News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 18-Jun-2025 07:10 ET (18-Jun-2025 11:10 GMT/UTC)

19-May-2022

Fungus induces abnormal growth of cocoa trees and then feeds on dead tissue

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

Researchers have discovered that infection occurs in two stages. The fungus first releases cytokinin and makes the tree produce lignin, its favorite food. In the second, the fungus consumes the lignin.

Journal

Journal of Experimental Botany

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

18-May-2022

Antioxidant derived from unripe acerola can replace synthetic additive banned in several countries

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

In tests conducted at the University of São Paulo, microparticles produced from the unripe fruit performed similarly to TBHQ, a synthetic compound present in processed foods and in cosmetics.

Journal

Future Foods

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

18-May-2022

Measuring diversity from farm to fork: A new report evaluates 10 Mediterranean countries

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Reports and Proceedings

The renowned Mediterranean diet is underpinned by diverse foods. However, after assessing agrobiodiversity consumption, production and conservation in the region, researchers say that further actions are needed - particularly on farms - to ensure food system resilience.

17-May-2022

Dwarf planet Ceres was formed in coldest zone of Solar System and thrust into Asteroid Belt

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

The presence of ammonia ice is strong observational evidence that Ceres may have been formed in the coldest region of the Solar System beyond the Frost Line.

Journal

Icarus

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

13-May-2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease causes premature aging of the immune system, study suggests

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

Researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Medical School compared immune cells from COPD patients, healthy young and old adults, and smokers. The finding helps explain why these patients respond poorly to vaccines and are more susceptible to infections.

Journal

Immunity

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

12-May-2022

Revealed mechanism underlying progression to severe COVID-19 in lungs; possible novel therapeutic targets

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

Scientists at a consortium of Brazilian universities show how the enzyme storm triggered by SARS-CoV-2 damages the lungs and may cause lasting complications.

Journal

Biomolecules

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

10-May-2022

Study points to ways of involving visually impaired people in environmental disaster prevention

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

Brazilian researchers show that inclusion is necessary if disaster prevention policy is to avoid the “invisibility” of these people and reduce the barriers that intensify vulnerability.

Journal

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

9-May-2022

50 years of traditional crop conservation a success but some crops still lack protection

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

A new study shows that a half-century of crop plant conservation in genebanks has been a major success for many crops. However, important crops are not protected as climate change, loss of traditional knowledge and urbanization threaten what remains

Journal

Nature Plants

3-May-2022

Brazil’s Northeast region probably dried up during Earth’s last minimum axial tilt thousands of years ago

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

An increase in the length of the dry season led to a reduction in tree cover and expansion of savanna and grassland in the Cerrado. The ongoing climate changes may produce a similar trend in the last part of the twenty-first century.

Journal

Quaternary Science Reviews

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

2-May-2022

Highly valuable Asian rosewood trees face a host of threats to survival

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

Endangered rosewood species native to Southeast Asia face significant threats from logging, fire, trafficking and climate change. A new study maps the extent of the threats in the six-country Greater Mekong Subregion and proposes conservation actions

Journal

Biological Conservation