Chinese researchers led by Prof. WANG Wenda and Prof. TIAN Lijin from the Institute of Botany have revealed a breakthrough in understanding the light-harvesting efficiency of coccolithophores.

Seeds in Madagascar’s forests are getting smaller, and new research published in Ecology Letters suggests that human activities are playing a role in this shift. Researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and Leipzig University combined data from more than 2,800 plant species, 48 living and 15 extinct fruit-eating animals (frugivores) – including birds and lemurs. The results show that both past human-driven frugivore extinctions and current human pressures are shaping seed size across the island.

Cell migration is important for growth and immune protection in the human body. While the interaction between cells and their environment generates the force necessary for cell movement, the underlying molecular machinery remains unclear. Now, researchers from Japan have identified molecular interactions that exert weak forces needed for cell migration. Their study revealed that the abnormal activity of shootin1b protein promotes cell migration in brain cancer cells, offering hope as a novel therapeutic target.

Scientists from Auburn University and Colorado State University have shown how artificial intelligence can reveal the hidden rules of one of biology’s strangest phenomena: catch-bonds – molecular interactions that get stronger when pulled. Their findings shed light on how bacteria cling to surfaces, how tissues resist tearing, and how new biomaterials might be designed to harness force instead of breaking under it.

From pollinating flowers to enabling decomposition and supporting nutrient cycles, insects’ abundance and biodiversity are critical for maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, recent studies showing population declines have raised alarm about how insects are coping with the modern world. Understanding whether recent observations are part of longer timescale trends can help inform global conservation efforts, and identify the reasons behind the so-called “Insect Apocalypse”. 

Published in Science, researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) used a community genomics approach to explore ant populations in the Fijian archipelago as a model system to understand insect biodiversity trends. By studying the genomics of museum collections, they were able to trace the ants’ evolutionary relationships to explore their arrival to the islands and reconstruct the population history of the species.