Tag

Mammals

All articles tagged with #mammals

science1 day ago•5 min saved

Wildlife trade linked to human-pathogen sharing across mammals

A Science study quantifies the pathogen spillover risk from the global wildlife trade: among 2,079 traded mammal species, about 41% share one or more pathogens with humans, compared with 6.4% of non-traded mammals. Live-trade increases transmission risk, illegal trade plays only a modest role, and species in trade tend to accumulate more pathogens over time (about one extra pathogen per decade of presence). The authors hope the findings inform trade regulations to help curb future pandemics.

via Nature|

#mammals #pandemics #pathogen-transmission

science13 days ago•6 min saved

Serial mouse cloning hits a hard biological limit after 58 generations

A 20-year mouse cloning study from the University of Yamanashi shows that repeating cloning builds up genome-level damage, reduces fertility, and cannot sustain a mammal line beyond 58 generations—the last generation died soon after birth—despite producing over 1,200 clones from a single donor, indicating current nuclear-transfer cloning methods have a hard biological limit.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cloning #genetics #genome

science15 days ago•3 min saved

Cloning Limit Exposed: Mouse Line Dies After 58 Generations

A two-decade Japanese study recloned a female mouse across 58 generations. By generation 58, all offspring died within a day of birth, with no outward defects, and DNA analysis showed accumulating mutations and occasional loss of an X chromosome. The research indicates a hard limit to mammalian cloning and challenges hopes for infinite lineages, with implications for livestock cloning and de-extinction efforts; no method yet exists to overcome this genetic deterioration.

via Futurism|

#cloning #dna #genetics

science17 days ago•4 min saved

Cloning's mutational cliff: line ends after 58 generations

A Japanese team conducted a serial cloning study starting from one female mouse, re-cloning for 57 generations and producing over 1,200 offspring. By generation 58, accumulated genetic mutations and loss of the X chromosome caused the re-cloned mice to die shortly after birth, effectively ending the line. Crossbreeding later-generation clones with normal mice showed initially normal litter sizes but reduced fertility in later-generation lines, with partial recovery in descendants. The results support Muller's ratchet and reinforce the idea that sexual reproduction is essential for long-term mammalian survival, limiting the practical viability of endless cloning.

via ScienceAlert|

#genetic-cloning #mammals #mullers-ratchet

lifestyle27 days ago•17 min saved

Choosing Not to Reproduce May Extend Lifespans Across Mammals, New Study Finds

A mega-analysis of 117 mammal species shows that restricting reproduction—via contraception or sterilization—can extend life expectancy by about 10%, with male lifespans increasing when testosterone is reduced through castration (vasectomy effects vary), and females living longer when reproduction is blocked. The results point to energetic and hormonal costs of reproduction as a trade-off with survival, though effects vary by species and context, and human implications remain uncertain.

via Earth.com|

#aging #contraception #life-expectancy

science1 month ago•15 min saved

Elephant Whiskers Unveil a Hidden Sense in the Trunk

New research shows that elephants’ trunk whiskers are highly sensitive, enabling refined tactile sensing and vibration detection that support complex trunk manipulation and environmental awareness, expanding our understanding of elephant sensory biology.

via The Washington Post|

#biology #elephants-animals #living-things

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Ancient mammal ancestor reveals early roots of mammalian hearing

CT scans and 3D simulations of the 250‑million‑year‑old cynodont Thrinaxodon liorhinus indicate ear structures capable of tympanic (ear‑based) hearing emerged earlier than previously thought, suggesting the mammalian middle ear began evolving before dinosaurs; the model estimates a hearing range of about 38–1,243 Hz with peak sensitivity near 1,000 Hz at ~28 dB, aiding prey detection and predator avoidance.

via ScienceAlert|

#earbones #fossils #hearing

science3 months ago•4 min saved

Castration May Extend Mammal Lifespan

A large-scale study finds that preventing reproduction in mammals, through methods like sterilization or contraception, is associated with increased lifespan, highlighting the biological costs of reproduction and its impact on aging across species, including potential insights for humans.

via SciTechDaily|

#castration #lifespan #longevity

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Unique Cold-Blooded Mammals: Social Oddballs

The naked mole-rat, a mammal native to East Africa, exhibits unique characteristics such as eusocial behavior and remarkable cancer resistance, and it thermoregulates in a manner similar to cold-blooded animals by relying on external heat sources and behavioral adaptations, challenging traditional classifications of mammals as strictly warm-blooded.

via IFLScience|

#cold-blooded #eusocial #mammals

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Historically, evolution has repeatedly led to anteater-like creatures

Mammals have independently evolved to eat ants and termites at least 12 times over the past 66 million years, driven by the rise of social insects like ants and termites, which have significantly influenced mammalian evolution and diversity, with specialized anteaters exemplifying this dietary shift.

via Earth.com|

#ant-and-termite-diets #anteaters #evolution

science3 months ago•5 min saved

New Discovery Alters Understanding of Dinosaur and Mammal Evolution

New research suggests that dinosaurs had a different parenting style from mammals, with juvenile dinosaurs becoming independent quickly and occupying distinct ecological niches, which may have led to greater ecological diversity in the Mesozoic era than previously thought.

via SciTechDaily|

#dinosaurs #ecological-roles #fossil-evidence

science5 months ago•4 min saved

US Bats Glow Under UV Light, Scientists Uncertain Why

Researchers in Georgia discovered that six North American bat species emit green fluorescence under UV light, a phenomenon whose purpose remains unknown, but may relate to ecological functions or evolutionary history, highlighting the need for further study.

via CNN|

#bioluminescence #conservation #glowing-bats

science6 months ago•5 min saved

New Research Explores Why Females Outlive Males Across Species

Research shows that female animals generally live longer than males, with patterns varying across species and environments. In mammals, females tend to outlive males due to genetic and reproductive factors, especially in the wild, while in birds, males often have the longevity advantage, possibly due to reproductive costs borne by females. These differences are influenced by genetics, sexual selection, and ecological pressures, and are not universal but context-dependent.

via The Conversation|

#animals #birds #longevity

science6 months ago•5 min saved

Study links female longevity to sexual behavior and evolutionary factors

A comprehensive study suggests that female mammals generally live longer than males due to factors like sexual behavior and genetic differences, with variations observed across species and environments, highlighting complex evolutionary and reproductive influences on longevity.

via CNN|

#evolution #lifespan #mammals

science7 months ago•5 min saved

Rodents' Thumbnails: The Secret to Their Global Domination

A study published in Science reveals that most rodents have thumbnails instead of claws, which may have contributed to their evolutionary success by enabling better food manipulation, particularly for handling nuts, and this trait has been conserved across their family tree, helping explain their widespread diversity and dominance.

via Phys.org|

#evolution #mammals #museum-collections