1,071 news posts

Featured news
21 May 2021
‘We need more research which examines racism and racialization on health and wellbeing of black women’
By Colm Gorey, Frontiers science writer/Dr Jenny Douglas, The Open University Dr Jenny Douglas, The Open University. Image: Jenny Douglas To mark the launch of the new research topic entitled ‘Dismantling racial inequalities in higher education’, Dr Jenny Douglas of The Open University reveals how events in her childhood opened her eyes to racial inequality and the need for more research into black women’s health and wellbeing. Despite various efforts to tackle racial inequality in higher education across the globe, numerous research efforts have shone a spotlight on the obvious disparity between grades received by people of color versus white students. Now, in an effort to catalogue this inequality, Frontiers has launched a new Research Topic called ‘Dismantling racial inequalities in higher education’ led by topic editors Prof Marcia Wilson and Dr Jenny Douglas of The Open University, based in the UK. It is based on a series of group seminars held by the university for black and minority ethnic (BME) researchers. In relation to racial inequalities in higher education, a plethora of reports have identified the BME awarding gap and the experience of BME students in higher education; the lack of BME academics, particularly BME professors in higher education. […]

Featured news
21 May 2021
First-of-its-kind flower smells like dead insects to imprison ‘coffin flies’
The first known case of a flower mimicking dead arthropods to attract pollinators: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Featured news
20 May 2021
How dancing honey bees could help us save pollinators
By Suzanna Burgelman/Dr Margaret Couvillon, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Dr Margaret Couvillon. Image: Margaret Couvillon Pollinators are under threat worldwide. Researchers such as Dr Margaret Couvillon study bees to find solutions that will benefit the survival of pollinators. Specifically, Couvillon studies the honey bee waggle dance, to discover where and how bees find food. Her research can help design bee conservation and management strategies. Bees, insects, birds, butterflies, bats. These species have one crucial thing in common: they are pollinators, and our survival depends on them. Around the world, they contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, and importantly, to food security. World Bee Day raises awareness about pollinators and the many threats they face. As an open access publisher, Frontiers has several research topics focused on pollinator research. Check out this post on our news site for a curated list. The theme for World Bee Day 2021 is ‘Bee engaged’ – build back better for bees. Today (20 May) is all about highlighting the need for worldwide cooperation to restore and support pollinators and the crucial role they play in biodiversity conservation. Dr Margaret Couvillon, assistant professor of pollinator biology and ecology at Virginia Tech, specializes in honey […]

Featured news
20 May 2021
‘Data is life!’: Meet a researcher shining a spotlight on racial inequality in academia
Image: Hyejin Kang/Shutterstock.com To mark the launch of the new research topic entitled Dismantling racial inequalities in higher education, Prof Marcia Wilson of The Open University discusses how she fell in love with data and its ability to show racial injustice in higher education. Recent research has shown that, despite claims to the contrary, academia is not a meritocracy for black and minority ethnic (BME) students. Despite various efforts to tackle racial inequality in higher education across the globe, academics have shone a bright spotlight on the obvious disparity between grades received by people of color and white students. Now, in an effort to catalogue this inequality, Frontiers has launched a new Research Topic called ‘Dismantling racial inequalities in higher education’ led by topic editors Prof Marcia Wilson and Dr Jenny Douglas of The Open University in the UK. It is based on a series of group seminars held by the university for black and minority ethnic (BME) researchers at the university over the course of May. In relation to racial inequalities in higher education, a plethora of reports have identified the BME awarding gap and the experience of BME students in higher education; the lack of BME academics, particularly […]

Featured news
14 May 2021
No one knew if lymph vessel cells bear cilia. Turns out, they’re indispensable for health
Lymphatic primary cilia involved in growth of lymph vessels and inflammation, suggesting possible medical applications: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Featured news
13 May 2021
Stimulating environments boost the brain – Now scientists have identified many of the genes responsible
Growing up in stimulating environments causes epigenetic changes to genomic regions important for cognitive mental health: Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

Climate action
11 May 2021
Coral reef restorations can be optimized to reduce flood risk
New practices for reef restoration can protect coasts floods: Frontiers in Marine Science

Featured news
10 May 2021
80% of all SARS-CoV-2 proteins can now be produced in the lab
Most SARS-CoV-2 proteins can now be produced in the lab with these open science protocols: Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

Featured news
07 May 2021
Head to toe: Study reveals brain activity behind missed penalty kicks
What’s the neuroscience behind missing a penalty kick due to overthinking? Frontiers in Computer Science

Featured news
05 May 2021
An animal able to regenerate all of its organs even when it is dissected into three parts
By Tel Aviv University photography & media unit Polycarpa mytiligera. Credit: Tel Aviv University An extraordinary discovery in the Gulf of Eilat: Researchers from Tel Aviv University have discovered a species of ascidian, a marine animal commonly found in the Gulf of Eilat, capable of regenerating all of its organs—even if it is dissected into three fragments. The study was led by Prof Noa Shenkar, Prof Dorothee Huchon-Pupko, and Tal Gordon of Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. The findings of this surprising discovery were published in the leading journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. “It is an astounding discovery, as this is an animal that belongs to the phylum Chordata—animals with a dorsal cord—which also includes us humans,” explains Prof Noa Shenkar. “The ability to regenerate organs is common in the animal kingdom, and even among chordates you can find animals that regenerate organs, like the gecko who is able to grow a new tail. But not entire body systems. Here we found a chordate that can regenerate all of its organs even if it is separated into three pieces, with each […]

Climate action
05 May 2021
Majority of bird species in Americas could survive climate change, shows study
By Robert Hanley / Durham University communications team The Arenal Volcano seen from the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Monteverde-Arenal is one of 21 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) in Costa Rica. Credit: Sorin Vacaru Photography / Shutterstock.com Researchers show that the current network of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) across the Americas should remain able to house the majority of bird species of conservation concern even after climate change. While individual bird species may shift their distribution range, 73% of species of conservation concern are likely to persist in at least half of the IBAs in which they occur, and 90% of species in at least a quarter of their current IBAs. This implies that future conservation efforts in the Caribbean and Central and South America can focus on expanding the current IBA network. A new study, led by Durham University and published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, investigates the impacts of potential climate change scenarios on the network of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) across the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The research was carried out in collaboration with Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, BirdLife International and the National Audubon Society. IBAs are […]

Featured news
04 May 2021
Agricultural pesticides cause widespread harm to soil health and threaten biodiversity
Comprehensive review shows that pesticides cause damage soil health and biodiversity: Frontiers in Environmental Science

Featured news
04 May 2021
The secret life of bee signals can communicate colony health
Recording the electrostatic energy of honeybee hives: Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience

Featured news
03 May 2021
Oceans’ microscopic plants capture carbon via biophysical pathways
Diatoms capture carbon dioxide from sea water through biophysical means: Frontiers in Plant Science

Neuroscience
29 Apr 2021
No longer science fiction: Mind reading through EEG could soon become reality
Electroencephalograms could soon be used to read minds: Frontiers in Neuroscience