Gene expression can be modulated by epigenetic modifications, which may lead to a rapid adaptation to environmental stress. After stress cessation, changes in gene expression could be reversed, which would allow organisms to maintain their phenotype under transient environments, but this mechanism is poorly understood. Social stress downregulates a gene directly involved in pheomelanin synthesis (Slc7a11) by changing DNA m5C levels, avoiding cellular damage caused by stress.

While it is believed that European biodiversity no longer brings surprises, an unusual discovery has just been made: in Western Europe a new species of bat has been described. More exactly, it is distributed along the northern mountain forests of Iberia, south of France and Italy.