An international study led by Flinders University has found a fertile area of inspiration to explain an important step in evolution – and it’s a whole lot of poop.

The new study describes the ‘faecal revolution’ to explain a crucial turning point in animal and environmental evolution on Earth.

A resilient native seagrass could offer a new path to restoring Florida’s troubled coastal waters. Researchers found that Ruppia maritima can survive repeated flooding, poor water quality and other environmental stressors in the Indian River Lagoon, then regenerate from a persistent seed bank when conditions improve. Its successful cultivation and self-sustaining growth in a seagrass nursery suggest this hardy species could serve as a pioneer for jump-starting recovery in degraded coastal habitats.

A cat-training program for children with developmental disabilities fostered healthy child behaviors, strengthened relationships between children and their family cats and improved cats’ social behavior, a new study found.

Obesity has been linked to skeletal muscle loss and deterioration. While M2 macrophages may play a role in regulating muscle function, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Now, researchers from Japan have found that deleting the signaling protein transforming growth factor-beta 1 from a specific population of M2 macrophages protected mice from obesity-induced muscle dysfunction. This enhanced muscle regeneration and mitochondrial function, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for muscle loss associated with obesity.

A team of scientists has announced the discovery of Erhaia dijiang, a species of eyeless freshwater cavesnail. This study marks the first freshwater cavesnail ever recorded in China, and it represents the highest-altitude distribution known among cave-dwelling species in the family Erhaiidae. The snail was found hidden in a cave in the Hongta District of Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, and has been officially described in the open-access journal Subterranean Biology.