https://phys.org/biology-news/biology-other en-us The latest news on biology, natural sciences, environment Chili peppers—love them or hate them, they've got a heat that's hard to ignore. Recently, their fiery nature has even caused a bit of a stir in Denmark, where Buldak Ramen noodles have been banned for being dangerously spicy. So, what's behind the burning sensation we experience when we bite into a chili pepper, and why do some people seek out the masochism of a super hot curry or Korean instant noodles? https://phys.org/news/2024-06-denmark-noodles-hot-chili.html Other Tue, 18 Jun 2024 12:01:06 EDT news637930800 Opera singers have to use the extreme limits of their voice range. Many pedagogical and scientific sources suggest that the highest pitches reached in classical singing can only be produced with a so-called "whistle" voice register, in analogy to ultrasonic vocalizations of mice and rats. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-biomechanics-production-high-pitched-classical.html Other Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:20:03 EDT news637924802 HHMI's Science Education Alliance is transforming the undergraduate introductory science experience at more than 150 two- and four-year institutions across the US. These same students are making discoveries that could change how scientists tackle bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-reimagining-undergraduate-bio-lab-students.html Other Fri, 07 Jun 2024 12:56:01 EDT news636983752 A new interactive visual depicts everything on the planet Earth, showing, with scientific precision and breathtaking profundity, how man-made things now outweigh all forms of natural life. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-visualization-earth-difference-biomass-technomass.html Other Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:18:06 EDT news636819478 Museums often celebrate new acquisitions, especially something rare or historic. In April 2024, scientists from the Natural History Museum of Jamaica and The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus accepted a very rare and historic specimen: a 16-inch lizard called the Jamaican giant galliwasp (Celestus occiduus). It had previously been stored in the Hunterian museum at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-year-lizard-jamaica-redressing-colonial.html Other Paleontology & Fossils Tue, 04 Jun 2024 12:56:05 EDT news636724562 Last week, at a conference in Geneva, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization agreed on a new treaty aimed at preventing the for-profit piracy of traditional knowledge. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-patents-based-traditional-knowledge-biopiracy.html Other Agriculture Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:29:40 EDT news636636577 Negating an adjective by placing 'not' in front of it affects the way our brains interpret its meaning, mitigating but not entirely inverting our interpretation of its definition. In a study published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Arianna Zuanazzi at New York University, US, and colleagues offer insight into how the brain represents changes of meaning over time and offer new methods for further linguistic research. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-coffee-hot-cold-brain-negated.html Other Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 May 2024 14:00:01 EDT news636277008 What's the connection between your smartphone and crocodile attacks? It's quite straightforward. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-smartphone-linked-crocodile-indonesia.html Ecology Other Mon, 27 May 2024 12:19:03 EDT news636031141 Why do people in Paris like seaweed and tofu salad? Will Italians be tempted to try a beetle skewer? How many young Polish consumers are "food innovators," eager to eat chickpea pâté? In an international project, researchers from SWPS University analyzed European consumers' attitudes towards alternative protein food products. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-beetle-skewers-europeans-alternative-protein.html Other Agriculture Mon, 27 May 2024 11:34:04 EDT news636028441 More than 190 nations agreed Friday on a new treaty to combat so-called biopiracy and regulate patents stemming from genetic resources such as medicinal plants, particularly ones whose uses owe a debt to traditional knowledge. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-agreement-biopiracy-treaty.html Other Fri, 24 May 2024 04:30:01 EDT news635743513 UN talks to create a global treaty to combat biopiracy and the exploitation of genetic resources hung in the balance Thursday, a day before an agreement was due to be signed. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-uncertainty-clouds-biopiracy-treaty.html Other Thu, 23 May 2024 14:30:35 EDT news635693428 For centuries the Makuleke community lived in the northeastern corner of South Africa, close to the modern-day border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. But by the beginning of the 20th century, the squeeze on a disenfranchised community had begun, as they were forced to make way for the private game reserves that were springing up in the Lowveld. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-opinon-areas-local-communities-natural.html Ecology Other Wed, 22 May 2024 15:07:04 EDT news635609221 A CABI-led study has revealed that participation in the Zambia Farmer Input Subsidy Program (FISP)—particularly the flexible e-voucher system—encourages synthetic pesticide use at the expense of sustainable practices. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-repurposing-subsidies-sustainable-ipm.html Other Agriculture Thu, 02 May 2024 16:39:04 EDT news633886741 The inventors of a suite of tests that enable food packages to signal whether their contents are contaminated are working to bring producers and regulators together to get their inventions into commercial products, with the goal of preventing illness and reducing food waste. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-date-food-packaging-smart.html Biotechnology Other Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:09:26 EDT news633712162 For most people, biting into a lemon would leave them puckered up and desperate to lose that sour flavor, but a new study by Penn State researchers revealed that roughly one in eight adults like intensely sour sensations. The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of "sour likers" who enjoy exceptionally sour foods. