Biology
Pollen study reveals the hidden history of grasses
Scientists used machine learning and super-resolution microscopy to overcome a challenge that has stymied research into the natural history of grasses for decades. Their method al…
Lipid signals help cells seal the damage from bacterial attacks, researchers discover
Epithelial cells form the body's frontline barriers, helping keep microbes, toxins and other harmful substances out. Yet these protective cells are constantly exposed to threats, …
Resource scarcity influences maternal brain activity and caregiving in rats
When mothers do not have the necessary resources to raise their children, this adversity causes substantial stress that can hinder caregiving and lead to postpartum depression. In…
Farmer-macaque conflict in Algeria poses a complicated conservation challenge
One of the hardest challenges in wildlife conservation arises when the habitat of a species in need of protection overlaps with land used by humans. Wolves and bears can kill live…
Bumblebees carry bacteria-killing viruses to cherry blossoms, reducing bacterial populations in experiments
As they fly about their usual business of pollinating flowers, bumblebees could help protect fruit trees from disease by carrying a natural treatment directly to where it is neede…
Tortoises win support, hyenas face doubts in survey on adding exotic wildlife to UK parks
Zebras grazing in a UK park might sound like the stuff of a high-budget Hollywood blockbuster, but new research suggests it could one day be vital in the fight against climate cha…
How rotting food in the kitchen and a whiff of vinegar led to a 'happy' agricultural accident
Rutgers scientists have identified natural repellents against an invasive blueberry pest, a discovery made accidentally when fruit flies invaded their laboratory.
Extinct bovine species discovered in Siberia reveals lost relative of yaks
DNA analyses of ancient remains have revealed a previously unknown extinct bovine species that inhabited southern Siberia during and even before the last ice age. The extinct spec…
Decades of data reveal major ecological shift in northern Baltic Sea
For decades, scientists have regarded phosphorus as the main nutrient limiting biological production in the Gulf of Bothnia. Now, a new study led by researchers at Umeå University…
Precision IVF tracks how mouse embryos switch on their genome
A new study from EMBL Rome shows how embryos precisely coordinate gene activity during early development. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.
Tribal members saw pinyon-juniper woodlands declining, new study confirms
Pinyon pines and juniper trees spread across the mid-elevation slopes of the American West, including California's Eastern Sierra. These hardy, short-statured trees are one of the…
Dressed for danger: Venomous snakes are more likely to stand out
Researchers at the University of Galway in Ireland have found that venomous snakes are significantly more likely than nonvenomous species to have colors that stand out against the…
Starwatch: how to spot Saturn as it makes it closest approach to Earth this year
The planet looks like a moderately bright, creamy-white object and is easily visible to the naked eyeThis week offers an excellent opportunity to track down Saturn. The giant plan…
‘This is dangerous’: slime moulds and the bitter debate over the nature of intelligence – podcast
Scientists are battling over whether supposedly simple organisms should be considered ‘intelligent’. The outcome could reshape our understanding of the natural world – and our own…
Nature-strip gardens are a paradise for pollinators in your street
In front of most Australian houses, between the sidewalk and the road, runs a strip of land most people never really think about. In Australia, it's called the nature strip, but i…
Too many males to choose from can overwhelm female frogs—and change who gets to mate
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by menu options at a restaurant, cereal varieties at the grocery store or potential partners while scrolling through dating apps, you've experience…
One giant clam contains a month‑by‑month diary of the Great Barrier Reef's climate 200 years ago
When you swim through the azure waters of the Great Barrier Reef, there is one creature on the seafloor that's almost impossible to miss: the giant clam. Its huge, fluted shell fr…
Do humans really have a ‘lizard brain’ lurking beneath our rational minds?
It’s a powerful analogy that captured the popular consciousness, but the biological reality may be quite differentHumans have a cognitive quirk for the number three. Think of the …
New imaging technologies offer a clearer view of coral reef change
From a drone flying above the waves to a camera just inches from the seafloor, University of Miami researchers are transforming how scientists observe coral reefs and measure chan…
Newly discovered hair cells on squid may offer clues to understanding hearing loss in humans
Scientists have known for years that squid have cells with bundles of tiny, hairlike protrusions on their heads and arms, similar to those buried deep inside the human ear that al…
A short breath extends the mating calls of male tokay geckos
Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko), large and mostly nocturnal geckos native to parts of Asia, are among the few nonbird reptiles that make sounds to attract potential mates, defend their…
Energy production, virus defenses and toxin loading emerge as vulnerabilities in resistant bacteria
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the world's top public health threats. Often termed a silent pandemic, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria have caused millions of deaths annually.…
Scientists search for answers as baby whales wash up dead in Argentina
Investigators in Argentina are trying to solve the mystery of baby whales washing up dead in unusually high numbers along the country's Patagonian coast.
Marine biologists discover new plankton off Oregon coast
Nearly every morning when she was a doctoral student in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Nicole Nakata, Ph.D. '23 (biology), would cross the street from the Oregon Institut…