News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2025 17:10 ET (22-Jun-2025 21:10 GMT/UTC)

30-Nov-2020

Scientists uncover the mysterious origin of canal grass in Panama

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How did canal grass arrive in Panama? STRI staff scientist Kristin Saltonstall compared the DNA of sugar cane relatives from around the world to find out.

Journal

Biological Invasions

24-Nov-2020

Young Brazilians are increasingly keen on conservation- and biodiversity-related topics

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

An article in Science Advances shows high school students are steadily becoming more sensitive to environmental and scientific ideas. However, interest is uneven in regional terms. It is most intense in the North, less so in the Southeast

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

23-Nov-2020

In the Cerrado, topography explains the genetic diversity of amphibians more than land cover

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

Study shows that a tree frog endemic to a mountainous region of the Brazilian savanna is unable to disperse and find genetically closer mates when the terrain is rugged, potentially endangering survival of the species

Journal

Diversity and Distributions

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

20-Nov-2020

Adipose tissue may be the source of inflammatory factors that aggravate COVID-19

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

Preliminary results of patient tissue analysis show that the virus infects adipocytes and alters the quantity of signaling molecules released by these cells into the bloodstream.

Journal

Advances in Nutrition

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

19-Nov-2020

Plastic film used to protect foods and surfaces inactivates novel coronavirus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Business Announcement

In laboratory tests, the material eliminated 79.9% of SARS-CoV-2 particles in three minutes and 99.99% in up to 15 minutes (photo: Alpes).

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

18-Nov-2020

Study confirms contribution of bioenergy to climate change mitigation

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

Across-border team of researchers refute arguments that carbon debt, opportunity cost and indirect land-use change prevent greenhouse gas mitigation by biofuels.

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

17-Nov-2020

Non-hereditary mutation acts as natural gene therapy in patient with rare disease

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

Scientists at a research center supported by FAPESP identified a non-inherited mutation in blood cells from a patient with GATA2 deficiency that may have prevented bone marrow failure and other clinical manifestations.

Journal

Blood

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

16-Nov-2020

Better than money? In-kind payments incentivize farmers to conserve agrobiodiversity

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

An innovative payment scheme for ecosystem services successfully encouraged farmers to cultivate and conserve agrobiodiversity, according to a new study of eight years of implementation in Latin America

Journal

Land Use Policy

16-Nov-2020

Discovery of protein's 'Achilles heel' paves way for novel class of anti-HIV drugs

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

it is increasingly clear how Nef manages to subvert human cells' defense mechanisms, enabling HIV to replicate and bringing the symptoms of AIDS closer.

Journal

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

13-Nov-2020

Two anti-inflammatory compounds shown to be capable of accelerating recovery from COVID-19

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

Monoclonal antibody tested by researchers at University of São Paulo and experimental drug given to patients in Italy by University of Pennsylvania research group promoted rapid improvement of respiratory function in patients hospitalized in severe condition.

Journal

Clinical Immunology

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab