A recent study from the USC Stem Cell lab has uncovered the surprising evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear, linking it to the gills of ancient fish and marine invertebrates. Led by Gage Crump, the research reveals that both structures are composed of elastic cartilage and shares gene control elements that hint at their connection. This finding sheds new light on the evolution of the mammalian ear, highlighting how structures can transform over time to serve new functions.

On the Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, ETH Zurich researchers have analysed particulate matter, clouds and rainwater for traces of arsenic. Using newly developed measurement methods, they have elucidated the transport pathways of the environmental toxin in the atmosphere.

New research by the University of Plymouth has found more than 200 measures to protect sharks and rays across the 22 coastal states of the Mediterranean region. However, while elasmobranchs have made it onto many policy agendas, the study found considerable differences in how effectively any legislation was being monitored with no single source for tracking progress in the conservation and management of sharks at national levels.

By performing single-cell transcriptome sequencing of the zebrafish olfactory epithelium, we revealed the heterogeneity of zebrafish olfactory epithelial cell types and the molecular organization of key components in signal transduction of different olfactory sensory neuron subtypes, and characterized the cell population changes and transcriptional changes associated with exposure to alarm substances.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have uncovered a daily mating capacity for medaka, providing important insights into the relationship between the cost of gamete production and sexual selection.

There is a new mouth to feed in the coastal waters of the Northwest where juvenile salmon first enter the ocean, and it’s a hungry one. Over the last two decades large numbers of juvenile sablefish have spread into coastal waters from central Oregon north to northern Washington. New research published in the journal Marine and Coastal Fisheries shows the new competition follows the warming of ocean temperatures off the West Coast. It matches reports of fishing boats catching more small sablefish closer to shore.

The tiny particles that shed from clothing, packaging and other plastic products are winding up in the fish that people eat, according to a new study from Portland State researchers, highlighting a need for technologies and strategies to reduce microfiber pollution entering the environment.