Category archives: Biology

Viruses at the edge of life

Viruses at the edge of life

Biology

By Ignacio Amigo

The definition of life is not a simple one. According to classical textbooks, “living things are born, grow, reproduce and die”. But one doesn’t have to look too far to find some caveats in this interpretation. For example, when bacteria divide, can we really say that one is “giving birth” to the other? The part […]

Solar irradiance influences the settlement patterns of mussels

Solar irradiance influences the settlement patterns of mussels

Biology

By Invited Researcher

Author: Uxio Labarta is a research professor at IIM-CSIC (Vigo, Galicia). From the Laboratory of Mussels Ecology and Culture Management, he works on the ecology, physiology, and bioeconomic management of bivalve molluscs. The Lab of Mussels was created in 1987 with Dr. Fernández-Reiriz, and now also integrated by Dr. Fuentes-Santos and the technicians L. Nieto […]

Rabid aggression

Rabid aggression

BiologyMedicineMicrobiologyNeurobiology

By José Ramón Alonso

Rabies is a fatal viral disease largely transmitted to humans by infected animals—predominantly from domestic dogs. The contagion is usually through the saliva from rabid animals. The disease is entirely preventable through prompt administration of post-exposure prophylaxis to bite victims and can be controlled through widely applied vaccination of domestic dogs. Yet, rabies is still […]

Fatal attraction

Fatal attraction

BiologyHealth

By José Ramón Alonso

«Mosquito» is one of the few words, together with «guerrilla», «adobe», «cigarrillo» and some others that Spanish culture has brought to other languages. I am not sure whether we should be proud of this legacy. The «little fly» is one of humanity most dangerous and terrible enemies. Many species of mosquitoes act as vectors of […]

Rafting ants

Rafting ants

Biology

By José Ramón Alonso

Cooperation is the process of groups of individuals working or acting together for common or mutual benefit. Members of social insect societies cooperate in sophisticated modes. The specialization of individual ants in performing particular tasks or roles tend to increase group efficiency that is best exemplified by workers that display a wide array of specific […]

Can a mouse stammer?

Can a mouse stammer?

BiologyGeneticsNeurobiology

By José Ramón Alonso

Stammering, stuttering or alalia literalis is a speech disorder characterized by involuntary repetition and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases and involuntary silent pauses or blocks where the affected person is unable to produce sounds. Around 1-in-20 children aged 2 to 5 years old will stammer at some moment, but most grow out of […]

Hibernation and white-nose syndrome

Hibernation and white-nose syndrome

Biology

By José Ramón Alonso

Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression used by some mammals to survive a cold winter. It may last several days, weeks, or months depending on the species, environment temperature, season, and individual’s body condition. Usually, hibernating animals survive the energetic bottleneck of the winter by building stores of body fat in late […]