“Weird Things” Seen in X-Ray Images Reveal Insects’ Physiological Responses to Gravity [Video]
Imagine you are flipped upside down and standing on your head. After a few seconds, you would feel pressure in your head due to an…
Biology News
Hundreds of New Viruses Discovered in Insects As Scientists Work to Prevent New Epidemics Like Zika
New viruses that cause diseases often come from animals. Well-known examples of this are the Zika virus transmitted by mosquitoes, bird flu viruses, as well…
Possible On/Off Switch for Plant Growth Identified
Protein could be key to saving crops endangered by extreme weather or climate change. New research from UC Riverside identifies a protein that controls plant…
Alien Species Invasions in Antarctica Predicted
A new study identifies the non-native species most likely to invade the Antarctic Peninsula region over the next decade. It provides a baseline for all…
Plant Life Expanding Around Mount Everest and Across the Himalayan Region
New research shows plant life is expanding in the area around Mount Everest, and across the Himalayan region. Scientists used satellite data to measure the…
Ocean Acidification From Climate Change Is Damaging Shark Scales
While regular fish have flat scales, shark ‘scales’ look more like teeth. But their denticles also cover their body and in particular influence their ability…
Monumental Improvement in Conservation Possible With New ‘Umbrella’ Species
The protection of Australia’s threatened species could be improved by a factor of seven, if more efficient ‘umbrella’ species were prioritized for protection, according to…
Scientists Just Discovered How Beetle ‘Weapons’ Grow
Specific insulin-like peptide regulates how beetle ‘weapons’ grow, revealing how larval nutrition leads to differently sized mandibles in broad-horned flour beetles. A scientist from Tokyo…
Scientists Were Wrong – Coral Reef Fish Not Affected by Ocean Acidification From Climate Change
Double-Checking the Science on the Effects of Ocean Acidification Sometimes it helps to check the facts. You may be surprised by what you find. Over…
Of Ants and Men: Ant Behavior and Political Polarization May Be Driven by the Same Processes
Princeton researchers find that division of labor and political polarization may be driven by the same processes in ant societies. Could the division of labor…
Fascinating Shark and Ray Vision Evolution Research Reveals Sharks Can’t See Colors
Vision is a crucial sense for most animals, and vertebrates have evolved a highly adaptable set of opsin genes that generate light-sensitive pigments to decode…
True Identity of Mystery Invader in Florida Waters Uncovered After 20 Years – “Sometimes Scientists Make Mistakes”
Sometimes scientists make mistakes. Case in point is the chanchita, a South American freshwater fish that has been swimming in Florida’s waters for at least…
Online DNA Services Vulnerable to Genetic Hacking
With the growth of home DNA testing, online services such as GEDMatch, MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA have become popular places for people to upload their genetic…
Despite Nuclear Accident Animal Life Is Thriving Around Fukushima
Nearly a decade after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, researchers from the University of Georgia have found that wildlife populations are abundant in areas…
Poplar Trees Were Genetically Modified to Not Harm Air Quality – Here’s What Happened in Testing
Field trials in the Northwest and Southwest show that poplar trees can be genetically modified to reduce negative impacts on air quality while leaving their…
Researchers Discover “Ghost Worms” Mostly Unchanged Since the Age of Dinosaurs, Despite 140 Million Years of Evolution
That size, shape and structure of organisms can evolve at different speeds is well known, ranging from fast-evolving adaptive radiations to living fossils such as…
Birds and Bats Have Strange Gut Microbiomes — Why? Scientists Have a Theory
At a time when kombucha is commonplace on cafe menus and “probiotic-fortified” has become the newest health buzzword, our guts have never been more relevant….
Biodiversity and Wildlife of Angola Threatened by Illegal Hunting and Bushmeat Trade
Hunting wild animals has been practiced by humans for millions of years; however, the extraction of wildlife for subsistence and commercialization has become a major…