Ants Help Researchers Understand Why Biodiversity is Higher in Tropical Regions
It’s a puzzle that has confounded biologists for centuries: the earth’s tropical regions are home to an enormous variety of plant and animal species, but…
Ecology
Prehistoric Teeth Reveal Details on Ancient Africa’s Climate
Models of wetter conditions than contemporary climate suggest human ancestors lived in environments other than open, arid grasslands New research out of South Africa’s Wonderwerk…
Scientists Detail How Coyotes Conquered the Continent
Coyotes now live across North America, from Alaska to Panama, California to Maine. But where they came from, and when, has been debated for decades….
How Genetic Diversity Helps Protect Against Disease
So much for survival of the fittest – diversity is the key: a team of researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries…
Scientists Discover Oldest Directly Dated Homo Sapiens Fossil Outside of Africa
The first Homo sapiens fossil discovery from Saudi Arabia dates to 90,000 years ago during a time when the region’s deserts were replaced by grasslands….
Biologists Reveal How Marine Fish Won An Evolutionary Lottery
Most marine fish, including tuna, belong to a group called acanthomorphs, which experienced an explosion of diversity after an asteroid crash 66 million years ago….
Researchers Discover Switchblade-Like Defensive System in Stonefish
In dark alleys of the Pacific and Indian oceans, new research shows some of the deadliest, armored fishes on the planet are packing switchblades in…
Why Expressive Eyebrows Mattered in Human Evolution
New research from the University of York suggests that highly mobile eyebrows, which can be used to express a wide range of subtle emotions, may…
Researchers Reveal Human Threats to the Amphibian Tree of Life
A new study by researchers at Yale and George Washington University examines the human threats to the amphibian family tree and calls for a rethinking…
New Species of Fish Filled the Ocean 66 Million Years Ago
As dinosaurs and huge ocean predators disappeared 66 million years ago in a mass extinction event, lineages that comprise the bulk of marine fish species…
Sea Anemones Adapt Their Venom to Accommodate Changing Prey and Sea Conditions
Many animals use venom to protect themselves from predators and to catch prey. Some, like jellyfish, have tentacles, while others, like bees and snakes use…
University Scientists Track Dynamic Changes in Marine Life
In a study spanning twelve years, researchers from Kyoto University, and with Ryukoku University have developed a method to calculate the fluctuating stability of a…
Scientists Discover “Supercolony” of Adelie Penguins in the Danger Islands
For the past 40 years, the total number of Adélie Penguins, one of the most common on the Antarctic Peninsula, has been steadily declining—or so…
Biologists Discover Six New Species of Silky Anteaters in Brazil
This is a story that begins in 1758 with the publication of the tenth edition of Systema Naturae, the magnum opus of Swedish naturalist Linnaeus…
New Comprehensive Map of How Butterflies Are Related to Each Other
For hundreds of years, butterfly collecting has often inspired a special kind of fanaticism, spurring lengthy expeditions, sparking rivalries and prompting some collectors to risk…
New Research Shows World’s Most Venomous Spiders Are Cousins
Two groups of highly venomous spiders might be seeing more of each other at family reunions. A new study led by San Diego State University…
Yale Study Shows Geoengineering the Climate Could Have Dangerous Consequences
One of the scientific tools being considered to reduce the impacts of climate change is solar geoengineering, or the injection of aerosols into the atmosphere…
Newly Discovered Dinosaur (Mansourasaurus shahinae) Links Africa and Europe
When it comes to the final days of the dinosaurs, Africa is something of a blank page. Fossils found in Africa from the Late Cretaceous,…