News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-Oct-2026 18:16 ET (19-Oct-2026 22:16 GMT/UTC)

31-Jul-2026

 

Study detects, for the first time in Brazil, bacteria that cause a serious disease in farmed fish

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

Columnaris disease pathogens, which were previously only found in Asia and the United States, were identified in samples from São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Paraná. This finding underscores the need for epidemiological surveillance and new vaccines.

Journal

Microbial Pathogenesis

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

30-Jul-2026

 

Isotopic analysis may help police combat Amazon illegal timber trade

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

University of São Paulo researchers are mapping the distribution of different isotopes of oxygen, carbon and other elements in the composition of Amazon trees that can be used to track the origin of seized material.

Journal

Molecules

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

30-Jul-2026

 

Study shows that social inequality exacerbates barriers to physical activity

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

Black, mixed-race, Asian, and Indigenous women with lower levels of education face greater difficulties. The study followed the same group for a decade.

Journal

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

29-Jul-2026

 

New natural emulsion manages to stop fungus that threatens up to 80% of cocoa production

Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral

An innovative formulation based on natural compounds could become a sustainable alternative for controlling moniliasis, one of the most devastating diseases affecting cocoa in Latin America. A new study shows that emulsions combining fengycin—a lipopeptide produced by bacteria of the genus Bacillus—with essential oils can significantly inhibit the growth of the fungus Moniliophthora roreri, responsible for losses that can exceed 70–80% of the harvest.

Journal

Frontiers in Plant Science

29-Jul-2026

Study identifies measures that aid in the recovery of patients with fractures near the shoulder

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

The analysis identified the line between normal care regarding movement for those who have suffered an injury and excessive fear, which ultimately hinders rehabilitation.

Journal

Disability and Rehabilitation

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

28-Jul-2026

The consumption of ultra-processed foods by fathers may influence their babies’ birth weight and body measurements

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

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo reinforces the importance of including fathers in health and family planning guidance.

Journal

Nutrition Research

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

27-Jul-2026

Researchers detect a potentially harmful substance in solid waste

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

Chlorinated organophosphorus esters, used as flame retardants, can cause toxic effects on the endocrine and reproductive systems and possibly lead to cancer.The study found the compound in low concentrations in 95% of the 207 samples collected from various sources, ranging from vehicle dismantling centers to upholstery manufacturing companies, including construction waste landfills; in 13 samples, the concentration exceeded the level of greatest concern.

Journal

Environmental Pollution

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

27-Jul-2026

 

Winner of Albert Einstein World Award of Science

Consejo Cultural Mundial
Grant and Award Announcement

World Cultural Council announces its 2026 Science laureate as it prepares to hold its November Award Ceremony at the Universidad de Córdoba, Argentina

23-Jul-2026

 

Caterpillar that attacks soybeans and cotton harbors fungi that can degrade polystyrene

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

A study by the Federal shows that Helicoverpa armigera has the potential to serve as a reservoir for microorganisms that degrade polystyrene.

Journal

BMC Microbiology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

23-Jul-2026

 

Trust among farmers is key to scaling climate-smart innovations

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

The study analyzed data from 514 smallholder farmers involved in Climate-Smart Villages in Guatemala and Honduras. 

The findings show that trust among farmers is a key factor in increasing the likelihood of knowledge sharing about climate-smart agricultural practices. 

The research found that mutual support is particularly important in communities with low levels of trust, helping to sustain the flow of knowledge among farmers. 

Journal

Agricultural Systems