News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 29-Oct-2025 17:11 ET (29-Oct-2025 21:11 GMT/UTC)

29-Oct-2025

Plant biomass substance helps combat weeds

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Often treated as waste from the pulp and paper industry, lignin, a polymer responsible for the rigidity of plant cell walls, has increased the stability and effectiveness of herbicide nanoparticles.

Journal

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

29-Oct-2025

Biosensor identifies protein linked to depression and schizophrenia in saliva

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Low-cost device quickly detects BDNF concentrations. Scientist at the University of São Paulo says the next step is to obtain a patent.

Journal

ACS Polymers Au

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

24-Oct-2025

Malaria risk in the Amazon is higher in regions with intermediate forest degradation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research shows that areas with 50% deforestation near residential areas or fragmented vegetation allow greater contact between mosquitoes and humans. Amid the discussions for COP30, the study helps us understand the link between forest destruction and the spread of the disease.

Journal

Acta Tropica

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

23-Oct-2025

Technique allows estimation of the force acting on each grain of sand in a dune

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Possible applications of a study conducted at the State University of Campinas range from controlling river silting and beach erosion to studying the evolution of the surface of Mars.

Journal

Geophysical Research Letters

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

23-Oct-2025

South American long-necked dinosaur could easily stand on two legs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using computational engineering techniques to simulate weight and gravitational stress on sauropod femurs, researchers  have demonstrated that these giant quadrupeds could generally remain standing for feeding, mating, and defense.

Journal

Palaeontology

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

22-Oct-2025

Device assesses skin tone to create personalized facial foundations

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Spin-off of startup supported by FAPESP develops technology based on artificial intelligence to create individualized beauty products.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

22-Oct-2025

Underwater thermal vents may have given rise to the first molecular precursors of life

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

To test the hypothesis, researchers from Brazil, the United States, and Japan built bench-scale reactors that simulate the interaction between hydrothermal fluids and primitive ocean water.

Journal

Journal of the American Chemical Society

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

22-Oct-2025

Study paves the way for new therapeutic strategies against obesity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research conducted by Redoxoma, a FAPESP Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center, found that mitochondrial potassium channels regulate heat production in brown adipose tissue.

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

17-Oct-2025

Device can detect banned additive in wine, orange juice and mineral water

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos used pieces of cork and lasers to create a mechanism that detects the presence of the substance, which has potential carcinogenic effects, in mineral water, orange juice, and wine.

Journal

Microchimica Acta

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

16-Oct-2025

Research reveals possibility of new drug therapy for hereditary diseases

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study published in Science and involving a Brazilian researcher unveils a cellular mechanism involved in transmitting mutations in mitochondrial DNA. These mutations can cause serious, incurable diseases.

Journal

Science

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo