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Albeit less lethal than synthetic insecticides, this fungus-based substance is not detected by social insects and can spread spores to entire nests, threatening the survival of species that play a key role in pest control and pollination.

In an article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers at the University of São Paulo show that damage to small blood vessels in the lungs caused by SARS-CoV-2 is the main factor underlying severe COVID-19.

The goal is to produce sustainable aviation fuel from sugarcane biomass and ethanol.

A study conducted in Brazil analyzed marine sediments to investigate gas exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere in the recent past. The researchers concluded that a rise in the temperature of the South Atlantic caused a release of CO₂ trapped at the bottom of the Southern Ocean.

Technology developed by a startup supported by FAPESP has been used to improve the performance of athletes like soccer goalkeeper Ederson, who plays for Manchester City and Brazil’s national side, and to reduce the number of accidents caused by human error in the petrochemical and meatpacking industries.

Scientists at the State University of Campinas analyzed samples taken at 15 points in the basin comprising the Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiaí Rivers, and detected 45 contaminants, including compounds from agricultural, industrial and household effluents not yet regulated by Brazilian legislation.

The research focused on the damage done to DNA indirectly by oxidizing chemical species such as the hydroxyl radical.

The One Planet Polar Summit was attended by people from over 40 countries, including researchers, experts, members of business enterprises and nonprofits, and representatives of Indigenous Peoples.

Senior executives of the foundation visited leading Italian universities and scientific institutions with the aim of increasing collaboration.

The study by researchers at the University of São Paulo also shows that genetic engineering techniques need to be improved in order to increase ethanol production without expanding crop acreage, a strategy considered crucial to the effort to cope with climate change.

Called SpiNTec, the vaccine can induce a more lasting immune response and should be more effective than vaccines currently available in Brazil against variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, according to the leader of the local vaccine development project, who took part in the FAPESP 2023 School in Exact and Natural Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

On a visit to São Paulo to participate in the FAPESP 2023 Interdisciplinary School in Exact and Natural Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, astrophysicist Duília de Mello argued that science popularization can combat epistemic bubbles.

A group of organizations led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography have established an online platform to raise the visibility of the ocean and highlight its importance to climate negotiations and life on the planet.

A computational study conducted by the Center for Development of Functional Materials at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in Brazil could help extend the working lives of these batteries, which are widely used by utilities and manufacturers.

A technological solution developed by a Brazilian startup with FAPESP’s support detects microorganisms that cause disease in eucalyptus, soybeans and other agricultural plants. They can be detected in grains, leaves and the air.

The fossil assemblage was found in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, one of Brazil’s richest paleontological regions. The bones belonged to animals that lived between 247 million and 208 million years ago. It is difficult to confirm they can be considered species of dinosaur.

In vitro experiments showed cobalt-doped calcium phosphate to be capable of stimulating bone cell differentiation by mimicking a low-oxygen environment. Next steps include animal testing.

A little smaller than the Sun but ten times as hot, it will go supernova and become a neutron star with a magnetic field 100 trillion times stronger than Earth’s.

The emergence of rabies in distinct wildlife species is a potential source of human infection and poses life-threatening risks. As the researchers responsible for the discovery warn, anyone who comes into contact with these animals should alert the authorities. A 36-year-old farm worker died in May, only weeks after being bitten by a marmoset.

Written by two experts on biofuels, Luís Augusto Barbosa Cortez and Frank Rosillo-Calle, the book explores Brazil’s experience and how other countries can learn from it in the context of climate change.

Technology developed by the startup ByMyCell with the support of FAPESP helps farmers make decisions that boost yields and reduce the use of agrochemicals.

The Ninth General Assembly of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness, representing funding agencies, research institutions and government bodies from around the world, was held at FAPESP in São Paulo, Brazil, on October 24-25.

Scientists at the University of São Paulo’s Center for Research on Redox Processes in Biomedicine used a novel technique they themselves developed to identify altered molecules in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Results of trials involving animals, cell cultures and human heart tissue are reported in the European Heart Journal. The study was conducted by researchers at USP in partnership with a biopharmaceutical firm, offering hope to 2 million Brazilians who suffer from the disease.

Brazil’s North region is experiencing the worst drought of the century, with severe social and economic impacts. The problem was discussed at an event hosted by FAPESP on October 17.

FGV Analytics is a partnership involving FAPESP, Getúlio Vargas Foundation, the University of São Paulo and the São Paulo State Department of Public Safety. Its mission includes fostering development of evaluation tools and evidence-based public policy.

The platform was developed by a startup supported by FAPESP. It uses an adult learning methodology that leverages motivational techniques and customization.

Laura Maureen Pereira delivered the Seventh 2023 FAPESP Lecture on “Why we need transformative scenarios for people and nature”.

This was a consensus among representatives of funding agencies in the Americas who met virtually in October under the aegis of the Global Research Council. A previous event discussed funding for research relating to artificial intelligence in Latin America.

An article published in PNAS by Brazilian and Australian researchers describes a hitherto unknown protein with anti-oxidizing properties secreted by Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative intracellular bacterium, pointing to possible treatments for auto-immune diseases and even cancer.

This is how Bernard Wood, one of the foremost paleoanthropologists alive, summed up his philosophy in the Sixth 2023 FAPESP Lecture.

FAPESP increased research funding opportunities by creating new programs and new partnerships, according to its 2002 Annual Report.

High-precision maneuvering support system with integrated hardware and software developed by a startup supported by FAPESP transmits dynamic information in real-time via a smart platform.

The test developed by Brazilian researchers accurately identifies the causative agent in less than two hours, so that treatment can be properly targeted. Brazil is seeing a growing number of cases of co-infection by protozoans Leishmania infantum and Crithidia.

Highlighted on the cover of the journal Biochemistry, a study by Brazilian researchers shows that a chemical change called pyroglutamination can occur spontaneously during peptide synthesis. The discovery has implications for laboratory experiments and research on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases associated with the formation of amyloid aggregates.

A study compared geographical and socioeconomic dimensions of the disease in São Paulo and the Barretos region. Incidence was far higher in the former but mortality rates were similar, suggesting overdiagnosis in specific areas and social groups.

The product, which contains the anti-inflammatory protein annexin A1, accelerated complete skin wound healing in mice, and has the potential to become part of the arsenal of treatments for a disease that affects 17.7 million Brazilians.

In nematode worms exposed to a compound secreted by pathogenic bacteria, researchers observed activation of a neural circuit resulting in a longer lifespan and less protein aggregation, one of the causes of neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery paves the way for the development of treatments for age-related diseases.

Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo analyzed allegedly biodegradable plastic items sold by 40 supermarkets and found most to be oxo-degradables, banned in several countries because they contribute significantly to microplastic pollution. Bills currently before Brazil’s Congress would regulate the sale of such products.

A research project showed that mobilizing citizens in flood-prone areas improves data collection and increases resilience.

Brazilian researchers showed that brain activity of Ndel1, an enzyme that plays an important role in neuron differentiation and migration, decreased in mice infected by zika during pregnancy. The enzyme could become a biomarker for early diagnosis of the congenital syndrome associated with zika.

A study conducted in sustainable-use reserves shows that local game species become less abundant about 5 kilometers away from the nearest human community, but the negative effects of anthropic activity can be mitigated by appropriate management strategies.

Opened in 2022 with FAPESP’s support, Nutera is Latin America’s first cellular product manufacturing plant. It is run by researchers from Butantan Institute and the University of São Paulo’s Ribeirão Preto Blood Center, and could become a supplier to the SUS, Brazil’s public healthcare network.

This is one of the findings of a study led by Brazilian scientists and reported in the science journal Fire. The researchers built a model based on images from the SENTINEL-2 satellite and were able to detect burned areas much more accurately.

Findings reported in the journal Antibiotics by scientists working in Brazil and the United States pave the way for the development of drugs against resistant bacteria.

Plant species native to the Brazilian savanna-like biome grow thick bark to protect their internal tissues and hide organs that assure resprouting below the ground, according to an article in Flora by researchers at São Paulo State University.

The findings evidenced high susceptibility to climate change by 2050 in 15%-18% of the areas with the most neglected biodiversity.

The calls offer opportunities for accelerators and agencies that provide services for startups under the aegis of Tecnova III, a program run by the Brazilian Innovation Agency which in São Paulo is operationalized in partnership with FAPESP.

Record levels of destruction of native vegetation in the Brazilian savanna, the second-largest biome in South America, motivated the letter published in Nature Sustainability. The scientists who wrote it stress the need for specific measures to conserve the Cerrado’s rich biodiversity.

Dutch-born scientist Martinus Theodorus van Genuchten is the author of a famous equation describing the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soil. His discoveries are central to agricultural operations and climate science, and he recently won the prestigious Wolf Prize in Agriculture.