News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-May-2025 11:08 ET (1-May-2025 15:08 GMT/UTC)

21-Sep-2023

Climate change may affect 40% of biodiversity in semi-arid portion of Brazil’s Northeast by 2060

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

The main impacts for the Caatinga, as the semi-arid biome is known, will be replacement of trees by shrubs and grasses, and a decrease in the overall number of species. The projections are based on the IPCC’s latest report and a database created by Brazilian researchers.

Journal

Journal of Ecology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

20-Sep-2023

Researchers develop biodegradable optical fiber to measure or modulate electrical current in the body

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

Made from agar, a substance extracted from red algae, the optical fiber can be used to monitor stimuli produced in the brain or muscles, or as an ancillary interface in human-computer connections for assistive or rehabilitation technologies.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

18-Sep-2023

Cell therapy can reduce risk of death from COVID-19 by 60%, study shows

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

Brazilian researchers and collaborators in Germany and the US compiled data from 195 clinical trials conducted in 30 countries between January 2020 and December 2021. The findings are promising, although the authors stress the need for enhanced controls in the making of the products used in cell therapy.

Journal

Frontiers in Immunology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

15-Sep-2023

Hydroelectric power plants in Brazil threaten turtles that depend on rapids, study warns

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

The researchers correlated data on the animal’s ecological niche and connectivity among populations with existing and planned hydropower development sites in Brazil’s South region. They estimated that 30% of its habitat could be lost, heightening the risk of extinction.

Journal

Journal of Applied Ecology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

15-Sep-2023

Legal mining sites in Brazil store 2.55 gigatonnes of CO2 in vegetation and soil, study estimates

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

Researchers at the University of São Paulo highlight the importance of monitoring these areas and advocate the use of technosols based on tailings and other waste to offset part of their emissions.

Journal

Communications Earth & Environment

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

14-Sep-2023

New ‘encyclopedia’ of sedentary behavior emphasizes importance of movement to health

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

A comprehensive review by researchers in Brazil and elsewhere provides a wealth of information about the effects on the organism of remaining seated for much of the day, and calls for more research to analyze the effectiveness of interventions to reduce or interrupt sedentary behavior.

Journal

Physiological Reviews

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

13-Sep-2023

Africa Climate Week advanced tree restoration pledges but a big seed shortage remains

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Seed systems in Africa for reforestation with native tree species need strengthening to help countries reach restoration targets. Increased involvement of community custodians will be key to improving seed systems.

Journal

Diversity

13-Sep-2023

A novel method to obtain acetone more simply, safely and cheaply

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

Acetone, a key input for the chemical industry, is usually produced by an elaborate and hazardous process. A more sustainable strategy has been developed by a scientific collaboration between researchers in Brazil and Germany.

Journal

ACS Catalysis

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

12-Sep-2023

COVID-19 can trigger auto-immune disorders-related antibodies, causing thrombosis and other complications

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

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo helps explain why older people are more susceptible to the severe form of the disease and why it involves blood clotting disorders.

Journal

npj Aging

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

6-Sep-2023

Study explains role of certain types of oxide in structure and development of specialty glass

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

Applications of specialty glass range from astronomy to medicine, as well as data and power transmission. The study combined spectroscopy and computational modeling to show how the structure of the material is affected by addition of niobium oxide.

Journal

Acta Materialia

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo