News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 8-Jun-2025 12:09 ET (8-Jun-2025 16:09 GMT/UTC)

10-May-2024

Wildfires in old-growth Amazon forest areas rose 152% in 2023, study shows

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

The increase was confirmed by an analysis of satellite images, contrasting with a drop in deforestation and the total number of fires detected in the Amazon. The Brazilian government’s center for forest fire prevention says it is partnering with other institutions to combat wildfires in the region.

Journal

Global Change Biology

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

9-May-2024

Laser printing on fallen tree leaves produces sensors for medical and laboratory use

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

Leaf cellulose is converted by pyrolysis to graphite, which is printed in the right shape for the surface to function as a sensor. Tests to determine concentrations of dopamine and paracetamol confirmed that the sensor performed successfully.

Journal

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

8-May-2024

Almost 30% of children and adolescents experience pain in muscles, bones or ligaments, study shows

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

A survey conducted in Brazil provides an overview of musculoskeletal pain in the very young. Back pain and leg pain were the most frequent complaints among 2,688 volunteers aged 12 on average.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

6-May-2024

Loss of large herbivores affects interactions between plants and their natural enemies, study shows

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

Researchers in Brazil compared leaf damage caused by insects and pathogens in areas with and without the presence of mammals such as tapirs, deer and peccaries. Absence of the animals led to loss of microorganisms that cause leaf disease, potentially affecting long-term eco-evolutionary processes and reducing biodiversity in tropical forests.

Journal

Journal of Ecology

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

6-May-2024

In Brazil, 76% of deforestation in three Amazonian states occurred in a planned agricultural development zone

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

The researchers showed that pressure has intensified since the 2018 announcement of a plan to create a development zone where the states of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia meet.

Journal

Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

2-May-2024

Study helps understand how energy metabolism is regulated at cellular level

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

An article published by a FAPESP-supported research center highlights the link between mitochondrial calcium transport and autophagy, the process whereby cells break down and reuse some of their own components.

Journal

The FASEB Journal

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

2-May-2024

Analysis of flour and rice shows high levels of harmful fungal toxins

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

The foods, found in the homes of Brazilian families participating in the research, were stored for future consumption. The study is the first in Brazil to use biomarkers to characterize the risk associated with mycotoxins in the diet.

Journal

Food Research International

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

29-Apr-2024

Research shows link between pollution and heart risks in residents of the city of São Paulo, Brazil

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

A study by the University of São Paulo, published in the journal Environmental Research, analyzed the results of the autopsies of 238 people and epidemiological data; the risk is greater for hypertensive patients.

Journal

Environmental Research

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

29-Apr-2024

Maps developed with artificial intelligence confirm low levels of phosphorus in Amazonian soil

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

Research introduces new methodology to describe the amount of the mineral, which is important in the growth cycle of vegetation and can affect the forest’s response to climate change.

Journal

Earth System Science Data

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

26-Apr-2024

Food insecurity is significant among inhabitants of the region affected by the Belo Monte dam in Brazil

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

A study of 500 households in Altamira, a city near the dam in Pará state, showed that 61% experienced food insecurity.

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo