A study by Brazilian researchers shows that the pigment is present not only in the seeds but also in other organs of Bixa orellana, the Annatto tree. They investigated the genetic pathways involved in synthesis of the substance.

Considered an invasive species, Sus scrofa causes damage to farmers in an important part of Brazil’s savanna-like biome. The researchers analyzed 55 landscapes in São Paulo state, observing larger numbers of native mammals in areas with well-conserved vegetation and diversified crops, while native species richness was far lower in areas of monoculture.

Cacao of Excellence, a programme of the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) announced the winners of the 2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards, honouring excellence in the cultivation of cacao, while also supporting and encouraging a more sustainable sector.

A study conducted at a FAPESP-supported research center discovered a link between the protein VAPB and tumor cell proliferation in medulloblastoma, one of the most common and aggressive brain tumors in children.

gCutting-edge nanopore technology, first developed to track the COVID-19 virus in Colombia, has been equally suited to identifying and reducing the spread of plant viruses, especially with detemining the root cause of cassava witches' broom disease in Southeast Asia.

André Morandini, Director of the University of São Paulo’s Center for Marine Biology, was on the team that has published a description of a rare medusa found at a depth of 812 meters. The animal has been sighted only twice in a deep-sea volcanic structure. The scientists named the jellyfish Santjordia pagesi because of its bright red stomach that resembles the Cross of St George.