All articles tagged with #pnas study
A new study published in PNAS reveals that the gut-dwelling fungus Mucor racemosus can protect hosts from radiation damage. In mouse trials, the fungus reduced weight loss, inflammation, and oxidative stress. It achieves this by producing specific amino acids that aid DNA repair and by modulating bacterial activity to boost protective chemicals. While promising, the fungus poses risks to immunocompromised individuals.
A 2026 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirms that the end-Permian mass extinction was driven by 'temperature-dependent hypoxia,' where warming oceans reduced oxygen supply while increasing animal metabolic demand. Researchers led by J. Andres Marquez used lab respirometry and trait-based models to show that slow-metabolizing Paleozoic fauna, such as brachiopods, lost viable habitat and died out, while faster-metabolizing groups like bivalves survived. Although modern oceans are currently warming and losing oxygen, the study emphasizes that current conditions are not a direct forecast of the ancient catastrophe, as the scale and drivers differ significantly.