Plants & Animals
News
21 Jan 2026
Hokkaido University
Yasuhiro Iba and his colleagues use complex imaging systems to reveal the secrets of Earth’s ancient creatures.
20 Jan 2026
From icy seas to humid forests, research collaborations between the United Kingdom and Malaysia are helping to advance our understanding of diseases, develop vaccines and antibiotics, preserve precious habitats and address the challenge of plastic waste.
15 Jan 2026
Osaka Metropolitan University
Researchers have developed technology to convert naturally derived monomers into polymers capsules
09 Jan 2026
Hiroshima University
A research team led by Hiroshima University and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have proposed a neuroendocrine mechanism in bony fish that signals ovulation from the ovaries to the brain, using the medaka fish as a model; the first step to elucidate the neural circuits for facilitation of sexual receptivity in female teleosts.
19 Dec 2025
Ateneo de Manila University
A new species of pitcher plant found only on Palawan Island is already at risk of extinction due to frequent severe weather conditions and human encroachment.
11 Dec 2025
National Taiwan University
The integration of high-dimensional omics data reveals that xylem differentiation programs have undergone simplification rather than elaboration, establishing a model of “reductive evolution” in seed plants.
09 Dec 2025
Asia Research News
Brain atlas, From perfume to plastic, Stable solar power, Plant aging switch, Anti-cancer droplets, Greener gold, Extreme star factory and How research shapes sustainability policy. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
21 Nov 2025
Osaka Metropolitan University
Researchers have created a special culture medium that allows dog stem cells to stably differentiate into functional heart muscle cells complete with contractions
14 Nov 2025
Asia Research News
Untangling cosmic knots, Samurai jellyfish, Controlling rogue antibodies, Search for anti-ulcer vaccine & Metal-recovering yeast. Plus next SciCom coffee talk on experiences in science journalism in the AI era and WHO guide to reporting on non communicable diseases. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
07 Nov 2025
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)
- A research team led by DGIST Professors Pyungok Lim, Jongchan Lee, and Minsik Kim identifies a mechanism that delivers plant aging signals to chloroplasts
- The findings of the study are published in Nature Plants, one of the world’s most renowned journals in botany
31 Oct 2025
Tohoku University
A new species of jellyfish has been discovered! Researchers at Tohoku University named this venomous creature Physalia mikazuki, after the crescent moon helmet worn by Sendai’s feudal lord Date Masamune.
30 Oct 2025
Springer Nature
Scientists shine a light on the properties of the gemstone ammolite -- a rare type of brightly coloured fossilised ammonite shell.
27 Oct 2025
$5.5 Million partnership with WCS and WorldFish will expand Bangladesh’s Marine Protected Area network and strengthen community-led ocean stewardship
23 Oct 2025
Coffee beans harvested from the faeces of the Asian palm civet may have higher levels of fats and other key flavour-enhancing compounds than traditionally harvested beans. according to a new study, helping explain why civet coffee is so prized.
23 Oct 2025
Ehime University
Merging Molecular Biology and Photochemistry for Breakthrough Innovation
22 Oct 2025
Osaka Metropolitan University
In the marine green alga Codium fragile, unusual carotenoids rapidly dissipate harmful chlorophyll triplet states, protecting the organism from light-induced damage. Using EPR spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations, the study revealed the structural and electronic principles behind this photoprotection, offering insights for potential bio-inspired solar technologies.
20 Oct 2025
Hiroshima University
A Hiroshima University ecologist proposes a flexible anytime, anywhere bird survey approach to expand biodiversity data collection
13 Oct 2025
A team of international researchers has developed alternatives to antibiotics that prevent infection of cow udders, called bovine mastitis, to address rising antibiotic resistance and concerns around milk contamination from antibiotic residues.
07 Oct 2025
Springer Nature
Researchers have developed a method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo.
24 Sep 2025
In a bold step toward climate action, leading microbiology societies and organizations have unveiled their first joint global strategy to harness the power of microbial science in addressing the climate crisis. This landmark strategy has been published across 6 scientific journals, including Sustainable Microbiology.
05 Sep 2025
Osaka Metropolitan University
Reef-building corals use a previously unknown mechanism involving chloride to ‘see’ visible light
04 Sep 2025
Asia Research News
Self-healing hydrogel, Cool crawler, AI and world's longest crop experiment & Freeze-framing cells. Plus how media interest helps engineers and society. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice
03 Sep 2025
The University of Osaka
This news article reports on a study revealing the importance of the proboscis monkey's large nose in vocal communication. Researchers used CT scans and computer simulations to demonstrate that the nose's shape modifies the resonant frequencies of calls, creating unique vocal signatures for individual monkeys. This discovery highlights the role of the nose in enhancing vocal identity and provides insights into the evolution of communication, not just in proboscis monkeys but potentially in other species as well. The collaboration between scientists and the Yokohama Zoo Zoorasia opens exciting new avenues for understanding the link between physical traits and social behaviors in the animal kingdom.
