Latest Biology News & Discoveries: Cutting-Edge Research in Life Sciences - SciTechDaily

1. Two Hidden Forces Help Build the Human Brain Before Birth
   Scientists have uncovered two surprising forces that help guide how the human brain forms before birth. Before birth, the human brain is shaped in large part by an unusual class of stem cells known as radial glia. These cells help determine which brain cells are produced, when they appear, and how the cerebral cortex, the [...]
2. This Newly Discovered Flower Looks Like a Tiny Demon
   Researchers have identified a new plant species in western Thailand whose unusual appearance inspired the dramatic name Thismia daemona, or the “devil flower.” A nearly black flower with horn-like projections and flashes of reddish orange has been discovered beneath leaf litter in a mountain forest in western Thailand. The plant cannot photosynthesize, spends most of [...]
3. Scientists Resurrect 160-Million-Year-Old Molecules With Surprising Power Against Superbugs
   Ancient mammalian antimicrobial peptides revealed stronger bacteria-killing activity in some cases, offering clues for designing future treatments against resistant infections. Some proteins that vanished millions of years ago may still have something to teach scientists about fighting modern infections. University of Oregon biologists have reconstructed antimicrobial molecules dating back as far as 160 million years, [...]
4. Monkeys Hunt Dangerous Prey When Fruit Runs Out, 45-Month Study Finds
   When fruit disappears, bearded capuchins switch from foraging to hunting, targeting everything from lizards and rodents to snakes, iguanas, and young birds. Bearded capuchin monkeys hunt more small vertebrates when fruit is scarce, according to a long-term field study in Brazil. The behavior may offer clues to how early human ancestors obtained nutrient-rich food during [...]
5. Scientists Bred “Super-Athlete” Mice for 30 Years – What Happened Was Unexpected
   A study involving 100 pairs of mice produced unexpected results that surprised researchers. Mice bred to be unusually athletic might be expected to pay a biological price, perhaps by living shorter lives or producing fewer offspring. But after more than three decades of research, UC Riverside scientists found no such penalty in mice selected for [...]