News by Subject Biology

Wind plays a role in carrying microplastics (shreds of plastic less than five millimeters long) to both the snowy streets of European cities and remote areas of the Arctic Ocean -- where ecosystems are already stressed by the effects of climate change.

Contrary to what was widely communicated in media by high-profile figures, the movie 'Finding Dory' had no impact on increasing demand for blue tang fish, the species of the main protagonist. There was, however, an increase in online searches for that species, showing that blockbusters can drive information-seeking behavior about nature.

Scientists have analyzed the genetic repertoire of bacteria in the human mouth and gut. The effort marks the first chapter in efforts to compile a compendium of all genes in the human microbiome. Mapping the microbial genome can reveal links between bacterial genes and disease risk and could inform the development of precision therapies.

Therapeutic virtual reality can be used to reduce severe pain in hospitalized patients, according to a study published August 14, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Brennan Spiegel of Cedars-Sinai Health System, USA, and colleagues.

New research led by scientists at The Rockefeller University in New York may help explain why Zika virus infection causes birth defects in some children but not others. The study, which will be published August 14 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that the risk of developing an abnormally small head (microcephaly) depends on the types of antibody produced by pregnant mothers in response to Zika infection.