Researchers will study how ocean currents and river nutrients affect deep coral ecosystems on the West Florida Shelf – one of the Gulf’s largest and least-studied habitats. Funded by the Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program, the project aims to support sustainable fisheries and conservation of these vital, little-explored habitats, which are home to economically important marine life. The research will guide science-based strategies for protecting the gulf coast’s long-term ecological and economic health.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute for Biological Research in Ness Ziona have used the platform developed for COVID-19 vaccines to create the world’s first mRNA-based vaccine against a deadly, antibiotic-resistant bacterium. In this groundbreaking study, the researchers tested the vaccine’s resistance to the virulent pathogen that causes the disease and were able to demonstrate 100% protection against infection in animal models. The researchers now hope that this technology can be used to combat other lethal bacteria as well.

An international group of researchers collected one hundred years’ worth of sounds from around the world to investigate how soundscapes differ between urban and natural environments. They also examined how these soundscapes change throughout the day and throughout the year. The research revealed that soundscape rhythms are less predictable for people living in urban areas than for animals in the wild.

New research into the anatomy of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) reveals a unique nanostructure in their skin that produces their iconic blue colouration, but intriguingly, also suggests a potential capacity for colour change.

By analyzing data on the genetics and reported traits of more than 5,000 individuals with autism, researchers at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Biology and Princeton University have identified four classes for which observable characteristics correlate with genetic variants and related biological processes. The results could have implications for understanding different types of autism and developing more personalized support, such as counseling and physical therapy.