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Ants have been farming fungi since shortly after an asteroid triggered a mass extinction 66 million years ago, according to a study that analyzed genetic data to explore this ancient agriculture, potentially providing lessons for sustainable practices. Humans started farming thousands of years ago, but a new study co-authored by two LSU professors reveals that ants had us beaten by millions of years. LSU AgCenter mycologist Vinson P. Doyle and LSU Department of Biological Sciences [...]

Through experiments on mice infected with a herpes virus , scientists discovered an immune system sensor that detects viral fragments and triggers pain-related neurons, independent of inflammation. Researchers discovered that STING, an immune sensor, triggers pain independently of inflammation when activated by viral DNA . This finding may lead to new treatments for pain during viral infections, including COVID-19 , without affecting the immune system. A study conducted by researchers [...]

Ants began farming fungi 66 million years ago post-asteroid impact, with leafcutter ants evolving advanced agricultural techniques, as detailed by Smithsonian researchers. Before humans began farming crops thousands of years ago, agriculture had already existed for millions of years. Several animal lineages have been growing their food since long before humans evolved as a species A new study reveals that colonies of ants began farming fungi when an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years [...]

Research highlights how the meteor impact that ended the dinosaurs helped spawn the mutualistic relationship between ants and fungi, marking an early form of agriculture long before humans farmed. The meteor strike that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago may have led to a remarkable mutually beneficial relationship between fungi and ants. The low-light environment caused by the impact created conditions favorable to the spread of fungi that feed on organic matter, which was abundant [...]

A recent study suggests that by the Neoproterozoic period, distinct lineages of amoebae, as well as the ancestors of plants, algae, and animals, had already emerged and managed to survive the two global glaciations that covered the planet. Approximately 800 million years ago (mya), long before the formation of the supercontinent Pangea, Earth's biodiversity was more varied than previously thought. Brazilian researchers, through the reconstruction of the evolutionary tree of life from [...]

A recent study has uncovered discrepancies between simulated predictions and actual observations of solar flare dynamics, notably in the timing of chromospheric emissions, suggesting a need for revising the standard solar flare model. This revelation calls into question the current understanding of energy transport during these celestial events, hinting at potential alternative mechanisms such as magnetosonic waves or conductive transport. Solar Flares and the Standard Model Solar [...]

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions elevate the extinction risk for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. These events may interact with human-related hazards, potentially intensifying their impacts. In a study published in the journal PNAS , researchers funded by FAPESP estimate that over 3,000 species of terrestrial vertebrates are threatened with extinction due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic [...]

In a new paper, researchers from Brazil discuss the benefits of three Lactobacillus bacteria strains for human health and their applications in the cheese industry. Research conducted at the Center for Dairy Technology (Tecnolat) in Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil, has identified lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that have probiotic properties and are beneficial to human health in samples of traditional Brazilian cheeses. Tecnolat is part of the Food Technology Institute (ITAL), an arm of [...]

Brain overgrowth in children with autism is linked to more severe symptoms, potentially influenced by the enzyme Ndel1. A team of researchers from Brazil and the United States have identified a link between brain overgrowth and the severity of social and communication symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The findings, published in the journal Molecular Autism , are based on an analysis of magnetic resonance images of the brains of more than 900 children with ASD [...]