#currentbiology — Public Fediverse posts

the stars of this week's feature in #CurrentBiology are more than 400 cuddly #koalas! It's all about #conservation #genomics, also covering eg #SnowLeopards, #SeaSnails, #lemurs https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/04/survival-secrets-of-koalas.html

#science #genome

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sflorg/116131363356930077

Eyes, as light-sensing organs of the #lens #eye type, have #evolved independently multiple times in the animal kingdom. But what did a representative of the early #vertebrate lineage look like? According to G. Kafetzis et al. (2026), a worm-like #ancestor possessed #medianeyes bring #homologous to the modern #pinealgland of the #brain. Published in #CurrentBiology. #evolution

© this text #StefanFWirth March 2026

#Reference
G. Kafetzis et al. (2026),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.028

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sflorg/116131363356930077

Eyes, as light-sensing organs of the #lens #eye type, have #evolved independently multiple times in the animal kingdom. But what did a representative of the early #vertebrate lineage look like? According to G. Kafetzis et al. (2026), a worm-like #ancestor possessed #medianeyes bring #homologous to the modern #pinealgland of the #brain. Published in #CurrentBiology. #evolution

© this text #StefanFWirth March 2026

#Reference
G. Kafetzis et al. (2026),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.028

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sflorg/116131363356930077

Eyes, as light-sensing organs of the #lens #eye type, have #evolved independently multiple times in the animal kingdom. But what did a representative of the early #vertebrate lineage look like? According to G. Kafetzis et al. (2026), a worm-like #ancestor possessed #medianeyes bring #homologous to the modern #pinealgland of the #brain. Published in #CurrentBiology. #evolution

© this text #StefanFWirth March 2026

#Reference
G. Kafetzis et al. (2026),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.028

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sflorg/116131363356930077

Eyes, as light-sensing organs of the #lens #eye type, have #evolved independently multiple times in the animal kingdom. But what did a representative of the early #vertebrate lineage look like? According to G. Kafetzis et al. (2026), a worm-like #ancestor possessed #medianeyes bring #homologous to the modern #pinealgland of the #brain. Published in #CurrentBiology. #evolution

© this text #StefanFWirth March 2026

#Reference
G. Kafetzis et al. (2026),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.028

RE: https://mastodon.social/@sflorg/116131363356930077

Eyes, as light-sensing organs of the #lens #eye type, have #evolved independently multiple times in the animal kingdom. But what did a representative of the early #vertebrate lineage look like? According to G. Kafetzis et al. (2026), a worm-like #ancestor possessed #medianeyes bring #homologous to the modern #pinealgland of the #brain. Published in #CurrentBiology. #evolution

© this text #StefanFWirth March 2026

#Reference
G. Kafetzis et al. (2026),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.028

For some reason the posts in my slow thread don't bridge to bluesky, although the post at the top did. So I just have to toot today's #CurrentBiology feature again: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/02/plants-recycling-metals.html #science #ecology #metals #recycling #phytomining #resources #nickel #gold #rareEarthElements

RE: https://biologists.social/@jekely/115926352021625708

#Tooluse in #bovids so far was underestimated until a recent #scientific #study highlighted Austrian #cow #Veronika and her #flexible #purposeful self-#scrarching tool handling. Indicating that further studies might show similar potentials also in other #Bovidae taxa.
The authors A. J. Osuna-Mascaró & Alice M.I. Auersperg (2026) published their findings in #CurrentBiology.
© This text #StefanFWirth Berlin 2026

Reference:

A. J. Osuna-Mascaró & Alice M.I. Auersperg (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.11.059

New study reveals a primate brain circuit that keeps motivation going even under threat, via a key striatopallidal pathway 🧠⚙️ Read more in Current Biology: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)01688-4 #neuroscience #motivation #brainresearch #CurrentBiology

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 1: Revisiting the #conservation of #sharks and #rays pegged to the recent #CITES meeting that ramped up their protection. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/01/stopping-shark-trade.html #science #marineBiology

this week's feature in #CurrentBiology is about how #ancientDNA revealed the power of #prehistoric #women https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/11/prehistoric-women-ruled.html

#science #archaeology #matriarchy #matrilinear #genome

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 22: #Prehistoric #women are getting some recognition at last:

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/11/prehistoric-women-ruled.html
#science #genome #ancientDNA #archaeology #genealogy #society #matriarchy

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 20: The #EarthBiogenomeProject aiming to sequence #genome s of all #eukaryotes due to scale up and enter phase 2: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/10/sequencing-all-species.html #science #biodiversity #ecology #conservation

Yesterday's feature in #CurrentBiology is about #Denisovans. Exciting stuff is happening in that field as several #ossils including the #Harbin skull have been identified as Denisovan with molecular methods. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-denisovan-skull.html
#science #palaeoanthropology

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 19: A #Denisovan skull identified this year reveals the face of our close relatives (comparable to #Neanderthals). https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-denisovan-skull.html #science #anthropology #fossils #humans #genome #palaeoanthropology #china

A 4k-year-old spatial pattern of termite mounds

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(18)31287-9

#HackerNews #4kYearOldPattern #TermiteMounds #SpatialEcology #CurrentBiology #NatureScience

my latest feature in #CurrentBiology is about #FakeNews and #deception in nature:

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/09/fake-news-in-nature.html #science #ecology #mimicry #pheromones #ultrasound #insects

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 18: The truth about #FakeNews and #deception in nature: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/09/fake-news-in-nature.html #science #ecology #behaviour #communication #ultrasound #pheromones

my latest feature in #CurrentBiology: from #mammoth to #moa the hype and #science around #deExtinction

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/08/de-extinction-deconstructed.html #conservation #ecology #extinction #ecosystem #GMorganisms #genome

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 16: from #mammoth to #moa the hype and #science around #deExtinction

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/08/de-extinction-deconstructed.html #conservation #ecology #extinction #ecosystem #GMorganisms #genome

this week's feature in #CurrentBiology is about #oceanAcidification - the 7th #planetaryBoundary we've crossed. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/08/oceans-acidified.html #science #environment #ClimateCatastrophe #marineBiology #oceans

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 15: #OceanAcidification exceeds #PlanetaryBoundaries - a good opportunity to revisit both issues: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/08/oceans-acidified.html
#science #ecology #environment #climateCatastrophe #coasts #conservation #marineBiology #ProseAndPassion

this week's feature in #CurrentBiology is on #coastalSqueeze - how coastal #ecosystems are squeezed out of existence by #SeaLevelRise and encroaching #infrastructure. Blog entry contains magic link for #FreeAccess https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/07/coastal-squeeze.html #science #ecology #coasts #conservation

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 14: Coastal #ecosystems get squeezed out of existence: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/07/coastal-squeeze.html #science #ecology #environment #coastalSqueeze #coasts #conservation #ProseAndPassion

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 13: Ancient seafarers crossing the #Mediterranean, from the #Phoenicians to the first arrivals on the islands such as #Mallorca, #Malta, #Sicily, #Cyprus.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/07/crossing-mediterranean.html

#science #anthropology #ancientDNA #genome #archaeology #prehistory #travel #carthage #Punic #RomanHistory

Common mechanisms of cell communication in developing embryos and ears

Every complex organism originates from a single cell that multiplies through countless cell divisions. Researchers #CIDBN & #MPI-DS @thegoecampus, & #Marburg discovered a way that embryonic cells coordinate their behaviour using molecular mechanisms previously only known from the process of hearing: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/3240.html?id=7848

Research in #CurrentBiology: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.066

this week's #CurrentBiology feature: how #tinyForests planted with the #Miyawaki method became a big thing https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-big-story-of-tiny-forests.html #science #ecology #forests #ecosystemServices #conservation #earthwatch #citizenScience #tinyforest

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 12: how #tinyForests planted with the #Miyawaki method became a big thing https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-big-story-of-tiny-forests.html #science #ecology #forests #ecosystemServices #conservation #earthwatch #citizenScience #tinyforest

Humans have nasal respiratory fingerprints

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00583-4

#HackerNews #Humans #Nasal #Fingerprints #RespiratoryScience #Biometrics #CurrentBiology

last year's feature about ancient #Australia is now in the #OpenArchives:

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/06/ancient-australia.html #science #CurrentBiology #ScienceJournalism #ScienceWriter #ancientDNA #anthropology #humans #migration

last year's #CurrentBiology feature on #plasticPollution is now in the #OpenArchives https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/04/stop-plastic-pollution.html #science #environment #pollution #microplastics

last year's #CurrentBiology feature on migratory species is now in the #OpenArchives: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-dangers-of-migrating.html #science #ecology #birds #migration

new #Introduction for the bsky bridge : I’m a #BioChemist turned #ScienceWriter, write a feature for every issue of #CurrentBiology, 2/month, mostly about #ecology #evolution #environment also #human, #cultural things seen thru #biology prism. Plus #ScienceBooks, most recently: #Intertwined: From insects to icebergs Also writing a #musical #FamilyHistory #memoir around #biography of our old #cello. #PirateLuthier fixing unloved #violins #NoCars #cycling, #trains, #liveable #cities #townmouse

last year's feature on green #cities (past, present, future) is now in the #OpenArchives - #FreeAccess for all: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/02/urbanism-now-and-then.html #science #urbanism #archaeology #anthropology #CurrentBiology

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 23: #aurochs are extinct but also the ancestors of today's #cattle. #AncientDNA study reveals their #PopulationHistory https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/12/aurochs-dead-and-alive.html #science #genome #agriculture #rewilding #ecology #evolution

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 21: #kelp forests could be a casualty or a saviour in the #ClimateCatastrophe. Up to us, unfortunately.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/11/brown-algae-and-blue-carbon.html #science #ecology #MarineBiology #BlueCarbon #CarbonSequestration #environment

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 19: #Whales came to dominate the oceans in only 50 million years. Humans nearly wiped them out within a century. The story of their #RiseAndFall: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-whale-of-tale.html #science #ecology #evolution #MarineBiology #Cetaceans

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 12: Value your #vultures and care for your #caracaras, because we will be in trouble when #raptors soar no more. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/06/care-about-caracaras.html #science #ecology #birds #conservation #EcosystemServices

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 4: Expanding our concept of #cities in time and space can help with #sustainability in the face of the #ClimateCatastrophe

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/02/urbanism-now-and-then.html -
#science #environment #urbanisation #urbanism #GreenCities #SustainableCities #AncientCities

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 2: Large herbivores like #elephants #mammoths #mastodons share one big problem: human hunters. New evidence shows even #Neanderthals hunted and butchered elephants, so time for a big picture feature on this.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-long-history-of-elephants-suffering.html

#science #conservation #megafauna

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (24/24): #InvasiveSpecies are typically introduced by humans, either accidentally or just stupidly. I rounded up some examples of the damage they cause and what can be done against it.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/12/fighting-invaders.html

#science #ecology

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, the final issue, number 24: some of the many things we can still learn from #bivalves, from underwater #adhesion, to microscale mirror #optics. Blog entry contains magic link for free access: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2023/12/cockles-and-mussels.html #science #invertebrates #MarineBiology #scallops #mussels image shows #BirthOfVenus in a scallop shell, hence hidden from sensitive eyes ...

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (23/24): From #soundscape #ecology to soundcape #evolution: Acoustic communication in animals more widespread than thought, and thus also more deeply rooted in evolution. http://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/12/soundscape-evolution.html

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (22/24):
Extinct, me? Various ways in which #Neanderthals and #Denisovans are still among us / within us / relevant today.
https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/11/neanderthals-alive-and-well.html
#science #ProseAndPassion #HumanEvolution #anthropology #genome #AncientDNA

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (21/24): All about #bananas https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/11/going-bananas.html #science #ProseAndPassion #ecology #agriculture

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (17/24):

#UrbanEcology and #UrbanEvolution from bats to cockatoos.
https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/09/town-bat-vs-country-bat.html
#science #ProseAndPassion #bats #birds #behaviour

2022's features in #CurrentBiology now in the #OpenArchives (7/24):
#Mummification was more widely used than thought https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2022/04/mummification-for-all.html

#proseandpassion #science #archaeology #history #mummies

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 8: Beware a new #endarkenment, happening in Florida and around the world. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2023/04/darker-times-ahead.html #science #education #fascism #trumpism #orban #DeSantis #florida #ProseAndPassion

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 1: Human population at the crossroads. After the passing of the #8billion threshold, I am discussing population trends for the decades ahead and what they will mean for global issues. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2023/01/now-were-8-billion.html #HumanPopulation #GlobalIssues

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 1: Human population at the crossroads. After the passing of the #8billion threshold, I am discussing population trends for the decades ahead and what they will mean for global issues. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2023/01/now-were-8-billion.html #HumanPopulation #GlobalIssues