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-sour-patch-adults-grown-ups.html Other Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:31:24 EDT news633627076 South Africa's government is calling for public comments on an updated version of its existing biodiversity economy plan. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-south-africa-biodiversity-generate-money.html Ecology Other Sat, 06 Apr 2024 14:40:01 EDT news631535995 Non-native species introduced mainly via increasing trade of goods and services have huge economic, health, and environmental costs. These "biological invasions" involve the intentional or unintentional transport and release of species beyond their native biogeographical ranges, facilitating their potential spread. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-affluent-countries-prone-biological-invasions.html Ecology Other Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:44:03 EDT news630852241 With supermarket aisles piled high with assortments of chocolate treats, the choice can seem overwhelming. The array of ethical options—some with certifications, others with marketing claims about sustainability—can just add to the confusion. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-buying-ethical-chocolate-impossible-firms.html Other Agriculture Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:40:01 EDT news630678878 One in three birders experiences accessibility challenges to participation in birding, according to Virginia Tech researchers Emily Sinkular and Ashley Dayer. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-ways-accessibility-wildlife-enthusiasts.html Ecology Other Tue, 26 Mar 2024 05:00:01 EDT news630590702 Primatologist Frans de Waal, whose study of chimpanzees and apes helped reveal the reconciliatory and empathic nature of primates—including humans—has died at age 75, said the university where he worked for decades. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-acclaimed-primatologist-frans-de-waal.html Other Mon, 18 Mar 2024 04:46:47 EDT news629955997 By infusing a virtual fruit fly with artificial intelligence, Janelia and Google DeepMind, scientists have created a computerized insect that can walk and fly just like the real thing. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-artificial-intelligence-virtual-fly-life.html Biotechnology Other Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:27:55 EDT news629728067 In the digital age of trimming a waistline here and sharpening a jawline there—even Princess Kate is doing it—is it any wonder that our 'bias for beauty' has spilled into the animal world? https://phys.org/news/2024-03-animal-photo-impact-donations-charities.html Ecology Other Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:30:01 EDT news629724461 For centuries, people have found solace in walks through the forest and the practice of "forest bathing." Now, researchers at UBC are delving into the science behind this tradition to understand its benefits better and make them accessible to all. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-qa-forest-therapy-indoors-health.html Ecology Other Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:59:33 EDT news629557151 A US man who tried to breed enormous hybrid sheep using genetic material from endangered animals so he could sell them to trophy hunting ranches faces jail time after pleading guilty to wildlife crimes on Tuesday. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-hybrid-sheep-breeder-endangered-genetic.html Other Wed, 13 Mar 2024 04:38:49 EDT news629523496 Organizations in the food and agriculture sector have been looking to nature for inspiration to improve soil health, maintain water quality and foster local food security in the places where they operate. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-nature-based-knowledge-local-ecosystems.html Ecology Other Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:07:03 EDT news629377621 Researchers propose that governments apply a new method for calculating the benefits that arise from conserving biodiversity and nature for future generations. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-method-values-ecosystem.html Ecology Other Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:05:04 EST news629049901 When biologist Elizabeth Carlen pulled up in her 2007 Subaru for her first look around St. Louis, she was already checking for the squirrels. Arriving as a newcomer from New York City, Carlen had scrolled through maps and lists of recent sightings in a digital application called iNaturalist. This app is a popular tool for reporting and sharing sightings of animals and plants. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-bias-citizen-science.html Ecology Other Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:10:05 EST news628877401 It has long been known that there is a complex interplay between genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping behavior. Recently it has been found that genes governing behavior in the brain operate within flexible and contextually responsive regulatory networks. However, conventional genome-wide association studies (GWAS) often overlook this complexity, particularly in humans where controlling environmental variables poses challenges. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-linking-environmental-genetic-human-behavior.html Other Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:00:01 EST news628247420 A systematic analysis of 40 years of studies on public crop breeding programs found that cereal grains receive significantly more research attention than other crops important for food security, such as fruits and vegetables; only 33% of studies sought input from both men and women household members; and there is significantly less research in South America, the Middle East and North Africa than in sub-Saharan Africa. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-years-crop-inequities.html Other Agriculture Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:31:03 EST news627823861 It's no secret that people can be quick to judge others, particularly when it comes to how a person looks. There have been tons of studies on how physical facial appearance, like makeup or facial hair, impacts a person's perception of someone else. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-explores-people-snap-judgment-unfamiliar.html Plants & Animals Other Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:27:03 EST news627744421