Biology
A dinosaur fossil that looks like a mini T. rex just sold for a giant $47 million
A dinosaur that looks like a miniature T. rex is now one of the world's most expensive fossils.
Ocean warming and herbivorous fish grazing drive kelp forest collapse along Japan's Izu Peninsula
Kelp forests, ecosystems formed by large brown seaweeds in coastal waters, provide habitats for numerous fish and invertebrates and are vital to coastal productivity and carbon cy…
New study reveals behavioral shift in southern right whales' selection of nursing sites
Australia's southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) population was nearly wiped out by whaling in the 1800s. Since whaling of the species was banned in the 1970s, the number of…
Avian influenza threatens vulture populations worldwide
Vultures are one of the most threatened groups of birds in the world. Currently, at least 16 of the 23 species of vulture are of conservation concern, largely as a result of poiso…
Map of Life: More progress needed to safeguard global biodiversity, new report finds
Global efforts to preserve habitat and the planet's most endangered species urgently need to be stepped up, according to a new report from Map of Life, the flagship initiative of …
Human and chimpanzee leaders share a taste for risk
People in leadership positions tend to rate themselves as more risk-loving than those without leadership responsibilities—and a similar pattern emerges among chimpanzees: High-ran…
Scientists reveal the staggering number of bat deaths at wind turbines
Bat populations across the United States face numerous threats, and one of the biggest may be the number of collisions with wind turbines. According to the most comprehensive stud…
121-million-year-old fossils suggest Longipteryx had no tail feathers
Around 121 million years ago, somewhere in modern northeastern China, an early bird took to the skies. If you drew its silhouette, you'd notice something was missing. Unlike any b…
Marine molecule may help combat 'brain-eating' amoeba
Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a parasitic disease that causes the rapid deterioration of brain tissue, is one of the most lethal infections known, with a fatality rat…
Are seed oils unhealthy? Why are so many influencers speaking out against them? | Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz
Randomised trials of omega-6s do not show an increase in inflammation caused by the fatty acidRead more in the Antiviral seriesIf you’ve been online lately, you’ve probably been b…
Millipede from South Australia rediscovered and described 90 years after it was first collected
The new species Colobothrix deckeri is in the millipede family Dalodesmidae. It is remarkable because it is the first in its moisture-loving family to be found in a part of Austra…
Backward motion is easier to judge at walking speed
When we walk forward, the scene ahead spreads outward from a central point. Moving backward produces the opposite pattern, with the scene appearing to contract inward. These patte…
Country diary: Our tiny island is awash with waxcaps | Tim Earl
Calf of Man, Isle of Man: Such is the wealth of Manx fungi, a map is being built to plot it all. We took a special trip as part of that projectThe bird observatory on the Calf of …
Would you pay to have the ‘best baby’? Liberal eugenics and the troubling quest for human perfection
For decades the idea of eugenics has been taboo. Now it is returning in a new commercial guiseFor a very long time, I dreamed of being cured. I was born in 1981. I learned to walk…
Q&A: Why does the right side of the brain control the left side of the body?
Dr. Martin Wessendorf is a neuroscientist and an associate professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on how the brainstem controls the function of neuron…
False lingzhi unmasked: Scientists crack the 245-year mystery behind a medicinal mushroom mix-up
In a new study published today in Plants, People, Planet, scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and their international collaborators clarify the distinction between Gan…
Zoologist's study of wild Panamanian bats highlights use of metrics to inform bat conservation
Bats are not only a marvel of myth and imagination but also of energy use, working at the height of their energetic ceiling to fly the night skies the world over.
Fossils from brickworks reveal new dinosaur species that roamed England's wetlands 125 million years ago
More than 25 years after it was first discovered, a new species and genus of dinosaur have been named from the fossil collections cared for by the Natural History Museum. Paludoha…
New binary gene expression system enables independent control of multiple cell types
Our bodies are composed of many different types of cells that work together to build and maintain normal physiological functions. In the central nervous system, for example, neuro…
Drought forces livestock farmers to make tough decisions: Our model shows the impact on inequality
Climate change is amplifying extreme weather conditions across southern Africa. Dry seasons are getting hotter and drier, while rains are becoming heavier and more concentrated. T…
South Africa's lion-petting industry: We spent three years investigating and here's what we found
An estimated 8,000 lions are held in captivity in South Africa in about 350 places, ranging from zoos to tourism venues where people can interact up close with the big cats. Lions…
Could ecological roles offer clues to how life began?
Producers, consumers, and decomposers play different roles in today's ecosystems. Thinking about these familiar roles led me to a question: Could their differences partly reflect …
Expanding hemp could boost Kentucky water quality and ecological diversity
Hemp has long been pitched to Kentucky farmers as a way to diversify their income. Research now suggests it could diversify the landscape itself, with measurable benefits for the …
Light-based monitoring could improve quality checks for lab-grown replacement cartilage
A new doctoral dissertation by Omar Anwar Elkadi in the field of Applied Physics on near-infrared spectroscopy for the continuous monitoring of tissue-engineered cartilage will be…