Studying Pterosaurs – Largest Animals Ever to Fly – To Better Engineer Manmade Flight
Pterosaurs were the largest animals ever to fly. They soared the skies for 160 million years–much longer than any species of modern bird. Despite their…
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“Stink Flirting” – Male Ring-Tail Lemurs Exude Fruity-Smelling Perfume to Attract Mates
Humans aren’t the only primates who like smelling nice for their dates. In the journal Current Biology on April 16, scientists report that male ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur…
Incredible Images Reveal How Bacteria Form Communities on the Human Tongue
Using a recently developed fluorescent imaging technique, researchers in the United States have developed high-resolution maps of microbial communities on the human tongue. The images,…
More Efficient Underwater Solar Cells With Optimal Materials
There may be many overlooked organic and inorganic materials that could be used to harness sunlight underwater and efficiently power autonomous submersible vehicles, report researchers…
Living Concrete Engineered With Bacteria and Sand
Cement and concrete haven’t changed much as technology in over a hundred years, but researchers in Colorado are revolutionizing building materials by literally bringing them…
Remarkable New Coating Helps Electronics Stay Cool by “Sweating”
Mammals sweat to regulate body temperature, and researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China are exploring whether our phones could do the same. In…
Mathematicians, Physicists and Materials Experts Use a Shot of Math to Brew a Better Espresso
Mathematicians, physicists, and materials experts might not spring to mind as the first people to consult about whether you are brewing your coffee right. But…
Harvesting Ocean Energy: Bio-Inspired Membrane Efficiently Produces Electricity From Saltwater
Inspired by membranes in the body tissues of living organisms, scientists have combined aramid nanofibers used in Kevlar with boron nitride to construct a membrane…
Researchers in China Transformed Mouse Granulosa Cells Into Egg Cells and Produced Healthy Offspring
By introducing a chemical cocktail to granulosa cells, researchers in China induced the cells to transform into functional oocytes in mice. Once fertilized, these oocytes…
Fascinating Microscopic Images Comparing Hair of Different Mamals Shows How Thicker Isn’t Always Stronger
Despite being four times thicker than human hair, elephant hair is only half as strong—that’s just one finding from researchers studying the hair strength of…
These Rat-Eating Monkeys Are Helping Protect Palm Oil Harvests
Found as an ingredient in many processed and packaged foods, palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil. Now, researchers reporting in the journal…
Researchers Evolve Bacteria That Consume CO2 for Energy
Over the course of several months, researchers in Israel created Escherichia coli strains that consume CO2 for energy instead of organic compounds. This achievement in…
How Flight Feathers Evolved: Study of Chickens, Ostriches, Penguins, Ducks and Eagles
If you took a careful look at the feathers on a chicken, you’d find many different forms within the same bird—even within a single feather….
New Elastic Microlattice Pads for Safer Football Helmets May Reduce Head Injuries
Scientists at the University of California Santa Barbara, HRL Laboratories LLC, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have developed elastic microlattice pads that can withstand…
Helping Injured Pigeons Fly Again With Dog and Sheep Bones
Sheep and dog bones can be whittled into orthopedic pins that stabilize pigeons’ fractured wings, helping the fractures to heal properly without follow-up surgery. Researchers…
“Bound by Blood” – Vampire Bats Keep ‘Friends’ Made in Captivity After Release Into Wild
Vampire bats that share food and groom each other in captivity are more likely to stick together when they’re released back into the wild, find…
Record Shattered for Loudest Bird Call Ever Measured by White Bellbirds in Amazon [Video]
Researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on October 21, 2019, have captured the loudest bird calls yet documented. The calls are the mating songs…
Study of Koala Virus Epidemic Uncovers “Innate” Genome Immune System
In animals, infections are fought by the immune system. Studies on an unusual virus infecting wild koalas, by a team of researchers from the University…
