https://biotechencyclopedia.com/whats-new/Recently added, cited research entries.https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/animal-migration/#e-the-arctic-tern-s-record-migration10.1073/pnas.0909493107Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTEgevang and colleagues tracked 11 Arctic terns with 1.4 g geolocators and found some flew more than 80,000 km a year, the longest known animal migration, with a previously unknown stopover in the North Atlantic. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909493107https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/animal-migration/#e-the-genetics-of-monarch-migration10.1038/nature13812Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTZhan and colleagues sequenced 101 Danaus genomes and found monarchs were ancestrally migratory and spread out of North America, with the strongest migration-linked selection centred on flight muscle function. doi:10.1038/nature13812https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/animal-migration/#e-what-drives-the-wildebeest-migration10.1086/597229Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTHoldo and colleagues compared 14 movement models and found the Serengeti wildebeest migration was best explained by rainfall-driven grass intake and grass nitrogen content. doi:10.1086/597229https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/ion-channels/#e-structure-of-the-potassium-channel10.1126/science.280.5360.69Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTDoyle, MacKinnon and colleagues solved the structure of a bacterial potassium channel, in which four subunits form a cone around a narrow 12 Å selectivity filter lined with oxygen atoms that fits potassium ions but not smaller sodium ions. doi:10.1126/science.280.5360.69https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/climate-phenology/#e-a-global-fingerprint-of-climate-change10.1038/nature01286Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTParmesan and Yohe analysed species' shifts in timing and range and found a pattern uniquely predicted by 20th-century climate trends, giving very high confidence that climate change is already affecting living systems. doi:10.1038/nature01286https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/coral-reefs/#e-recurrent-mass-bleaching-of-corals10.1038/nature21707Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTHughes and colleagues found the patterns of mass bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 matched sea temperatures each year, and that local protection gave little or no resistance to extreme heat. doi:10.1038/nature21707https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/biodiversity-estimates/#e-counting-insects-and-arthropods10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043348Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTStork's review put the global totals at about 1.5 million beetle, 5.5 million insect and 7 million land arthropod species, with earlier estimates of 30 million or more now seeming extremely unlikely and about 80% of insects still undescribed. doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043348https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gut-microbiome/#e-the-healthy-human-microbiome10.1038/nature11234Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTThe Human Microbiome Project Consortium found the microbes of each body habitat vary widely even among healthy people, while the metabolic pathways they carry stay stable. doi:10.1038/nature11234https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gut-microbiome/#e-gut-microbes-shape-stress-response-in-mice10.1113/jphysiol.2004.063388Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTSudo and colleagues found germ-free mice had an exaggerated stress hormone response compared with mice with normal microbes, which was reversed by giving them Bifidobacterium infantis; normal gut microbes only partly corrected it when given early in life, not later. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2004.063388https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gut-microbiome/#e-the-microbiota-gut-brain-axis-review10.1152/physrev.00018.2018Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTCryan and colleagues reviewed evidence that gut microbes communicate with the brain via the immune system, tryptophan metabolism, the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system. doi:10.1152/physrev.00018.2018https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/mass-extinctions/#e-the-asteroid-hypothesis10.1126/science.208.4448.1095Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTAlvarez and colleagues found iridium spikes of about 20 to 160 times background at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in Italy, Denmark and New Zealand and proposed that a large asteroid impact caused the extinctions. doi:10.1126/science.208.4448.1095https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/mass-extinctions/#e-recovery-after-the-extinction10.1126/science.aay2268Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTLyson and colleagues described fossils from Colorado showing mammal diversity doubled within about 100,000 years after the K-Pg extinction, with larger mammals appearing alongside new plants like the bean family over the next 700,000 years. doi:10.1126/science.aay2268https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/endosymbiosis/#e-on-the-origin-of-mitosing-cells10.1016/0022-5193(67)90079-3Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTSagan (later Margulis) proposed that complex cells arose through symbiosis, with photosynthetic plastids acquired by some early protozoans to form algae and green plants. doi:10.1016/0022-5193(67)90079-3https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/molecular-motors/#e-discovery-of-kinesin10.1016/S0092-8674(85)80099-4Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTVale, Reese and Sheetz identified kinesin, a new force-generating protein involved in movement along microtubules. doi:10.1016/S0092-8674(85)80099-4https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/molecular-motors/#e-watching-kinesin-take-steps10.1038/365721a0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTSvoboda and colleagues used optical trapping interferometry to directly observe single kinesin molecules stepping along microtubules. doi:10.1038/365721a0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/molecular-motors/#e-single-myosin-molecule-mechanics10.1038/368113a0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTFiner, Simmons and Spudich measured single myosin molecules producing piconewton forces in nanometre steps. doi:10.1038/368113a0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/molecular-motors/#e-seeing-atp-synthase-spin10.1038/386299a0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTNoji