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These ants emerged some 8.5 million years ago and underwent an intense speciation process between 1 million and 3 million years ago, when the Brazilian savanna was expanding. The recent advance of agriculture in the region, however, appears to be reducing this biodiversity and selecting species that damage crops.

Results published in Scientific Reports by a research group at the Federal University of São Paulo help scientists understand why patients with metabolic syndrome are among those worst affected by COVID-19.

A study shows how extracellular vesicles share information among cells in the same species, enabling the colony to respond in a coordinated manner to the host organism’s defenses.

Brazilian researchers analyzed the mechanisms by which estuarine plants absorb iron at the mouth of the Doce River, which was polluted by massive amounts of tailings from the 2015 Fundão dam disaster.

Researchers at the University of São Paulo have developed a portable device made from graphite, silver particles and polyurethane that detects BPA, a chemical compound harmful to health and considered an indicator of the presence of emerging pollutants in river or tap water.

The point was stressed by Jean Ometto, a senior researcher at Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (INPE) and a Lead Author of the latest installment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, during a webinar held by FAPESP. Four other Brazilian researchers who contributed to the document also took part in the event.

In an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Bruno Gualano, a professor at the University of São Paulo (Brazil), reviews what scientists know about the relationship between regular exercise and the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.

This was the main finding of a study by scientists affiliated with a FAPESP-supported research center. The effect may be associated with a mechanism whereby the fruit increases expression of an insulin-related microRNA.

Brazilian researchers measured this increase in immunity in a study involving health workers who had received two doses of CoronaVac. In subjects given the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the same booster raised immunity by a factor of 7.

Whole-genome sequences of 1,171 elderly people living in São Paulo City were analyzed to detect mutations responsible for disease or that play a key role in healthy aging.

Species sensitive to habitat change are gradually being replaced by more resistant species, according to a study conducted in Brazil. The trend is leading to a loss of the ecological functions performed by the vanishing species.

Scientists at a FAPESP-funded research center reprogrammed skin cells from patients with epilepsy to differentiate into cortical organoids with hallmarks of the malformation known as focal cortical dysplasia.

A study by researchers at the University of São Paulo advocates closer monitoring of these patients and prescribing more powerful drugs to combat atherosclerosis.

Pythiosis affects humans, horses and other animals, often requiring surgery and even amputation. A study conducted at São Paulo State University has discovered seven potential antigens that can serve as a basis for tests and vaccines.

First-ever study to show correlation between inhibition of protein HSP70 and dysfunction of cells in inner lining of blood vessels, one of the factors involved in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Researchers at São Paulo State University followed young men and women aged 20-40 without pre-existing disease. The findings show that obesity and physical inactivity increase the impact of the disease on the autonomic nervous system, which regulates blood pressure, heart rate and breathing, among other functions.

The strategy was tested at the Federal University of São Carlos and found to permit a reduction in the amount of fertilizer used by farmers, mitigating its environmental impact.

Genetic sequencing enables scientists to identify 79 different species of coralline algae serving as a habitat for countless marine organisms on the Brazilian coast, with many yet to be explored in deep waters.

The app is one of the outcomes of an initiative by researchers in Brazil, Germany and the UK to engage local communities in generating data on flood-prone areas. The researchers are also collecting memories of past incidents.

Triple-negative breast cancer grows rapidly and is highly likely to metastasize. Experiments with mice identified a molecule that binds to a defense cell receptor and activates an immune response against the tumor.

Designed for use as food packaging, the material is produced by scientists at São Paulo State University from gelatin, clay and a nanoemulsion of black pepper essential oil.

A group at the University of São Paulo has shown how metabolic alterations lead to a buildup of cholesterol in the cells of diabetic patients.

A study conducted in Brazil combined use of aerial photography and artificial intelligence to identify socio-economically deprived urban areas at risk for diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti.

With joint support from FAPESP and the government innovation agency, researchers at Eyetec have drastically reduced the number of components needed to make the device.

Study involving 672 Brazilians aged 16-24 with internet access showed that distance education did not have a direct impact on mental health.

Brazilian scientists tested a participatory disaster risk monitoring strategy in a town that was partially destroyed in 2010 after an unprecedented flood. The methodology can be applied in other parts of the country.

A system developed by a startup supported by FAPESP proves capable of predicting diabetic foot with over 85% accuracy. Foot complications occur in 34% of diabetics.

Experiments in mice show for the first time that mutant mitochondrial DNA builds up during the final stage of egg formation. The discovery will serve as a basis for novel strategies to prevent transmission.

Scholars attending the 8th FAPESP 60 Years Conference discussed the impacts of the modernist movement on Brazilian culture and its repercussions for education and research in the ensuing decades.

Brazilian researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a 12-week home exercise program for 32 volunteers who had been hospitalized after contracting COVID-19.