An endemic aphid from Svalbard - Sitobion calvulum, occurring on the polar willow Salix polaris. Credit: S. Coulson

University of Silesia researcher investigates ‘fat’ aphids of Svalbard

Two endemic species of aphids have been discovered in Svalbard. Some of them have a lot of body fat, which could indicate that the body is protected against low temperatures. A scientist from the University of Silesia investigates whether this is really the case and whether it is a repeatable trait.

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    Life

    Researchers describe proteins that help mitochondria communicate

    Mitofusin 2 is a protein that is needed for the work of mitochondria in cells. In a paper published in Science, an international team with the participation of a Polish researcher describes newly identified variants of this protein that mediate between the mitochondrion and other parts of the cell. The study sheds light on certain liver disorders.

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    Life

    Pollinators spread diseases from infected flowers

    Pollinators that visit infected flowers contribute to spreading pathogens. This phenomenon has been investigated by scientists from the Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

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    Life

    Long-range interactions during genome folding

    An international team of researchers with the participation of Polish scientist has discovered a new mechanism of genome folding in fruit flies. The elements of the genome pair up despite considerable distances, forming meta-loops. The genes associated with them are responsible for important neuronal development processes.

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    Life

    Dr. Stanisław Czachorowski: Mow grass, but not too often

    Mow less often - this is the simplest answer to the question whether urban lawns should be mowed or not. Subjective aesthetic reasons speak for mowing, everything else for not mowing, says Dr. Stanisław Czachorowski from the University of Warmia and Mazury.

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    Universities

    Scientists call for decolonisation of world botanical collections

    A disproportionately large number of plant specimens from around the world are found in European countries and in the USA. There are 65 million specimens in the 10 largest herbaria. The legacy of colonialism shapes the management of plant collections and this should change, says Professor Wiesław Mułenko from the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University.

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    Life

    Researcher from Poznań investigates factors that change human pelvis structure

    The pelvis in women and men is a more plastic part of the skeleton than previously thought: it can change under the influence of certain factors, according to research by Dr. Anna Maria Kubicka from the Poznań University of Life Sciences. She has also determined that subsequent pregnancies do not leave permanent changes in the pelvic morphology in women. She presented the results of her research in Scientific Reports.

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    Life

    How to predict road mortality of amphibians and better protect them

    Is it possible to predict potential hotspots of amphibian roadkill? How to use the available data on their amphibians dying under the wheels of cars? What affects the risk of becoming a roadkill? Scientists from Czechia, Spain and Poland investigated the topic and published their results in the Journal of Environmental Management.

  • An artistic presentation of Shri devi in a posthumous position Credit: Jakub Zalewski. Skull and left foot of a dromaeosaurid Shri devi. Credit: Lukasz Czepinski
    Life

    'Headless' dinosaur gets its skull back

    Computed tomography allowed has allowed scientists to examine the predatory dinosaur skull found 50 years ago by a Polish-Mongolian expedition in the Gobi Desert. The research results have been published in the latest issue of Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

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    Earth

    Baltic Sea is recovering, but it still needs protection, says oceanologist

    In recent decades, the Baltic Sea has begun to recover, but still contains unfavourable phenomena. Anaerobic deserts are growing, cyanobacterial blooms are intensifying, and underwater engineering works raise toxins from the bottom, which eventually end up in the food chain, says Dr. Lech Kotwicki from the Polish Academy of Sciences.

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Multifractal brain and early stages of multiple sclerosis

Electrical brain signals in patients with multiple sclerosis, a disease mainly associated with the slowing-down of information processing and a lack of motor coordination, show traces of multifractality, scientists from four Polish research institutions have found.