28 Aug 2025
The University of Osaka
Researchers from Japan found that macro-heterogeneity (the presence of multiple cell types) and micro-heterogeneity (variability in cell behavior within a cell type) are crucial for muscle breakdown and rearrangement in the pupal stage of fruit fly development. Computational modeling of cell interactions suggested that designing heterogenous robot swarms based on similar principles could improve their ability to multitask.
28 Aug 2025
International Rice Research Institute
A new study highlights how machine learning can effectively identify key factors influencing rice yield for over five decades, emphasizing the importance of tailored management practices and varietal replacement as a response to climate change.
26 Aug 2025
Osaka Metropolitan University
Changing the interval between fertility drugs boosts fertility even in rats that typically respond poorly
21 Aug 2025
NGOs in the Malaysian state of Sabah want oil palm companies and other land managers to plant Ficus species to increase habitat for threatened wildlife
20 Aug 2025
Hiroshima University
Can understanding these differences help researchers breed better crops suited for a changing climate?
13 Aug 2025
Osaka Metropolitan University
Sensitive region detection for improved non-invasive cattle monitoring
11 Aug 2025
Lingnan University
Lingnan University's science and innovation teams have achieved outstanding results at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 (SVIIF) in their first-ever participation. All 13 participating projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, and intelligent transportation, won awards, including 8 gold and 5 silver medals. One of the projects, the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), also received a special award ⸺ Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association (IFIA), making Lingnan the Hong Kong higher education institution that won the highest number of total awards and gold medals at this year’s festival.
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Giants in history
Pakistani botanist Azra Quraishi (22 September 1945 – 22 November 2002) is recognised for developing virus-free seed potatoes that increased potato production in Pakistan by an estimated five per cent.
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali (12 November 1896 – 20 June 1987), commonly referred to as the Birdman of India, was the first person to conduct systematic surveys of birds from across India.
Indian botanist Shipra Guha-Mukherjee (13 July 1938 – 15 September 2007) made a breakthrough discovery that enabled the genetic study of plants and, by extension, the development of improved varieties of rice, wheat, potatoes, and other crops.
During her short life, Fahire Battalgil (1902 - 1948) achieved renown as the first zoologist from Turkey to make strides in the field of freshwater fish biodiversity.
Edgardo Dizon Gomez (7 November 1938 – 1 December 2019) was a Filipino marine biologist who recognized the need to protect marine resources, especially coral reefs, in the Philippines.
Gloria Lim (1930-2022) was a mycologist from Singapore who studied tropical fungi. One of the first students to attend University of Malaya when it was founded in 1949, she went on to become the first female Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Singapore.
Michiyo Tsujimura (17 September 1888 – 1 June 1969) was a Japanese agricultural scientist and biochemist recognized for her research of green tea components.
Meemann Chang (born 17 April 1936) is a Chinese palaeontologist who studied the fossils of ancient fish to understand the evolution of life. By examining fossils, she uncovered new insights on how vertebrates, animals with a backbone, migrated from the sea and became adapted to live on land.
Rampa Rattanarithikul is a Thai entomologist who is a leading expert on mosquitoes. Rattanarithikul began her scientific career as a technician collecting mosquito specimens for the United States Operations Mission (USOM) malaria control program. Throughout her career, she discovered 23 species and officially described 13 others.
Julian Arca Banzon (13 March 1908 – 13 September 1988) was a biochemist from the Philippines who was a pioneer in alternative fuel research. Banzon investigated the use of indigenous crops as sources of renewable fuels and chemicals.
Kono Yasui (16 February 1880 – 24 March 1971) was a Japanese botanist who researched the genetics of poppies, corn and spiderworts and surveyed the plants that had been affected by the nuclear fallout after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Susan Lim (14 February 1952 – 2 August 2014) was a Malaysian parasitologist who specialized in studying a class of flatworms, the Monogeans, which are parasites of fishes.
Rapee Sagarik (4 December 1922 – 17 February 2018) was Thailand’s renowned expert on orchids.
Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (19 October 1897 – 14 April 1994) was an artist and chemist from Pakistan whose research focused on natural products from plants.
Maqsudul Alam (14 December 1954 – 20 December 2014) was a biologist from Bangladesh who is renowned for his research on genome sequencing
Janaki Ammal Edavalath Kakkat (4 November 1897 – 7 February 1984) was an Indian botanist who studied plant chromosomes and genetics.
Joo-myung Seok (November 13, 1908 – October 6, 1950) was a Korean butterfly entomologist who made important contributions to the taxonomy of the native butterfly species in Korea.
Woo Jang-choon (8 April 1898 – 10 August 1959) was a Korean-Japanese agricultural scientist and botanist.
Osamu Shimomura (27 August 1928 – 19 October 2018) was a Japanese organic chemist and marine biologist who dedicated his career to understanding how organisms emitted light.
Rinchen Barsbold (born 21 December 1935) is a Mongolian palaeontologist and geologist who was instrumental in discovering and recovering one of the largest dinosaur collections in the world from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China.
Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose (30 November 1858 – 23 November 1937) was a scientist and inventor who contributed to a wide range of scientific fields such as physics, botany and biology.
Motoo Kimura (13 November 1924 – 13 November 1994) was a Japanese theoretical population geneticist who is best remembered for developing the neutral theory of molecular evolution.
Indian organic chemist Asima Chatterjee (1917 to 2006) studied the medicinal properties of plant products, especially compounds known as vinca alkaloids.
The techniques that make industrial pearl culturing possible were developed over a century ago at the Misaki Marine Biological Station in Japan. The station’s first director, Professor Kakichi Mitsukuri, emphasized to Kokichi Mikimoto in 1890 that stimulating pearl sac formation was important for pearl growth, and they went on to successfully develop methods for culturing pearls.
Little is known about Ali, a teenager from Sarawak, Malaysia, who was chief assistant to the famous naturalist Alfred Wallace. Most of what is known comes from Wallace’s writings. Ali accompanied Wallace on expeditions throughout the Malay Archipelago from December 1855 to February 1862.
Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping (7 September 1930 – 22 May 2021) developed the first varieties of the high-yield, hybrid rice that brought food security to multiple countries including China, which had been ravaged by food shortages as recently as the mid-20th century.
Chinese palaeontologist, archaeologist and anthropologist Pei Wenzhong (January 19, 1904 – September 18, 1982) is regarded as a founder of Chinese anthropology.
Research by Filipino plant scientist Benito Vergara (23 June 1934 – 24 October 2015) on the physiology of rice led to the development of deep-water and cold-tolerant rice varieties. Vergara also made several contributions to expanding public awareness of rice science.
Eminent Filipina scientist and educator Clara Lim-Sylianco (18 August 1925 – 23 July 2013) is remembered for her extensive research on mutagens – often-carcinogenic agents that permanently alter genetic materials such as DNA – antimutagens and bioorganic mechanisms.
Filipina chemist María Orosa (29 November 1892–13 February 1945) fought malnutrition and food insecurity in the Philippines by devising over 700 culinary creations including Soyalac, a nutrient rich drink made from soybeans, and Darak, rice cookies packed with Vitamin B1, which could prevent beriberi disease caused by Vitamin B1 deficiency. She was also a partisan of the guerrilla movement resisting Japanese occupation during World War II, and died after being struck by shrapnel while working in her laboratory during the Battle of Manila.
Lü Junchang (1965–9 October 2018) was a Chinese palaeontologist who is remembered as one of the most important dinosaur researchers of the last 50 years. Lü was an expert on reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic period about 252 million years ago. Cumulatively, Lü and his colleague/competitor Xiaolin Wang described and named more than 50 new species of flying dinosaurs known as pterosaurs.
Thai physician and conservationist Boonsong Lekagul (1907 – 1992) made major contributions to the preservation of his country’s wildlife.
The research of Filipino pharmaceutical chemist Luz Oliveros-Belardo (3 November 1906 – 12 December 1999) focussed on essential oils and other chemicals derived from native Philippine plants.
Birbal Sahni (14 November 1891 – 10 April 1949), a pioneer of Indian palaeobotanical research, and founder of what is now the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow, made multiple contributions to the study of prehistoric plants. These include the discovery of a new group of fossil gymnosperms (named Pentoxylae), reconstruction of the extinct Williamsonia sewardiana plant, and description of a new type of petrified wood from the Jurassic age.
Ground-breaking cancer researcher Kamal Jayasing Ranadive (8 November 1917 – 11 April 2001) advanced the understanding of the causes of leukaemia, breast cancer and oesophageal cancer through the use of animal models. She was also among the first to recognise how susceptibility to cancer is linked to tumour-causing interactions between hormones and viruses.
Known as Mr. Natural Rubber, chemist and researcher B. C. Shekhar (17 November 1929 – 6 September 2006) introduced a number of technical innovations that helped put Malaysia’s natural rubber industry on the world map.
In his over 30 year career in rice research, Munshi Siddique Ahmad (1924 – 19 October 2011) developed more than 30 varieties of high-yielding rice, including the BRRI Shail strain, which was responsible for increasing the rice production of Bangladesh from 8 million tonnes in 1965 to 20 million tonnes in 1975.
Lim Boo Liat (21 August 1926 – 11 July 2020), a leading authority in the conservation of Malaysia’s biological diversity, had his initial interest in the outdoors piqued by nature lessons in school. Lim, who helped found the National Zoo of Malaysia and re-establish the Malaysian Nature Society, had a particular interest in researching zoonotic diseases associated with small animals.
Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann (23 November 1937 – 4 September 2005) was a Filipino-American scientist whose research focused on cyanobacteria and microorganisms that inhabit extreme environments.
A Japanese surgeon, Tetsuzo Akutsu (20 August 1922 – 9 August 2007) built the first artificial heart capable of keeping an animal alive.
Min Chueh Chang (10 October 1908 – 5 June 1991) was a Chinese-American biologist who studied fertilization in mammalian reproduction.
Võ Quý (1929 – 2017) was a Vietnamese ornithologist who studied the destruction of tropical forests and agricultural lands in Vietnam by Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. In addition to planning forest restoration projects, Quý rediscovered the rare eastern sarus crane, an endangered species that had vanished during the war.