Datacentres – why are they so thirsty? Let’s ask a shark!

Do we even want or need all these datacentres? That is apparently none of your business

Anti‑Diuretic Hormone (ADH / Vasopressin): Function, Mechanism & Clinical Role

Explore the role of Anti‑Diuretic Hormone (ADH, also called vasopressin) in regulating water reabsorption, blood pressure, and osmoregulation. Learn how it’s produced, what stimulates its release, and how it interacts with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Salmon Osmoregulation

Potential gene targets for managing cassava whitefly, a viral diseases vector threatening food security

Whiteflies, particularly the African cassava whitefly (Bemisia tabaci, SSA1-SG1), pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa by transmitting viruses that cause cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic virus disease. In a new study published in PeerJ, Dr. Tadeo Kaweesi and his team at the National Agricultural Research Organization identify potential gene targets that could revolutionize the management of this devastating pest and prove vital for food security in the region.

Molecular pump study explores how brine shrimp thrive in high salinity

Brine shrimp of the genus Artemia are small crustaceans that can thrive in environments where sodium concentrations are as high as 25% (more than eight times typical ocean sea water). Also known by the household pet trademark "sea monkeys," these animals are abundant in inland salt lakes where brine-fly larvae are the only other animals known to exist.

Consistent metabolism may prove costly for insects in saltier water

Increased salinity usually spells trouble for freshwater insects like mayflies. A new study from North Carolina State University finds that the lack of metabolic responses to salinity may explain why some freshwater insects often struggle in higher salinity, while other freshwater invertebrates (like mollusks and crustaceans) thrive. Salinity in this case refers to the concentrations of all the salts in an aquatic environment, not just sodium.

Study provides genomic resources to help boost climate resilience of fisheries

Candidate genes that could help fish to tolerate warmer and saltier water have been identified in new research from the Earlham Institute, potentially providing a vital resource to guide breeding programs in freshwater aquaculture.

Brine flies are crucial to salt lake ecosystems

Salt lake ecosystems need the right amounts of water and salinity to support brine flies, which shorebirds need to survive.

Researchers get to the 'bottom' of how beetles use their butts to stay hydrated

Beetles are champions at surviving in extremely dry environments. In part, this property is due to their ability to suck water from the air with their rear ends. A new collaborative study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Edinburgh explains just how. Beyond helping to explain how beetles thrive in environments where few other animals can survive, the knowledge could eventually be used for more targeted and delicate control of global pests such as the grain weevil and red flour beetle.