to this day. New research reveals insights into the genetic blueprints of hornworts, uncovering fascinating details about plant evolution and the early days of life on land.
Tiny plants reveal big potential for boosting crop efficiency
Scientists have long sought ways to help plants turn more carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biomass, which could boost crop yields and even combat climate change. Recent research suggests that a group of unique, often overlooked plants called hornworts may hold the key.
Fossil study reveals oldest-known evolutionary 'arms race'
A study led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History presents the oldest known example in the fossil record of an evolutionary arms race. These 517-million-year-old predator-prey interactions occurred in the ocean covering what is now South Australia between a small, shelled animal distantly related to brachiopods and an unknown marine animal capable of piercing its shell.