Understanding how cells transform into specialized types during human development is a central challenge in biology. This complex process, known as cell differentiation, holds the key to understanding developmental biology and advancing regenerative medic

A new Yale study provides a fuller picture of the genetic changes that shaped the evolution of the human brain, and how the process differed from the evolution of chimpanzees.

Nerve cells have amazing strategies to save energy and still perform the most important of their tasks. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn as well as the University Medical Center Göttingen found that the neuron

Scientists at UC Santa Cruz have completed the first end-to-end genome of the iconic Pacific banana slug, a species synonymous with California's coastal redwood forests and the university's beloved mascot.

Dinoflagellates play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems, particularly as major contributors to harmful algal blooms. They can enter a dormant stage, known as the resting cyst stage, that allows them to survive for extended periods—up to 150 years—in mari

A small team of archaeologists, geologists, paleontologists and climate scientists has found that at least one type of plesiosaur had scales on its flippers similar to modern sea turtle species. For their study, published in the journal Current Biology, t

Scientists have translated nanoscale experimental and computational data into precise 3D representations of bacteria, yeast and human epithelial, breast and breast cancer cells in Minecraft, a video game that allows players to explore, build and manipulat

Plants droop and shed their leaves when parched, but with a splash of water, their stems regain strength and their leaves unfurl. This dramatic transformation is a clear signal for us to reach for the watering can—and it demonstrates a delicate balance at

How do bacteria—harmless ones living in our bodies, or those that cause disease—organize their activities? A new study, combining powerful genomic-scale microscopy with a technical innovation, captured which genes bacteria turn on in different situations

New research has revealed that a hairy crustacean—dubbed "The Hoff crab" when it was discovered in 2010—is the first species in its family to show different claw characteristics between sexes.

Could a novel approach to genetic studies give us a clearer picture of how evolutionary adaptations occur? That's what the findings of new research on a common backyard bird, the house finch, imply. A groundbreaking pangenomic study has revealed a major

Beans are a key food at the dietary level, boasting high nutritional value and constituting the most directly consumed legume. They also have a "superpower" in the field: they are able to fix nitrogen to the soil, so they reduce the need for nit