and colleagues directly observed the rotation of F1-ATPase, part of ATP synthase, showing it is a rotary molecular motor. doi:10.1038/386299a0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/molecular-motors/#e-cell-mechanics-and-the-cytoskeleton10.1038/nature08908Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTFletcher and Mullins reviewed how the cytoskeleton, a network of protein filaments, lets cells resist deformation, move cargo and change shape, and how forces acting through it affect cell behaviour. doi:10.1038/nature08908https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/mycorrhizal-networks/#e-carbon-moving-between-trees10.1038/41557Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTSimard and colleagues used isotope labelling in the field to show carbon moved in both directions between paper birch and Douglas fir linked by ectomycorrhizal fungi, regulated by source-sink relationships. doi:10.1038/41557https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/mycorrhizal-networks/#e-a-published-critique-of-network-claims10.1038/s41559-023-01986-1Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTKarst and colleagues argued that positive citation bias and overinterpreted results have spread misinformation about common mycorrhizal networks in forests. The two views are an ongoing published debate. doi:10.1038/s41559-023-01986-1https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/prions/#e-proteinaceous-infectious-particles-cause-scrapie10.1126/science.6801762Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTPrusiner presented six lines of evidence that the scrapie agent needs a protein to be infectious and resists procedures that modify nucleic acids, and proposed the term prion for this new kind of agent. doi:10.1126/science.6801762https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/prochlorococcus/#e-discovery-of-prochlorococcus10.1038/334340a0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTChisholm and colleagues described a new free-living prochlorophyte that is abundant in the sunlit (euphotic) zone of the open ocean. doi:10.1038/334340a0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/ribosome-structure/#e-large-ribosomal-subunit-at-2-410.1126/science.289.5481.905Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTBan and colleagues solved the atomic structure of the large ribosomal subunit of Haloarcula marismortui, showing its RNAs fit together like a 3D jigsaw and that the active site where proteins are joined is free of protein. doi:10.1126/science.289.5481.905https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/ribosome-structure/#e-small-ribosomal-subunit-at-310.1038/35030006Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTWimberly and colleagues reported the crystal structure of the 30S ribosomal subunit from Thermus thermophilus at 3 Å resolution. doi:10.1038/35030006https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/virus-capsids/#e-physical-principles-of-virus-construction10.1101/SQB.1962.027.001.005Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTCaspar and Klug set out principles for how regular viruses build protective shells around their nucleic acid from many identical protein subunits, the basis of the classic theory of icosahedral capsids. doi:10.1101/SQB.1962.027.001.005https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/virus-capsids/#e-virus-cages-as-nano-containers10.1038/30211Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:04:37 GMTDouglas and Young used the shell of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus as a host for making materials inside it, controlled by pH-dependent opening of the shell's pores. doi:10.1038/30211https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/circadian-rhythms/#e-the-first-clock-mutants10.1073/pnas.68.9.2112Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTKonopka and Benzer found three fruit fly mutants with altered daily rhythms (one arrhythmic, one 19-hour and one 28-hour), all in the same gene on the X chromosome, later called period. doi:10.1073/pnas.68.9.2112https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/circadian-rhythms/#e-the-clock-s-feedback-loop10.1038/343536a0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTHardin, Hall and Rosbash reported that the protein made by the Drosophila period gene feeds back on the daily cycling of its own messenger RNA. doi:10.1038/343536a0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/coral-reefs/#e-coral-mass-spawning10.1126/science.223.4641.1186Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTHarrison and colleagues recorded 32 coral species on the Great Barrier Reef spawning together a few nights after late-spring full moons. doi:10.1126/science.223.4641.1186https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-the-north-magnetic-pole-speeds-toward-siberia10.1038/s41561-020-0570-9Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTLivermore and colleagues report the north magnetic pole sped up between 1990 and 2005 from 0–15 km to 50–60 km per year, crossed the date line in 2017, and is being pulled by two lobes of magnetic flux at the core–mantle boundary under Canada and Siberia. doi:10.1038/s41561-020-0570-9https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-the-south-atlantic-anomaly-is-growing-and-splitting10.1186/s40623-020-01252-9Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTFinlay and colleagues used satellite data to show the South Atlantic weak-field anomaly continues to grow and weaken, and a secondary minimum has appeared south-west of Africa. doi:10.1186/s40623-020-01252-9https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-the-laschamps-excursion-42-000-years-ago10.1126/science.abb8677Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTCooper and colleagues built a radiocarbon record from New Zealand kauri trees around the Laschamps geomagnetic reversal (about 41,000 years ago) and concluded from modelling that the weak field changed atmospheric ozone and drove global climate and environmental shifts. doi:10.1126/science.abb8677https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-carrington-sees-the-1859-solar-flare10.1093/mnras/20.1.13Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTRichard Carrington described a "singular appearance" he saw on the Sun on 1 September 1859, an observation now regarded as the first recorded solar flare. doi:10.1093/mnras/20.1.13https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-the-march-1989-storm-and-quebec-blackout10.1029/2019SW002278Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTBoteler re-examined the March 1989 magnetic storm, the largest of the 20th century, which blacked out the Hydro-Québec power system and was caused by two coronal mass ejections. doi:10.1029/2019SW002278https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-solar-storms-and-sperm-whale-strandings-hypothesis10.1017/s147355041700026xMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTVanselow and colleagues proposed that geomagnetic storms may have disoriented 29 young male sperm whales that stranded in the North Sea in 2016, since storm disruptions can shift apparent magnetic latitude by up to 460 km. doi:10.1017/s147355041700026xhttps://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-gray-whale-strandings-and-solar-radio-noise10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.028Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTGranger and colleagues found live gray whale strandings were more frequent on days with more solar-storm radio-frequency noise, suggesting their navigation may be disrupted and that they may sense magnetic fields. