Category Archives: Biology
When protection leads to degradation
Doñana National Park, at the South-western coast of Spain, is known to host several species of wading birds. These piscivorous birds nest in colonies in the neighboring woodlands, formed by cork oaks, close to the marshals where they feed. Ever […]
One year or one cell division older?
Author: Gerardo Ferrer got his Ph.D. in Medicine from the University of Barcelona in 2012. Currently, he is a postdoctoral researcher at the Karches Center for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research and Center for Oncology and Cell Biology, The Feinstein […]
Alpha by design
In social species, the dominant individual is often called the alpha. Depending on the species, the alpha may be a male, a female, both or a pair. The alpha individual usually presents a certain behavior: dominant, assertive, brash and usually […]
Testosterone and bad judgments
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and, in men, it plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and […]
Where have all the megasharks gone?
We’ve known for decades there was a time when mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and other big mammals walked the Earth like it was no big deal. We also know that at some point of the Ice Age, a mass extinction made […]
Engineering nitrogen-fixing cereals, between science fiction and reality
Every organism, from virus to animals need nitrogen (N) to live; indeed, nucleic acids and proteins are made out with N. Nearly all of these organisms, fulfill their nitrogen needs taken up N from the environment in reduced forms, usually […]
A membrane with voltage-dependent conductances increases the energy efficiency of fly photoreceptors
The neuronal membrane, like membranes surrounding other cells, is mainly formed by a lipid surface impermeable to ions. It is only through ion channels, small protein pores embedded in the membrane, that ions can cross, allowing electrical current to charge […]
Melodrama with happy ending for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients
Patients suffering from rare diseases (defined by the European as those affecting less than 5 in 10000 people) have traditionally been overlooked by pharmaceutical companies. They are usually looking for the next blockbuster drug, so the lack of a large […]
Mediterranean diet and brain shrinkage
The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional reference originally inspired by the dietary patterns of Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain in the 1940s and 1950s. The main components of this diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined […]
The problem with exercising and losing weight
If you have ever tried to lose weight by exercising you probably know is not that easy. However, you might be happy to know that the problem is not only a matter of motivation. It’s been consistently reported that the […]