Biology
Smart farming is already proving profitable in some regions, global analysis finds
The use of robots, drones and AI tools in agriculture is already paying off on 42% of the world's cropland. This could increase to 50% in the next 20 years and to as much as 75% i…
Oldest animals on Earth found to share a common wormlike ancestor
New research from the University of St Andrews has shed light on the evolution of an important yet thus far poorly understood group of marine invertebrate animals—brachiopods. The…
Ancient technique can improve the bland taste of beans
Faba beans are rich in protein and can easily be grown in Denmark—yet they are more often used as animal feed than as food for people. One of the main reasons is that their flavor…
Researchers use artificial intelligence to design potential antiviral compounds
Viral infections can be difficult to treat because viruses evolve rapidly, allowing them to develop resistance to drugs designed to attack viral proteins directly.
How plants unwittingly help fungal pathogens
Infecting a maize plant is no simple task for a fungal pathogen such as Ustilago maydis. A group of researchers led by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now uncovered…
Rolling without wheels: How dwarf reedsnakes coordinate their bodies for high-speed escapes
Small snakes called dwarf reedsnakes can escape danger by rolling rapidly along the ground. Researchers investigated how they perform this unusual form of locomotion using multi-a…
Algae fossils from Cambrian explosion hint at sophisticated reproductive system
The Cambrian explosion was a major diversification of animal life that unfolded early in the Cambrian period, which began around 538.8 million years ago. During this interval, mar…
Epigenetic markers linked to psychotherapy response in OCD
OCD is a mental health disorder characterized by unwanted, recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviors that can severely interfere with everyday life. Exposure-based psychotherapy…
Ancient Hox code reveals the developmental roots of vertebrate hind fins and limbs
Paired appendages—the pectoral and pelvic fins of fishes and the forelimbs and hindlimbs of tetrapods—were a major innovation in vertebrate evolution. Their emergence greatly expa…
What evolved first—our brain or gut?
What if the brain evolved to serve the gut? Scientists at Flinders University are challenging a cornerstone of biology, arguing that the gut's nervous system may be the body's ori…
How bacteria survive in a world full of killer bacteriophages
Humans throughout history have invented a variety of ways to fight back against troublesome bacteria. But bacteria live in a dangerous world too. The human body and other bacteria…
Early heat and drought stress can have lasting effects on corn growth
A brief period of heat and drought early in a corn plant's life can affect its growth and flowering months after the stress ends, according to new research from the Donald Danfort…
Genomic study uncovers a new lace bug species on Japan's remote Ogasawara Islands
Researchers have used genome-wide DNA data to identify a new insect species on the Ogasawara Islands, a remote Japanese archipelago roughly 900 to 1,000 kilometers (560 to 620 mil…
Researchers are ignoring most living things: Analysis finds vertebrates dominate biodiversity research
According to two new UNSW studies, researchers often choose research topics based on personal preferences and cultural attitudes, including exposure to films, TV shows and even zo…
The painstaking task of cataloging the world's species
A bumblebee-like insect that was last seen in France 150 years ago was spotted again in the Paris region in 2025.
On the front line of ocean conservation off Portugal's Madeira
Juan Mayorga smiled as a stingray glided across his computer screen, moving gracefully over the seabed near Portugal's Desertas Islands, part of the Madeira archipelago in the Atl…
Starwatch: Catch the Orionid meteor shower streak across the night sky
As Earth passes through dust left by Halley’s comet, observers may see 10-20 fragments per hourThe annual Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak this week, offering the chance to …
Earth's oldest evidence of life is written in stone—but it's at risk of disappearing
Today, our planet is teeming with life, but it has not always looked the same. Long before forests reached skyward, animals walked on land and dinosaurs rose and fell, our planet …
Spatial genomics tool maps long-range DNA interactions while preserving cells' locations within tissues
DNA is not randomly distributed within the nucleus but is packaged with proteins into chromatin, which is precisely folded into complex three-dimensional structures. However, scie…
Dozens of orangutans saved from Indonesia blazes as region grapples with haze
Dozens of critically endangered orangutans have been rescued in recent weeks from rampant wildfires burning across Indonesia that have cloaked the region in toxic haze, conservati…
Climate change affects the quality of one of the world's most important staple foods
Depending on the cultivar, higher concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere can significantly alter the protein composition of wheat. This affects not only baking q…
Genome detectives: Researchers sequence the genome of a harmful plant pathogen
Graduate students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences contributed to the first complete genome sequence of a harmful plant pathogen from an ornamental Prunus host thr…
Scientists discover a way to reverse coral bleaching at record speed
For the first time, scientists have observed bleached corals on the brink of death fully recover through brief contact with healthy clones. Ghostly white corals returned to full h…
Close social bonds help wild jackdaws hold feeding spots but come with waiting costs
Close social relationships are known to contribute to the survival of many animals, including humans. Maintaining social bonds over time, however, can also require effort and sacr…