A study published in Nature on July 4 by Prof. Zhu Bing from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has shed light on the conserved mechanism responsible for the initiation of pericentric heterochromatin in vertebrates.

Transcription factors regulate gene expression by binding specific sequences on DNA, which is an essential step to producing messenger RNAs from protein-coding genes. Denes Hnisz's lab, in collaboration with Martin Vingron's lab at the MPIMG, has discov

A pair of evolutionary biomechanics specialists at the University of London's, Royal Veterinary College, has found that when hippos run at full speed, all four of their feet are regularly in the air.

Researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have uncovered how the yellow fever mosquito and Asian tiger mosquito distinguish their own species from others. Males from these species listen for the specific frequencies of sound made by the flapping wings o

Imagine being able to watch the inner workings of a chemical reaction or a material as it changes and reacts to its environment—that's the sort of thing researchers can do with a high-speed "electron camera" called the Megaelectronvolt Ultrafas

University of Queensland-led research has found migrating humpback whales off Australia's east coast became less stressed over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research paper is published in Marine Environmental Research.

Young, naïve starlings are looking for their wintering grounds independently of experienced conspecifics. Starlings are highly social birds throughout the year, but this does not mean that they copy the migration route from each other.

In a new study, researchers at Oklahoma State University have unveiled significant variations in drought response among advanced turf-type Bermudagrass experimental genotypes. The study aimed to evaluate the drought tolerance of various Bermudagrass genot

Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most important vegetables in the world; it is the most widely cultivated and popular spice. The genus Capsicum has been distinguished by its lack of compatible rootstocks with commercial cultivars to success

Buying fish, sausage or meat saves you from breaking a social taboo in some industrialized nations, especially when hunting and fishing are conducted for recreation. In a perspective article in Nature Sustainability, a research team from the natural and s

Scientists in South Africa have been stunned to discover that termite mounds that are still inhabited in an arid region of the country are more than 30,000 years old, meaning they are the oldest known active termite hills.

Many caterpillars are known for their specific food preferences, which they bring with them when they morph into butterflies. For instance, the monarch butterfly only feeds on milkweed plants, while the Lime butterfly feeds on lime leaves. Despite derivin