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.028https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-racing-pigeons-and-sunspots10.1109/tmag.1978.1059801Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTSchreiber and Rossi found pigeon race homing efficiency fell as sunspot numbers rose, measured by arrivals before nightfall and the speed of the first arrival. doi:10.1109/tmag.1978.1059801https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/geomagnetic-field-changes/#e-the-schumann-resonance-as-a-thermometer10.1126/science.256.5060.1184Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTWilliams showed the Schumann resonance, a global electromagnetic resonance driven by lightning, is a sensitive measure of tropical temperature because lightning rates rise with temperature. doi:10.1126/science.256.5060.1184https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gravity-and-life/#e-how-plants-sense-gravity10.1146/annurev.arplant.043008.092042Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTMorita reviewed gravitropism, in which starch-filled plastids (amyloplasts) moving inside gravity-sensing cells trigger plants to reorient their growth; starch is important but not essential. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.043008.092042https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gravity-and-life/#e-the-nasa-twins-study10.1126/science.aau8650Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTGarrett-Bakelman and colleagues compared an astronaut during a year on the ISS with his identical twin on Earth and found changes including telomere lengthening, gene-expression and microbiome changes and some post-flight cognitive decline; most returned near baseline within 6 months. doi:10.1126/science.aau8650https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gravity-and-life/#e-cosmonaut-bone-loss10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02217-0Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTVico and colleagues studied the effects of long-term microgravity on weight-bearing bones of cosmonauts. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02217-0https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gravity-and-life/#e-bone-loss-on-the-space-station10.1359/jbmr.040307Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTLang and colleagues scanned 14 crew members after 4–6 month ISS flights and found hip bone lost mainly by thinning from the inside; earlier Mir studies had reported losses of about 1% a month from the spine and 1.5% from the hip. doi:10.1359/jbmr.040307https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/gravity-and-life/#e-human-cells-in-microgravity10.1038/srep25975Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTMukhopadhyay and colleagues reanalysed published gene-expression data from human cells in microgravity and identified about 100 shared pathways, many linked to reduced inflammation and immunity. doi:10.1038/srep25975https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/lunar-and-tidal-rhythms/#e-coral-mass-spawning-after-full-moons10.1126/science.223.4641.1186Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTHarrison and colleagues recorded 32 coral species on the Great Barrier Reef spawning together a few nights after late-spring full moons in 1981 and 1982, releasing eggs and sperm for external fertilization. doi:10.1126/science.223.4641.1186https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/lunar-and-tidal-rhythms/#e-a-worm-with-a-monthly-clock10.1016/j.celrep.2013.08.031Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTZantke and colleagues showed the marine worm Platynereis dumerilii has both a daily and a monthly (circalunar) clock in its forebrain; the monthly clock is set by night-time light and controls maturation. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2013.08.031https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/lunar-and-tidal-rhythms/#e-dung-beetles-steer-by-the-milky-way10.1016/j.cub.2012.12.034Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTDacke and colleagues found dung beetles roll balls in straight lines under a starry sky but not under overcast skies, the first documented use of the Milky Way for orientation by an animal. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.12.034https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/lunar-and-tidal-rhythms/#e-human-sleep-and-the-lunar-cycle10.1126/sciadv.abe0465Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTCasiraghi and colleagues used wrist monitors in communities from rural with no electricity to urban and found sleep started later and was up to 1.5 hours shorter on nights before the full moon. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abe0465https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/lunar-and-tidal-rhythms/#e-barnacles-of-the-intertidal-zone10.2307/1933500Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTConnell studied how competition between species and other factors decide where the barnacle Chthamalus stellatus lives on the rocky shore, a classic study of intertidal ecology. doi:10.2307/1933500https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/magnetic-navigation/#e-magnetic-signposts-for-young-sea-turtles10.1126/science.1064557Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTLohmann and colleagues found that hatchling loggerhead turtles exposed to magnetic fields matching three distant ocean regions swam in directions that would keep them in the North Atlantic gyre along their migration route. doi:10.1126/science.1064557https://biotechencyclopedia.com/materials/magnetic-navigation/#e-sea-turtles-use-a-magnetic-map10.1038/428909aMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:02:04 GMTLohmann and colleagues reported evidence that sea turtles use a geomagnetic map in navigation. doi:10.1038/428909a