Biology
Baby manta rays hunker down close to coasts before facing the open ocean's dangers
Giant manta rays can grow up to nine meters (30 feet) long with a disk size of seven meters (23 feet) across and weigh up to 2,000 kg (4,400 pounds). This size leaves them with ve…
Illegal fishing is thriving in African waters—a satellite system could help change that
A patrol boat off the coast of Gabon intercepted three trawlers in July 2026, inside the Grand Sud Reserve. This is one of West and Central Africa's largest marine reserves, where…
Virus that sickens cows, kills deer still rare in New York state—for now
An insect-driven disease that causes high mortality in white-tailed deer and mimics the symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle is still rare in New York state, but the warmi…
AI listens to bee buzzes to monitor activity without lethal traps
Populations of many pollinators, including bumblebees, have been crashing over the last few decades, thanks to the widespread use of chemical pesticides, loss of habitat and the a…
Venomous primate thought lost to science for nearly a century turns up in gardens and on roads across Indonesia
A big-eyed, venomous primate that had not been documented in scientific literature since the 1930s has been hiding in plain sight on the Indonesian island of Bangka, turning up in…
New optogenetic tool inhibits activity in neurons and heart muscle cells
Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum have partnered with colleagues in Göttingen, Berlin, Paris and Essen to develop new optogenetic tools that can selectively inhibit cellular…
Candida auris: A harbinger of further dangerous fungal species?
Why has the yeast Candida auris become a dangerous pathogen worldwide in just a few years? This question is on the minds of many researchers. Carla Schuh and Chaitanya Gokhale fro…
Sweeping changes to agri-food supply chain needed to tackle global food shortages
Systemic changes are needed across the entire agri-food supply chain to address the global impact of conflict and climate change on food shortages, writes an expert in The BMJ's c…
How rice coordinates signals to partner with beneficial soil fungi
Most plants do not gather nutrients from the soil entirely on their own. Many form partnerships with microscopic fungi that grow inside their roots and extend into the surrounding…
Why the humble rabbit might be Australia's worst introduced species
The 19th-century pastoralist Thomas Austin was homesick. He yearned for the pastimes of his home in England—especially rabbit hunting. He asked his family to send him some rabbits.
Not all rattlesnakes are alike: Research suggests personality influences how rattlesnakes use their venom
Imagine encountering a rattlesnake in your backyard or while on a hike. It will most likely "freeze" to avoid attracting attention, but if it feels especially threatened, it may r…
Wild fish are a precious resource—here's how aquaculture can bolster food security
Small fish such as sardinella are an affordable source of protein and essential nutrients for millions of people across West Africa.
Hearing laughter may cause orangutans to value rewards more
A new study from Indiana University shows that being in a positive mood leads orangutans to value what they learned more strongly. The study comes from the lab of Erica Cartmill, …
Orangutans prefer food associated with sounds of laughter, study suggests
Apes in study more likely to choose treats linked to sound of peers having fun, suggesting emotions influence learningOrangutans base their food choices on whether others appear t…
How humans domesticated the bacterium behind Botox treatments
Clostridium botulinum bacteria produce a potent neurotoxin called botulinum toxin, which causes the serious illness botulism. The toxin attacks the nervous system, leaving the bod…
Tesla to report earnings after Elon Musk floats SpaceX merger plan
Musk says ‘there’s a lot of merit’ to potential merger that would require approval of 50% of Tesla shareholdersInvestors will be paying close attention to Tesla’s third-quarter ea…
Serengeti hyenas manage to keep clans stable as climate change alters animal migrations
Although the main prey of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), migratory ungulates such as blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), now spend substantially less time within hyena ter…
Ancient fish bones reveal how Arctic cod species survived the last ice age
The glacial Arctic Ocean was not a barren ice desert but a breeding ground for the evolution of cold adaptation in marine fish. This is the main conclusion of a new scientific pub…
Genetic snapshot of North Carolina black bears could improve population resilience
A recent genomic survey of North Carolina black bears from mountain and coastal habitats reveals distinct differences in genetic health and diversity between the populations, with…
Swiss barn owls are gradually changing color
Over the past 30 years, Swiss barn owls have become more reddish-brown and more heavily spotted. By analyzing the genomes of more than 3,000 birds, scientists at the University of…
Butterfly navigation tests reveal that migrating species may rely on different natural compasses
Researchers at Keele University have discovered that migratory butterflies may use different navigation systems to find their way during migrations, highlighting the importance of…
Do people become less creative as they get older? Research makes surprising discovery
Study pitting preschoolers against adults mostly in their 20s finds fear of failure and anxiety hamper the grownupsAsk a five-year-old to paint a picture and they will almost inst…
Scientists discover migration-mediated mechanism enabling bacteria-virus coexistence
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them—known as phages—coexist in soils, oceans and living organisms. Scientists have long thought this coexistence reflects a microscopic versi…
Keeping to warm climates may have helped crocodiles outlast the dinosaurs
Keeping to warm climates throughout their 250-million-year history may have helped crocodiles and their relatives survive the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, finds a new study…