News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 27-Oct-2026 10:17 ET (27-Oct-2026 14:17 GMT/UTC)

4-Jan-2019

Revised Brazilian forest code may lead to increased legal deforestation in Amazon

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers show that up to 15 million hectares of forest risk losing protection owing to a new clause in the law under which state governments can let private landowners protect only 50 percent of their property, down from 80 percent previously, if over 65 percent of the state is protected by conservation units or indigenous reservations.

Journal

Nature Sustainability

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

21-Dec-2018

 

Surfer's ear points to ancient pearl divers in Panama

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Surfer's ear, associated with cold weather and water sports, led a bioarchaeologist at the Smithsonian in Panama to suspect that ancient shoreline residents were diving for pearls in an area of cold-water upwelling.

Journal

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Funder

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

20-Dec-2018

The idiosyncratic mammalian diversification after extinction of the dinosaurs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers state that many mammals lineages coexisted with the dinosaurs before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. Although many species of mammals also disappeared in the extinction event, several lineages survived.

Journal

Biology Letters

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

19-Dec-2018

 

Scientists synthesize molecule capable of eliminating hepatitis C virus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The compound called GA-Hecate also acts on bacteria, fungi and cancer cells and will be tested against Zika and yellow fever viruses.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

18-Dec-2018

 

Sofosbuvir rids organism of chikungunya and yellow fever viruses

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Sofosbuvir is already used to treat hepatitis C and has passed all human use approval tests, so it can be fairly easily deployed if the chikungunya epidemic forecast for the next two years materializes.

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

18-Dec-2018

 

Optimizing restoration can deliver an eightfold increase in cost-effectiveness

International Institute for Sustainability
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution presents a novel approach to identify optimal priority areas for restoration, considering multiple criteria such as biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and reduction of costs. In a context of multiple local, national and global targets for ecosystem restoration, the study presents a flexible tool capable of increasing restoration cost-effectiveness by up to eight times.

Journal

Nature Ecology & Evolution

Funder

Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, O Boticário Group Foundation for Nature Protection and Brazilian Coordination, German Ministry of the Environment's International Climate Initiative, Serrapilheira Institute

12-Dec-2018

Butantan Institute and MSD agree to collaborate on dengue vaccine development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Business Announcement

São Paulo State research institution signs agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme to exchange information on proprietary processes and clinical trials of vaccines.

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

11-Dec-2018

Researchers propose guidelines for the therapeutic use of melatonin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In an article published in Endocrine Reviews, Brazilian professors discuss the general criteria to be considered when prescribing the pineal hormone as a health supplement. The guidelines will help health professionals to analyze, understand and interpret the effects of melatonin.

Journal

Endocrine Reviews

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

10-Dec-2018

   

Frog sex in the city

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How do animals adapt to urban environments? In the case of the Tungara frog, city males put on a more elaborate mating display than males in forested areas.

Journal

Nature Ecology & Evolution

Funder

Ecology Fund of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, Veni Grant, Marie Curie grant, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Science Foundation

10-Dec-2018

Study identifies a key cellular mechanism that triggers pneumonia in humans

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have demonstrated that influenza virus impairs the immune response to pneumococcus, especially monocyte activity. A software tool developed with FAPESP's support was used to interpret the data.

Journal

Nature Immunology

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab