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Large-scale genomic analysis of darkling beetles, a hyper-diverse insect group of more than 30,000 species worldwide, rolls back the curtain on a 150-million-year evolutionary tale of one of Earth's most ecologically important yet inconspicuous creatures, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU) and CSIRO.

Primate ornamentation plays a crucial role in communication not only within social groups but also between them, according to a new study. The research reveals that the males of species with overlapping home ranges often display vibrant colors or elaborate features, traits that may help reduce intergroup aggression by enabling quick assessments of potential rivals.

New research reveals how short bursts of daily mindfulness can boost wellbeing, combat depression and anxiety, and inspire healthier lifestyle choices. In a new study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton have unveiled how just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can improve wellbeing, ease depression and anxiety, and help people to be more motivated to improve their lifestyle - including healthier exercise, eating and sleeping habits.

Caltech researchers have developed a new method to create three-dimensional images of complex communities of bacteria and plant roots. The technology synthesizes two traditional methods of imaging: visualizing microbes with fluorescence and a noninvasive technique called quantitative phase imaging. This technology is a step toward understanding the complicated environment of the rhizosphere, the region of soil where a plant's roots interact with microorganisms.

Study: Soil respiration response to decade-long warming modulated by soil moisture in a boreal forest The soils of northern forests are key reservoirs that help keep the carbon dioxide that trees inhale and use for photosynthesis from making it back into the atmosphere. But a unique experiment led by Peter Reich of the University of Michigan is showing that, on a warming planet, more carbon is escaping the soil than is being added by plants.

New research using neural networks, a form of brain-inspired AI, proposes a solution to the tough challenge of modelling the states of molecules. The research shows how the technique can help solve fundamental equations in complex molecular systems. This could lead to practical uses in the future, helping researchers to prototype new materials and chemical syntheses using computer simulation before trying to make them in the lab.

Waterloo researchers advance nanoscale imaging capabilities. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has revolutionized the field of nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), making it possible to study a wider range of materials, biomolecules and complex dynamic processes such as how proteins fold and change shape inside a cell.

Bonn researchers clarify self-regulation of the immune response in the CRISPR bacterial defense system CRISPR gene scissors, as new tools of molecular biology, have their origin in an ancient bacterial immune system. But once a virus attack has been successfully overcome, the cell has to recover. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn, in cooperation with researchers from the Institut Pasteur in France, have discovered a timer integrated into the gene scissors that enables the gene scissors to switch themselves off.

University of Queensland researchers have discovered a mechanism in DNA that regulates how disease-causing mutations are inherited. Dr Anne Hahn Associate Professor Steven Zuryn from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute said the findings could provide a promising therapeutic avenue to stop the onset of heritable and age-related diseases.

Climate change is particularly intense in the Arctic. To assess its consequences and determine what role this region plays in global warming, two teams of scientists from EPFL have visited the area. One to gain a better understanding of the region's air composition, the other to quantify the greenhouse gases sequestered in Greenland fjords sourced by glacial water.

Microorganisms in biofilms in rivers can break down harmful substances. Some are also able to degrade biocides, including the insect repellent diethyltoluamide (DEET) - or so it is thought. Researchers at the aquatic research institute Eawag have now discovered that DEET is degraded better when the proportion of treated wastewater in the water is high.

Studying how single DNA molecules behave helps us to better understand genetic disorders and design better drugs. Until now however, examining DNA molecules one-by-one was a slow process. Biophysicists from Delft University of Technology and Leiden University developed a technique that speeds up screening of individual DNA molecules at least a thousand times.

A new study analyzing over 230 fisheries has found that their sustainability is likely overstated world-wide. Previous estimates of the number of fish in the ocean globally may have been too optimistic; two-thirds of fisheries in the study had over-estimated the number of fish available when making earlier management decisions.

The metallic element samarium, when bound with other elements, is an incredibly useful chemical reagent for synthesizing molecules that can lead to new pharmaceuticals. Discovered in a Russian mine in 1879, the element was named after the mineral it was found in, called samarskite, which itself was named after Russian mining engineer Vassili Samarsky-Bykhovets.

Batteries undercut their theoretical capacity in practice, sometimes significantly. In a lithium iron phosphate cathode, researchers at TU Graz have now been able to observe exactly where the capacity loss occurs. Lithium iron phosphate is one of the most important materials for batteries in electric cars, stationary energy storage systems and tools.

A ground-breaking study involving Kenyan sex workers has shone a light into the immune response to gonorrhoea, paving the way for more effective vaccines. Carried out by scientists at the Universities of Manchester and Oxford working in collaboration with the KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Unity in Kenya, The findings come amid recent reports showing Gonorrhoea - a sexually transmitted disease - is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and could become untreatable in the future.

Researchers confirm positive effects of organic farming and flower strips for bee colonies   Honey bees are valued both for their honey and their ability to pollinate crops. However, populations are suffering from the loss of areas of wild flowers in intensive farming, pesticide applications and from the influence of pathogens, so it is all the more important to understand what keeps them healthy.

Together with an international team of researchers, Freie Universität Berlin bioarchaeologist Sarah Defant is shedding light on how rural communities in northern Italy developed following the fall of the Roman Empire How did political shifts in power and migration influence how rural communities developed after the fall of the Roman Empire?

The effects of the fruit's polyphenols are promising for people with fatty liver disease, according to a study A Laval University research team has demonstrated the beneficial effects of camu-camu on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects over seven million people in Canada. This exotic fruit helps reduce liver fat levels.

A new study on songbirds sheds light on the power of social interaction to facilitate learning, insights that potentially apply to human development. McGill researchers discovered that zebra finches deprived of early social experiences could still form strong bonds with a partner later in life. Once placed into cohabitation with a male, females that had never heard a mating song before could quickly develop a preference for his melody.