DNA barcoding identifies the plants a person has eaten

What people say they've eaten and what they've actually eaten are often two very different lists of foods. But a new technique using DNA barcoding to identify the plant matter in human feces may get at the truth, improving ...

How studying poop may help boost white rhino populations

Researchers at North Carolina State University have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not ...

Early toilets reveal dysentery in Old Testament Jerusalem

A new analysis of ancient feces taken from two Jerusalem latrines dating back to the biblical Kingdom of Judah has uncovered traces of a single-celled microorganism Giardia duodenalis—a common cause of debilitating diarrhea ...

Genetics as a conservation tool for endangered chimpanzees

The western chimpanzees of Guinea are threatened by mining activities. Using a novel genetic approach, UZH researchers and an international team have collected information on population size and community structure of the ...

Rewilding the guts of rescued lemurs

Modern life messes with the microbiome, the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live inside the body. Could reconnecting with nature bring this internal ecosystem back into balance?

Coyotes in New York City do not need to rely on human food

Researchers in New York City have analyzed the DNA of urban coyotes and discovered that the coyotes eat a variety of native prey species and supplement this diet with human-sourced food items. The study is published in PeerJ.

When monkeys use the forest as a pharmacy

Have you ever seen your cat or dog eating grass? They do so because it can help their digestion, and many wild species use natural substances to prevent and control diseases or to repel parasites. This is called "zoopharmacognosy" ...

page 2 from 8