New research provides the clearest evidence yet that the Cambrian explosion—a rapid burst of evolution 540 million years ago, could have been triggered by only a small increase in oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere and shallow ocean waters.

Plants have long been known to release chemicals to respond to stress and relay information to their neighbors. A team of scientists from Bigelow Laboratory have shown that glaucophytes, a small group of single-celled algae distantly related to plants, ap

New findings about chitinases, enzymes found naturally in plants, could allow farmers to address fungal infections sooner and more efficiently.

A study has demystified the genetic underpinnings of schaftoside, a vital compound in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with potential as a COVID-19 therapeutic.

In an agricultural advancement, scientists have deciphered the genetic underpinnings of watermelon chromosomal translocations, the key to cultivating fruits with fewer seeds.

Invasive brown widow spiders across three continents were highly infected with a single strain of Rhabdochlamydia, a bacterium that is related to major pathogens of humans and animals, including chlamydia. A bite from these spiders, however, will not infe

Researchers at Arizona State University have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study, published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transpa

A common infection-causing bacteria was much less likely to evolve antibiotic resistance when treated with a mixture of antimicrobial peptides rather than a single peptide, making these mixtures a viable strategy for developing new antibiotic treatments.

Who's stronger? A solitary leopard or cackle of hyenas? And which is best at getting along with humans?

In a recent study, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine suggest that the cell's messenger RNA (mRNA)—the major translator and regulator of genetic material—along with a critical protein called ZAK—spurs the cell's initial response to UV radiation damag

Two new species of psychoactive mushrooms in the genus Psilocybe have been described from southern Africa, bringing the list to six known species indigenous to Africa. Psilocybe species are among the most well-known and well-studied species of psychoactiv

A team of scientists from the University of Sharjah say they have invented a biosensor capable of detecting the gene mutations responsible for the loss of hearing.