Biology

A new analysis from Queen Mary University of London proposes that the universe's physical constants occupy a narrow range allowing liquids to flow properly inside living cells.

May 08, 2026 Reported by AI

Extra copies of genetic material appear to have boosted the survival of flowering plants during Earth's major environmental crises, including the event that wiped out the dinosaurs.

OpenAI has launched GPT-Rosalind, a large language model trained specifically on biology workflows. The model, named after scientist Rosalind Franklin, aims to address challenges in handling massive biological datasets and specialized subfields. Access is currently limited to US-based entities due to safety concerns.

April 14, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

Scientists at EPFL report that a transient shape change in mitochondria—known as “pearling,” in which the organelle briefly forms bead-like constrictions—can redistribute clusters of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into more evenly spaced nucleoids. The work, published April 2, 2026 in Science, suggests the process is triggered by calcium influx into mitochondria and may help explain how cells maintain robust mtDNA organization, a feature implicated in a range of mitochondrial-related disorders.

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified hidden fluid flows inside cells that rapidly transport proteins to the leading edge, challenging traditional views of cellular movement. The discovery, made during a classroom experiment, could explain why some cancer cells spread aggressively. The findings appear in Nature Communications.

March 28, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

Researchers report that a protein signal called SLIT3 helps brown fat ramp up heat production by coordinating the growth of blood vessels and sympathetic nerves. In experiments using mouse models and human cells and tissue datasets, the team found SLIT3 is cut into two fragments with distinct roles—one linked to vessel growth and the other to nerve expansion—pointing to possible future obesity-treatment strategies aimed at boosting energy expenditure.