News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-Oct-2026 00:16 ET (30-Oct-2026 04:16 GMT/UTC)

12-Oct-2020

 

Sea star's ability to clone itself may empower this mystery globetrotter

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The identity of wild cloning sea star larvae has been a mystery since they were first documented in the Caribbean. The most commonly collected cloning species was thought to belong to the Oreasteridae, on the basis of similarity with sequences from Oreaster reticulatus and Oreaster clavatus.

Journal

Biological Bulletin

Funder

an anonymous private donor, Paul Peck, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Sloan Foundation, Smithsonian

9-Oct-2020

Latin America leads global agricultural innovation at CGIAR's Americas-based centers

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Meeting Announcement

At this year's 2020 World Food Prize event, which opens Oct. 12, four CGIAR centers are hosting an important conversation on their work in Latin America, highlighting innovations that will have implications for agriculture and agro-biodiversity everywhere. The CGIAR Latin America centers roundtable will be held on Oct. 14

Meeting

2020 World Food Prize Event

8-Oct-2020

 

Study describes COVID-19 transmission pattern

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

Model developed by Brazilian researchers predicts spatial and temporal evolution of epidemic diseases and can help plan more effective social isolation programs with less socio-economic impact.

Funder

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

6-Oct-2020

 

Community health workers could play a key part in combating COVID-19 in Brazil, study says

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

An article in The Lancet stresses the vulnerability of these health workers, whose readiness to counter fake news with trustworthy information, and to monitor COVID-19 patients in home isolation, has been neglected.

Journal

The Lancet

Funder

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

5-Oct-2020

 

Disproportionate extinction of South American mammals when Americas collided evident today

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

North American mammals were the winners when the North and South American continents collided millions of years ago. New research shows that South American mammals went extinct at a disproportionately high rate once the Panama Isthmus connected the continents, allowing migration in either direction.

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Funder

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, iDiv via the German Research Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, Royal Botanical Gardens, Swedish Research Council, Kew, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation

1-Oct-2020

 

Conservation planning in Amazon should prioritize aquatic biodiversity, study concludes

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

Simulations using field data suggest focusing on the protection of species that live in rivers and lakes can be more efficient than the approach most used now, which focuses on terrestrial biodiversity.

Journal

Science

Funder

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

1-Oct-2020

 

Venom glands similar to those of snakes are found for first time in amphibians

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

Brazilian researchers discover that caecilians, limbless amphibians resembling worms or snakes that emerged some 150 million years before the latter, can probably inject venom into their prey while biting.

Journal

iScience

Funder

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

28-Sep-2020

Anti-convulsant drug can modify DNA conformation and interact with chromosome proteins

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

Brazilian research group shows that valproic acid (VPA), used to treat epilepsy since the 1960s, modulates gene expression in tumor gene models and acts on DNA conformation and the histones in chromatin.

Journal

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Funder

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

28-Sep-2020

 

Microbiome-based technologies drive multibillion-dollar market

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

New research field promises to transform food production and treatment of diseases. A global panel of experts unified concepts to define research priorities and offer basis for legislation.

Journal

Microbiome

Funder

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

24-Sep-2020

 

A study could provide guideline for exercise training aimed at high blood pressure patient

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

Brazilian researchers' finding that exercising in the evening reduces blood pressure more than in the morning can help health professionals choose the time of day for aerobic training depending on the type of anti-hypertensive drug they take.

Journal

Clinical and Experimental Hypertension

Funder

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