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Featured news

19 Jul 2022

Scientists identify DNA ‘hotspots’ that tell zebrafish to change sex in warmer waters

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Zebrafish, Danio rerio Scientists identify 54 ‘hotspots’ in the genome for cross-talk between the environment, in particular water temperature, and genes predisposing zebrafish to develop into either sex. There, DNA methylation prompts genetic pathways to change, allowing the influence of temperature to ‘overrule’ the sex-determining genes. As a result, certain born females develop into males. Higher water temperatures induce specific chemical tags at targeted locations on the DNA of embryonic zebrafish. These ‘epigenetic’ changes can then reroute genetic pathways, so that the embryos change sex. This finding, in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, is not just of fundamental scientific interest. It’s also relevant for conservation, since an influence of temperature on sex determination could be recipe for disaster for species living through rapid climatic change. The study’s first author, Dr Shahrbanou Hosseini, a postdoctoral researcher at the Molecular Livestock Science and Diagnostics Group of the Department of Animal Sciences at Göttingen University, said: “Here we show that epigenetic modifications influence the variation in sex ratio between zebrafish families. This implies that the interaction between genotype and environment in determining sex is mediated by epigenetics.”   Genes interact with environment to determine sex From high […]

Featured news

18 Jul 2022

Alzheimer’s impact on the brain is broader than we thought and 4 other fascinating Frontiers articles you don’t want to miss

By Colm Gorey, Frontiers science communications manager Image: Shutterstock.com At Frontiers, we bring some of the world’s best research to a global audience. But with tens of thousands of articles published each year, many often fly under the radar. Here are just five amazing papers you may have missed. Impact of Alzheimer’s on the brain may be greater than previously thought A significant review of more than 200,000 scientific publications has shown that the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain are far broader than initially thought. Writing in their review article in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, the international team of researchers said that they wanted to understand the breadth and diversity of biological pathways – key molecular chain reactions that drive changes in cells – that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease by research over the last 30 years. They found that while nearly all known pathways have been linked to the disease, the most frequently associated biological mechanisms have not significantly changed in the last three decades, despite major technological advances. These include those related to the immune system, metabolism, and long-term depression. They also found that the top-ranked 30 pathways most frequently referred to in literature remained relatively consistent […]

Featured news

18 Jul 2022

Verbal insults trigger a ‘mini slap to the face’, finds new research

By Suzanna Burgelman, Frontiers science writer Image: Ken stocker/Shutterstock.com Hearing insults is like receiving a “mini slap in the face”, regardless of the precise context the insult is made in. That is the conclusion of a new paper published in Frontiers in Communication. The researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) and skin conductance recordings to compare the short-term impact of repeated verbal insults to that of repeated positive or neutral evaluations. The results provide us with a unique opportunity to research the intersection between emotion and language. Humans are a highly social species. We rely on ever-changing cooperation dynamics and interpersonal relations to survive and thrive. Words have a big role to play in these relations, as they are tools used to understand interpersonal behavior. As such, words can hurt, but we know little about how the impact of words comes about as someone processes an insult. “The exact way in which words can deliver their offensive, emotionally negative payload at the moment these words are being read or heard is not yet well-understood,” said corresponding author Dr Marijn Struiksma, of Utrecht University. Because insults pose a threat against our reputation and against our ‘self’, they provide a unique opportunity to research […]

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15 Jul 2022

Is declaring a climate emergency enough to stop the climate crisis? What we can learn from the Covid-19 pandemic

By Jordi Mazon, David Pino, and Mireia Vinyoles Image: Piyaset/Shutterstock.com Dr. Jordi Mazon is professor of meteorology at the Department of physics in the Technical University of Catalonia (BarcelonaTech) and teaches higher-level physics in the international baccalaureate in Aula higher school in Barcelona. In addition, he is currently Deputy Mayor of energy transition, mobility, and city cleaning management in Viladecans, a municipality of the metropolitan area of Barcelona. His research is focused on several topics of the atmospheric physics, the numerical simulation of coastal fronts, and severe meteorological events. Now, he explains what lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic we can apply to our fight against the climate crisis. If someone looks up the definition of emergency in any dictionary (for example in the Cambridge Dictionary), the following description can be read: “something dangerous or serious, that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and needs fast action in order to avoid harmful results for people or properties”. Keeping in mind the recent declaration of the state of emergency due to the climate crisis  by many scientists, administrations, and institutions worldwide, it is clear that fast actions must be taken to avoid harmful results for human societies and the Earth’s ecosystems. Accepting the declaration […]

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14 Jul 2022

‘Maths’ genes used by fish to count may help us treat human neurodevelopmental diseases

By K.E.D. Coan, science writer A recent review shows that fish estimate quantities in a similar way as many other vertebrate animals. By pinpointing the cells and even genes that make basic maths possible, this research could provide a starting point for treating human neurodevelopmental diseases that impair number processing skills. Fish are helping researchers track down the origins of how brains compute maths, reports a review in Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. An international team has reviewed more than 200 publications, which together show that fish perceive quantities using similar parts of their brains as mammals and birds. Research is still underway to find the specific brain circuitry that makes number processing possible, but these findings could eventually help treat human diseases that impair the ability to do maths. “Fish are on par with other animals in possessing a sense of quantity,” said corresponding author Prof Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trento in Italy. “There are species, most notably the zebrafish, that are ideal models for studying the molecular and genetic bases of the sense of quantity. This could have important implications for neurodevelopmental diseases affecting number cognition, such as developmental dyscalculia, which impairs maths skills in up to 6% […]

Featured news

13 Jul 2022

Rats can learn to navigate by watching their friends, helping us learn more about our own ‘internal GPS’

By Suzanna Burgelman, Frontiers science writer Image credit: Jesus Cobaleda/Shutterstock.com Researchers are one step closer to understanding the ‘internal GPS’ of animals and humans, by investigating whether rats can learn spaces just by observation. In a new study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, the researchers show that rats do not need to physically explore an environment to learn about a specific location; simply observing another rat is sufficient. Learning by observation has been reported in invertebrates (for example in bees), birds, fish, and mammals. Learning new tasks and environments is critical to the survival and well-being of an individual.  “Learning by observation is the most common form of learning from school to daily life,” said author Dr Thomas Doublet, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. ► Read original article► Download original article (pdf) Brain maps Research has shown that animals and humans can navigate distances and spaces thanks to the formation of cognitive maps. Functional cell types have been suggested that underlie cognitive mapping processes in the brain, among them grid cells, border cells, head direction cells, and place cells. A place cell, for example, is a neuron in the hippocampus that becomes active when an animal enters a […]

Featured news

08 Jul 2022

Building blocks for RNA-based life abound at center of our galaxy

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Scientists here study the spectra from G+0.693-0.027, a molecular cloud near the center of the Milky Way. They detect a range of nitriles, key building blocks for RNA, including cyanoallene, propargyl cyanide, cyanopropyne, and possibly cyanoformaldehyde and glycolonitrile, none of which had previously been found in G+0.693-0.027. They conclude that nitriles are among the most abundant chemical families in the universe, which lends support to the ‘RNA world’ theory of the origin of life on Earth, and possibly elsewhere in our galaxy. Nitriles, a class of organic molecules with a cyano group, that is, a carbon atom bound with an unsaturated triple bond to a nitrogen atom, are typically toxic. But paradoxically, they are also a key precursor for molecules essential for life, such as ribonucleotides, composed of the nucleobases or ‘letters’ A, U, C, and G, joined to a ribose and phosphate group, which together make up RNA. Now, a team of researchers from Spain, Japan, Chile, Italy, and the US show that a wide range of nitriles occurs in interstellar space within the molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027, near the center of the Milky Way. The results are published in Frontiers in Astronomy and […]

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07 Jul 2022

Bees’ ‘waggle dance’ may revolutionize how robots talk to each other in disaster zones

By Conn Hastings, science writer Image credit: rtbilder / Shutterstock.com Honeybees use a sophisticated dance to tell their sisters about the location of nearby flowers. This phenomenon forms the inspiration for a form of robot-robot communication that does not rely on digital networks. A recent study presents a simple technique whereby robots view and interpret each other’s movements or a gesture from a human to communicate a geographical location. This approach could prove invaluable when network coverage is unreliable or absent, such as in disaster zones.   Where are those flowers and how far away are they? This is the crux of the ‘waggle dance’ performed by honeybees to alert others to the location of nectar-rich flowers. A new study in Frontiers in Robotics and AI has taken inspiration from this technique to devise a way for robots to communicate. The first robot traces a shape on the floor, and the shape’s orientation and the time it takes to trace it tell the second robot the required direction and distance of travel. The technique could prove invaluable in situations where robot labor is required but network communications are unreliable, such as in a disaster zone or in space. Honeybees excel at […]

Featured news

06 Jul 2022

Prof Jeff Camkin: ‘The biggest misconception is that open science is just for researchers and academics. It’s not.’

Prof Jeff Camkin Prof Jeff Camkin, of the University of Western Australia, is a water and sustainable development specialist. He is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the World Water Policy Journal – a platform for the world’s emerging water leaders and thinkers. Jeff’s focus is on promoting the connection between policy, research, and community connectivity through transdisciplinarity, better utilization of local knowledge, more effective collaboration, and capacity building. Today, he tells us about the importance of democratizing science worldwide and implementing open science with the help of UNESCO. What inspired you to become a researcher? Frankly, I’m not really inspired to be a researcher, per se. Perhaps 20 years ago, I realized that what I wanted from my career was to understand water and natural resource management from as wide a range of viewpoints as possible to be more effective in influencing positive change. Sometimes the best way to do that is through research, sometimes it’s by directly advising decision-makers, and other times by working more closely with community or industry stakeholders. So, my career has been a mix of activities, ranging from positions in government agencies responsible for water and fisheries policy development, providing policy advice directly to ministerial decision-makers, […]

Featured news

05 Jul 2022

Zapping our tastebuds can help reduce our salt intake

By Peter Rejcek, science writer Image: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock.com Most people consume too much salt in their diet, leading to high blood pressure and other health issues. Researchers have discovered a novel way to enhance the saltiness, and even potentially the savoriness, of low-sodium food using electrical stimulation of the tongue through a chopstick-shaped utensil. The concept has applications in other fields, such as stimulating taste as part of a virtual reality experience. An estimated 2.5m deaths each year could be prevented globally if individuals cut back their salt consumption to the recommended daily intake of less than five grams, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Now, Japanese researchers may have found a healthier way for people to enjoy the full flavor of salty foods while still adhering to a low-sodium diet. Scientists at Meiji University and Kirin, a Japanese food and beverage company, have developed a chopstick-like device that uses a weak electrical charge to stimulate how the tongue experiences saltiness. The research is published in the journal Frontiers in Virtual Reality. Previous studies have described how introducing a weak electrical current to the tongue can affect the charged ions that make up sodium chloride to either inhibit or […]

Featured news

28 Jun 2022

Robotic arms connected directly to brain of partially paralyzed man allows him to feed himself

By Peter Rejcek, science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Recent advances in neural science, robotics, and software have enabled scientists to develop a robotic system that responds to muscle movement signals from a partially paralyzed person relayed through a brain-machine interface. Human and robot act as a team to make performing some tasks a piece of cake. Two robotic arms – a fork in one hand, a knife in the other – flank a seated man, who sits in front of a table, with a piece of cake on a plate. A computerized voice announces each action: “moving fork to food” and “retracting knife.” Partially paralyzed, the man makes subtle motions with his right and left fists at certain prompts, such as “select cut location”, so that the machine slices off a bite-sized piece. Now: “moving food to mouth” and another subtle gesture to align the fork with his mouth. In less than 90 seconds, a person with very limited upper body mobility who hasn’t been able to use his fingers in about 30 years, just fed himself dessert using his mind and some smart robotic hands. A team led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), in Laurel, […]

Featured news

17 Jun 2022

Colorful urban environments, even if just in virtual reality, promote wellbeing

By Conn Hasting, science writer Colorful virtual reality cityscape. Image credit: A. Batistatou, F. Vandeville, and Y.N. Delevoye-Turrell Urban environments can be drab and stressful, but introducing vegetation or colorful designs could improve the wellbeing of city dwellers. A new study investigated the potential of these simple interventions using a virtual reality simulation. It found that green vegetation was pleasurable for volunteers, whereas colorful designs increased curiosity and fascination. The virtual methods could be useful for urban planners in testing new methods to improve wellbeing.   Drab urban environments tend to increase our stress, whereas nature can soothe the soul, but how do you get the best of both? One option is to increase color and vegetation in cities, but finding the best approach can be tricky. A new study in Frontiers in Virtual Reality tested the effects of vegetation and colorful patterns in an urban environment. Employing virtual reality, the study found that green vegetation caused volunteers to walk more slowly, while also increasing their heartrate, indicating a pleasurable experience. Meanwhile, colorful patterns increased alertness, fascination and curiosity. The study illustrates the potential of simple interventions to improve the lives of urbanites, and also the power of virtual reality […]

Featured news

14 Jun 2022

Installation of deep-water pipeline gives immediate boost to sea-floor animals

By Tania Fitzgeorge-Balfour, science writer Image credit: DeeAnn Cranston / Shutterstock.com An underwater survey finds the abundance and types of animals on the deep-sea floor west of Africa, off the Angolan coast, increased in response to the installation of an underwater pipeline. This is thought to be related to the pipeline providing shelter and trapping organic matter that the animals feed on. Despite the remoteness of this area, the study also revealed a large increase in the amount of litter, which was trapped against the pipeline. An underwater survey west of Africa, off the Angolan coast, found that both the abundance and types of animals on the deep-sea floor increased significantly in response to the installation of a pipeline. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study also revealed a large increase in the amount of litter on the seafloor, which was trapped against the pipeline. “In a short space of time the installation of a pipeline led to increases in the abundance and diversity of marine life in most areas,” said Daniel Jones, associate head of ocean biogeosciences at the National Oceanography Centre, UK, and author of this study. “We believe this could be related to the pipeline providing […]

Featured news

14 Jun 2022

Fighting malaria by manipulating the amount of serotonin mosquitos obtain from blood meals

By Maryam Clark and Mischa Dijkstra, science writers Image credit: Somboon Bunproy / Shutterstock.com A new study shows that by feeding blood containing high levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin to female invasive city-dwelling mosquitos (Anopheles stephensi), we can decrease the mosquitos’ flight speed, and reduce their motivation to seek out a second blood meal. This suggests that we could ultimately prevent the mosquitos’ transmission of malaria, by manipulating the amount of host serotonin that mosquitos normally obtain from their blood meals. Many people have heard of serotonin as a signaling molecule in the human brain that affects our mood. But across the animal kingdom, serotonin signaling is crucial for regulating a vast range of other functions, for example blood pressure, heart rate, nausea, and the rate of food passage in the gut. Now, a study in Frontiers in Physiology shows how we could take advantage of the pivotal role of serotonin in physiological pathways across unrelated species, to disrupt the transmission of malaria. The results suggest that by increasing the amount of serotonin that mosquitos ingest with mammalian blood, we can change the mosquitos’ behavior to make them less efficient vectors of malaria parasites. ► Read original article► Download original article (pdf) […]