Tag: Evolutionary biology
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CRISPR Resurrects Ancient Gene to Fight Gout and Fatty Liver
CRISPR Brings Back an Ancient Gene With Modern Implications A recent report in Scientific Reports unveils a bold genetic experiment: scientists used CRISPR gene-editing tools to revive a gene that vanished from the human lineage millions of years ago. The revived gene appears to modulate purine metabolism and uric acid production, leading to lower uric…
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Elevated DNA Damage in Short-Sleeping Mexican Cavefish Without Visible Aging Signs
Overview: When Sleep Meets Genetics in a Special Fish Sleep is a universal behavior across the animal kingdom, serving crucial roles in memory, metabolism, and cellular maintenance. A remarkable line of research now turns its attention to the Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), a species adapted to perpetually dark, resource-scarce environments. In these cave-dwelling populations, scientists…
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Short-Sleeping Mexican Cavefish Show Elevated DNA Damage Without Apparent Aging
Overview: A surprising link between sleep, DNA damage, and aging In an intriguing twist on the sleep–aging paradigm, researchers studying the Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) have observed elevated DNA damage in individuals that sleep significantly less than their surface-dwelling relatives. Despite the uptick in DNA lesions, these short-sleeping cavefish do not exhibit the typical hallmarks…
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First-of-its-Kind ‘Butt Drag Fossil’ in South Africa Rewrites Furry-Earth History
Unearthing a Surprising Fossil Footprint In fossil records, the ordinary lifeways of small mammals can yield extraordinary clues about the past. Archaeologists and paleontologists in South Africa have announced a remarkable discovery: a fossil associated with a small, furry creature that once inhabited rocky terrains. The find has been nicknamed the “butt drag fossil,” a…
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Leaf Arrangement Drives Fern Vascular Pattern Evolution, Study Finds
New insight into fern vascular evolution A recent study led by Assistant Professor Jacob S. Suissa from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, challenges a long-standing view of how ferns evolve their internal vascular systems. Rather than stem vasculature adapting primarily to environmental conditions, Suissa’s team found that shifts in leaf arrangement along the stem covary…
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Four mutations in naked mole rats’ cGAS improve DNA repair and longevity
How naked mole rats defy ageing The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a small, hairless rodent native to East Africa famed for living up to about 37 years—nearly ten times longer than mammals of similar size. For years, scientists have wondered what molecular tricks these creatures use to keep their DNA intact as the…
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AI Protein Language Model Illuminates How Convergent Evolution Shapes Life
AI Language Models Unlock Secrets of Convergent Evolution In a groundbreaking study, Chinese scientists have used an artificial intelligence (AI) protein language model to reveal why distant organisms often develop similar traits when faced with comparable environmental challenges. The research, led by a team from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,…
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AI Protein Language Model Reveals Secrets of Convergent Evolution
Unlocking the Mystery of Convergent Evolution with AI In a landmark study that bridges biology and artificial intelligence, researchers from the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have shed light on why distantly related species sometimes develop strikingly similar traits. Using an artificial intelligence (AI) protein language model, the team uncovered a…
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AI protein language model uncovers how convergent evolution arises in nature
New AI tool sheds light on convergent evolution A team of Chinese scientists has taken a significant step in understanding how distant life forms independently develop similar abilities when faced with comparable environmental challenges. By applying a sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) protein language model, the researchers uncovered a key mechanism that explains convergent evolution—the repeated…
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How Bats Reused Old Genes to Grow Wings: The Regulatory Evolution Behind Flight
The Mystery of the Flying Mammals Bats have long fascinated scientists as the only mammals capable of true powered flight. Their wings are not a new limb but a remarkable modification of the familiar five-digit limb layout shared by all mammals. The question has always been: how do bats become flyers when the genetic blueprint…