Astonishing Results When Researchers Examine Uncharted Molecular Language of the Brain
Neurons are like the electrical wiring of our brains, responsible for receiving information from the outside world and conveying this information to the rest of…
Biology News
New Species Discovery 50 Years in the Making: Carolina Sandhills Salamander
Already possessing more salamander species than any other state in the country with 63, North Carolina has just added one more to make it 64….
Artificial Intelligence Discovers Surprising Patterns in Earth’s Biological Mass Extinctions
The idea that mass extinctions allow many new types of species to evolve is a central concept in evolution, but a new study using artificial…
Special Genes Behind the Pressure Sensor of the Venus Flytrap
The display of a smartphone reacts to finger pressure. The carnivorous Venus flytrap, on the other hand, even notices when a lightweight like a fly…
Genomes Offer New Insights Into Fascinating Fig-Wasp Symbiotic System
Banyan trees are fig trees that begin their life as an epiphyte. The most noticeable feature of banyan Ficus species is their extraordinary aerial roots,…
Honey Bees Unusual Defense Against Giant Hornet Attacks: Animal Poop
Research from Wellesley College professor Heather Mattila shows that bees use animal dung to prevent giant hornets from attacking colonies, a behavior documented by scientists…
Researchers Discover That Global Mass Extinctions of Land-Dwelling Animals Follow a 27-Million-Year Cycle
Researchers find that timing of mass extinctions lines up with asteroid impacts and massive volcanic eruptions. Mass extinctions of land-dwelling animals — including amphibians, reptiles,…
Shocking Adaptations and “Spooky Interactions” Discovered in Electric Fish of Brazil’s Amazon
From Brazil’s Amazon, researchers report “spooky interactions” among surface- and cave-dwelling electric fish, revealing shocking behavior of 300 blind cavefishes whose ancestors adopted life in…
Ferrets, Cats, Civets, and Dogs Most Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Infection After Humans
Ducks, rats, mice, pigs, and chickens had lower or no susceptibility to infection. Humans, followed by ferrets and to a lesser extent cats, civets and…
Global Extinction Risk Assessment: Nearly One-Third of Oaks Are Threatened With Extinction
First complete global extinction risk assessment reveals bleak future for keystone species. An estimated 31% of the world’s oak species are threatened with extinction according…
Deep-Sea Volcanoes: Biological Hotspots Are Windows Into the Subsurface
Hydrothermally-active submarine volcanoes account for much of Earth’s volcanism and are mineral-rich biological hotspots, yet very little is known about the dynamics of microbial diversity…
Honey Bees Use Animal Dung to Fend Off Giant “Murder” Hornets
Honeybees spread animal dung on the entrance of their hives to effectively ward off giant hornets. What’s the best way to ward off giant hornets…
New Insights Into the Origins of Flight From Ancient Archaeopteryx Fossil
Research reveals earliest flight-related molting strategy in 150-million-year ancient bird. Flying birds molt their feathers when they are old and worn because they inhibit flight…
Evolution May Be to Blame for High Risk of Advanced Cancers in Humans – “Gene Has Gone Rogue”
Most people no longer produce Siglec-12 protein, but some of those who do are at twice the risk for advanced cancer. Compared to chimpanzees, our…
Despite Their Acute Sense of Hearing, Dogs May Never Learn That Every Sound of a Word Matters
Despite their excellent auditory capacities, dogs do not attend to differences between words which differ only in one speech sound (e.g. dog vs dig), according…
Microorganism Developed to Turn Discarded Cardboard Boxes Into Biodiesel
Development of a microorganism that doubles the yield of biodiesel precursor production using genetic scissors and based on the principles of evolution; expected to reduce…
Stunning Discovery: Bonefish Dive 450 Feet “Deep” Into the Abyss to Spawn
A new study provides the first detailed documentation of a shallow water fish diving 450 feet deep to spawn. Uncovering this very rare spawning behavior…
New Insights Into Why COVID-19 Infects Some Animals, but Not Others
New insights into protein structures through 3D modeling could help inform drug development and predict future outbreaks. Some animals are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection…
