New research findings from the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen bring us one step closer to understanding why defects in certain genes can cause kidney disease, obesity and diabetes.

A new lizard species, Diploderma bifluviale, has been discovered in the upper Dadu River Valley in Sichuan Province, China. Found at the confluence of two rivers, it inhabits semi-arid shrublands between 2,100 and 2,500 m. At 6–7 cm long with a wheat-colored tongue and distinct markings, it's the 47th Diploderma species recorded in China. The discovery highlights the region’s underexplored biodiversity. The study was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

A new study has revealed the 3D structure of a barley root protein that protects plants from toxic aluminum in acidic soils. Unlike most transporters, this protein exports citrate—an anion that binds to harmful aluminum ions—thereby shielding the roots. The findings offer fresh insights into how plants adapt to hostile soils and could help guide the breeding of crop varieties capable of thriving on acidic farmland worldwide.

Horses play a key role in forest management and in reducing the risk of wildfires in Mediterranean forests, thanks to the adaptability of their eating habits. This is the conclusion reached by an interdisciplinary study led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Lleida (UdL), recently published in the journal Agroforestry Systems.

A survey study of families with puppies in the U.K. has identified multiple mental health challenges alongside benefits of ownership for adults and kids alike, suggesting that a mental health boost should not be the main motivator behind getting a puppy. Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on September 17, 2025.

1 in 8 Italian cetacean strandings show evidence of fishery interactions, with bottlenose and striped dolphins most commonly affected, according to analysis across four decades of data and more than 5,000 strandings