New research suggests that the gut microbiome may help prevent the development of cow's milk allergy. Scientists at the University of Chicago found that gut microbes from healthy human infant donors transplanted into mice protected animals exposed to milk from experiencing allergic reactions, while gut microbes transplanted from infants allergic to milk did not. The...
New mathematical model can help save endangered species
What does the blue whale have in common with the Bengal tiger and the green turtle? They share the risk of extinction and are classified as endangered species. There are multiple reasons for species to die out, and climate changes is among the main reasons.
The risk of extinction varies from species to species depending on...
Plant phytolith and water content influence rate of tooth enamel abrasion in vertebrates
Plant phytolith and water content cause differing degrees of tooth enamel abrasion in vertebrates. This is the conclusion reached by an international research team headed by scientists from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Their study, featured online before print in the journal PNAS, has implications for how tooth wear in extinct animals is interpreted and...
Skull scans tell tale of how world's first dogs caught their prey
Analysis of the skulls of lions, wolves and hyenas has helped scientists uncover how prehistoric dogs hunted 40 million years ago.
A study has revealed that the first species of dog -- called Hesperocyon gregarius -- pounced on its prey in the same way that many species, including foxes and coyotes, do today.
The findings also show...
Far-ranging fin whales find year-round residence in Gulf of California
Researchers from Mexico and the United States have concluded that a population of fin whales in the rich Gulf of California ecosystem may live there year-round -- an unusual circumstance for a whale species known to migrate across ocean basins.
What makes the discovery even more unusual, researchers note, is that they identified the pattern of...
Madariaga virus spreads to Haiti
Madariaga virus (MADV), or South American eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), has -- until now -- been found primarily in animals of South and Central America, with the first human outbreak occurring in Panama in 2010. Now, scientists writing in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases report the identification of MADV in eight children in Haiti in...