News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 16-Jun-2025 21:09 ET (17-Jun-2025 01:09 GMT/UTC)

28-Nov-2022

Locally-grown school meals can help children, farmers and the climate

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

Researchers from the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) are showing that providing healthier, locally-grown and climate-adapted food to school meal programs can benefit children, farmers and the climate.

28-Nov-2022

New analysis finds pandemic didn’t dampen deforestation

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

Despite the massive upheavals in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, deforestation globally proceeded more or less as expected from the trends established over the last 15 years, according to a recent study from researchers at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.

Journal

Journal of Forestry Research

23-Nov-2022

Scientists discover new mechanism associated with severe COVID-19

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

The researchers detected dysregulation of the immune system mediated by ATP (adenosine triphosphate), one of the main sources of energy for cellular processes. Severe COVID-19 patients had higher levels of ATP in their blood and lower levels of adenosine, which should increase when ATP is metabolized for energy production.

Journal

Frontiers in Immunology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

22-Nov-2022

Artificial intelligence helps detect gait alterations and diagnose Parkinson’s disease

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

Researchers at São Paulo State University tested machine learning techniques to estimate parameters such as step length, width and velocity. The method makes clinical diagnosis more precise and can determine the stage reached in progression of the disease.

Journal

Gait & Posture

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

21-Nov-2022

New studies enrich knowledge of genetic factors that naturally protect people against COVID-19

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

A team at a FAPESP-supported research center investigated over-90s who were resilient to SARS-CoV-2 and identical twins who had severe COVID-19 with different outcomes, including long COVID. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of vaccines and treatments for this and other viral diseases.

Journal

Frontiers in Immunology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

18-Nov-2022

Cultural heritage may influence choice of tools by capuchin monkeys, study suggests

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

The tools are pieces of quartzite and sandstone found in places referred to as processing sites. The animals frequent these sites solely to look for these stones for use as hammers and anvils. One stone is used to pound a nut or seed resting on another stone used as an anvil.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

17-Nov-2022

Climate crisis and anthropic pressure are destabilizing the Pantanal

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

Brazilian researchers investigated the complexity of the world’s largest wetland biome, predicting heavier rainfall and longer dry periods, and proposing six guidelines for sustainable governance of the region.

Journal

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

16-Nov-2022

Review of more than 1,000 articles seeks to understand how nanomaterials affect plants

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

The analysis reviewed 1,154 original scientific articles published between 2009 and 2022 on the effects of nanomaterials in 1,374 plants belonging to 253 species.

Journal

Environmental Science Nano

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

10-Nov-2022

Planting and management of improved grass in tropical savannas can increase soil carbon by 15 percent, new paper finds

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

Scientists in Colombia show that well managed pasture can store more soil carbon while reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions to offset the climate impact of livestock.

Journal

Frontiers in Climate

9-Nov-2022

SARS-CoV-2 alters RNA in infected cells, study reveals

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

An article by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo describes how the functioning of RNA changes in cells infected by the COVID-19 virus. The findings provide clues as to how different variants can escape the immune system, and serve as a basis for the development of novel treatments.

Journal

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo