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Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Jun-2026 17:16 ET (3-Jun-2026 21:16 GMT/UTC)

Plant-derived phenolic acids revive the power of tetracycline against drug-resistant bacteria

Maximum Academic Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team shows that small phenolic acids can dramatically enhance the activity of tetracycline against multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli.

Digital modeling reveals where construction carbon emissions really come from

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study shows how digital building models can be used to pinpoint where carbon emissions occur across a building’s entire life cycle, offering designers and policymakers a powerful tool to reduce the climate footprint of the construction industry.

Bristol scientists discover early sponges were soft

University of Bristol
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Sponges are among earth’s most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical signals from ancient rocks, suggest sponges evolved at least 650 million years ago. The research is published today [7 January] in Science Advances.

Journal: Science Advances

Beyond gene scissors: New CRISPR mechanism discovered

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The CRISPR “gene scissors” have become an important basis for genome-editing technologies in many fields, ranging from biology and medicine to agriculture and industry. A team from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg has now demonstrated that these CRISPR-Cas systems are even more versatile than previously thought. In cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and Utah State University (USU) in Logan (USA), the scientists have discovered a novel CRISPR defense mechanism: Unlike known nucleases, Cas12a3 specifically destroys transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNA) that are vital for protein production to shut down infected cells. The team published its findings today in the journal Nature.

Journal: Nature

Nature study identifies a molecular switch that controls transitions between single-celled and multicellular forms

Nagoya University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

 Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan have identified the genes that allow an organism to switch between living as single cells and forming multicellular structures. This ability to alternate between life forms provides new insights into how multicellular life may have evolved from single-celled ancestors and eventually led to complex organisms like animals and plants. Published in Nature, the study represents an exceptionally detailed molecular explanation of how clonal multicellularity, where all cells descend from a single ancestor, can be achieved and controlled at the genetic level.

Journal: Nature
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Institute for Fermentation, Sasagawa Foundation

Never mind how grasshoppers hop. These engineers watch them fly

Princeton University, Engineering School
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Princeton engineers investigated the secret to grasshoppers' efficient gliding, inspiring a new approach for robotic flight.

Journal: Journal of The Royal Society Interface
Funder: NSF CAREER Award, Princeton’s Addy Fund for Excellence in Engineering

Shining a spotlight on cancer

University of Missouri-Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

To determine who could benefit from targeted cancer treatments, a researcher at the University of Missouri is putting tumors under the spotlight.

Journal: Molecular Imaging and Biology

Korea University researchers discover that cholesterol-lowering drug can overcome chemotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer

Korea University College of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A Korea University research team has discovered that pitavastatin, a widely used lipid-lowering drug, can directly inhibit the Mcl-1 protein—an essential survival factor for therapy-resistant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). By blocking Mcl-1–dependent mitochondrial protection, pitavastatin eliminates cancer stem-like cells, suppresses metastasis, and restores paclitaxel sensitivity in preclinical models. This repurposed drug may offer a safer, faster-to-deploy therapeutic strategy for patients with aggressive or chemotherapy-refractory TNBC.

Journal: Experimental Hematology and Oncology

New research decodes the bacterial “zip code” of colorectal cancer for prediction and survival

BGI Genomics
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent study reveals that bacteria residing within colorectal tumors form distinct ecosystems closely linked to disease progression and patient outcomes. These “tissue-resident” microbes appear to play an integral role in shaping tumor biology, and can help predict patient survival more accurately than standard clinical factors alone.

Journal: Nature Communications