Dried fish – the hidden superfood vital for millions of women and children in Africa
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-Nov-2025 21:11 ET (2-Nov-2025 01:11 GMT/UTC)
Dried fish are an affordable and readily available food across the tropics. Yet despite this prevalence, because they are often produced by small-scale fisheries, and are usually traded informally, little was known about how widespread this food is produced, consumed or even how nutritious it is. Until now.
In the first large-scale investigation of dried fish consumption, an international team of researchers led by academics at Lancaster University, provides evidence that dried fish contributes significantly to the recommended nutrient intakes for young children and women - underlining their importance for global food security and nutrition.
New research reveals “unprecedented” conservation results of community-based management of protected areas in the Amazon - as many face a future in which they may become increasingly degraded due to low enforcement of regulations, growing external encroachment and competition for resources.
Posidonia seagrass meadows, veritable underwater forests, play a major ecological role. Under constant pressure from human activity, scientists are looking for ways to ensure their survival, in particular by carrying out restoration campaigns. A study conducted by the University of Liège at the STARESO research sation located in Calvi (Corsica) reveals that the transplantation method directly influences the root microbiome, which is essential for the survival of the plants. These results pave the way for more effective and sustainable restoration techniques.
A new study led by Boston University marine biologists reveals that heat waves are threatening the future of the fish made famous by Finding Nemo
Researchers at the ESRF - the European Synchrotron-, together with CNRS, ENS Lyon and the Institute of Marine Research in Norway, have unveiled how Atlantic Bluefin tuna transforms the toxic form of mercury into less harmful forms. Their study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, shows that the tuna’s edible muscle contains not only toxic methylmercury, but also mercury bound in stable, non-toxic compounds.
Each winter, red hind groupers gather under the full moon, grunting low-frequency calls to attract mates and defend territory. But a 12-year underwater audio archive – one of the most extensive ever for a reef fish – reveals those calls are changing. Courtship sounds are fading, aggressive grunts are surging, and spawning patterns are shifting – potential signs of deeper population changes. These underwater signals aren’t just fish talk – they’re vital clues, helping scientists track change simply by listening.
Chitons are marine mollusks that can scrape off and feed on algae from rocky surfaces using their ultrahard magnetic teeth. Mechanisms that drive iron deposition in chiton teeth remain elusive. Now, researchers from Okayama University, Japan, have identified a novel protein, radular teeth matrix protein 1, that regulates the deposition of iron oxide on chiton teeth. Their findings uncover novel molecular insights in cellular iron metabolism and mineralization.