Helen Briggs
Better tasting, climate-proof coffee: Largest genetic map of Arabica coffee helps researchers grow optimized beans of the future
Researchers in Italy pieced together the most complete genetic map yet of Arabica coffee, the world's most popular drink ...
COVID could come back with a vengeance in mutated forms, jumping back and forth between animals and humans
Coronavirus could potentially leap to other animals, such as rats, mice, ferrets and voles, as well as mink, an expert ...
‘Already facing extinction’: Recently discovered leaf-eating Popa langur species down to 200 monkeys
Langurs are a group of leaf-eating monkeys that are found across south east Asia. The newly described animal is known ...
Estimated 140,000 plants facing extinction, report finds, threatening progress in medicine, farming
Plants and fungi hold promise as future medicines, fuels and foods, according to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. But opportunities ...
Global plan to halt extinction criticized for failing to address species humans don’t like
A global plan to halt the loss of nature is "weak" in one key area, say scientists. The new 10-year ...
‘Paradigm-changing’: Artificial nerve cells could lead to treatments for Alzheimer’s, other brain disorders
Scientists have made artificial nerve cells, paving the way for new ways to repair the human body. The tiny "brain ...
This ancient ape may tell us when our ancestors started walking on two legs
Fossils of a newly-discovered ancient ape could give clues to how and when walking on two legs evolved. The ability ...
Savagnin Blanc: The 900-year-old grape still used in wine making today
DNA from ancient grape seeds shows the grapevine behind a local vintage has been cultivated continuously for 900 years. Ancient ...
Plant extinction occurring up to 500 times faster than naturally expected, study claims
Almost 600 plant species have been lost from the wild in the last 250 years, according to a comprehensive study ...
‘Nature’s pest controllers’: How wasps reduce chemical pesticide use in farming
Scientists have put together a map of the UK's wasp population, showing the distribution of key species. Data recorded by ...
Animal cells grown on grass could yield next version of lab-grown meat
Scientists at the University of Bath have grown animal cells on blades of grass, in a step towards cultured meat ...
First land plants may have appeared 100 million years earlier than previously thought
A seminal event in the Earth's history - when plants appeared on land - may have happened 100 million years ...
‘To lose them would be a disaster’: More than 20 wild relatives of modern crops added to ‘threatened’ list
Wild relatives of modern crops deemed crucial for food security are being pushed to the brink of extinction, according to ...
Neonicotinoid insecticide may reduce wild bumblebee queens’ egg development, lab study finds
Use of a common pesticide in spring could have an impact on wild bumblebees by interfering with their life cycle, ...
Read the tea leaves: Decoded plant genome unlocks flavor secrets for future breeding
A team in China has decoded the genetic building blocks of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, whose leaves are used ...
Origin of flight: Fossils of feathered dinosaurs reveal bird evolution
A dinosaur that lived 160 million years ago had drumstick-shaped legs much like living birds, according to paleontologists. ... "In ...
Birth language is retained, even if we never learned to speak it
Babies build knowledge about the language they hear even in the first few months of life, research shows. If you ...
One tiny DNA mutation may have paved path for humans to evolve big brains
Humans may in part owe their big brains to a DNA "typo" in their genetic code, research suggests. ... [In ...
DNA changes linked to farming revolution spurred bonding of dogs with humans
Our canine companions developed the ability to digest starchy foods during the farming revolution thousands of years ago, according to ...
Pudgy Labrador retrievers’ genes help humans understand why we are getting fat
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. The Labrador retriever, known ...
Extinct humans live on in our DNA
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Denisovan DNA lives on ...
Genes from ancient cousins help modern humans fight disease
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. According to a pair ...
First ever IVF-born puppies hopeful sign for endangered species
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. The world's first IVF ...
Spread of farming in Europe shaped early human ancestry
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. A study of ancient ...
Neonicotinoids may impact individual honeybees different than hives
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. French researchers say neonicotinoid ...
Could organic farming’s benefit of biodiversity complement conventional fields?
Organic farms act as a refuge for wild plants, offsetting the loss of biodiversity on conventional farms, a study suggests ...
Mapping genome of fertilized eggs could double IVF success rate
Mapping the genetic code of fertilised eggs could double the success rate of IVF, researchers claim. The new screening method ...
Genetic testing raises hope for lung cancer treatments
A study of 5,000 patients found genetic profiling of lung tumours boosted survival rates through better targeting of chemotherapy drugs. The ...