Biodiversity in crabs: More than counting species
Biodiversity is often equated with species numbers. A team led by LMU zoologist Professor Carolin Haug has shown that matters are a good deal more complicated than that. The researchers compared the shield shapes of "true" crabs (Brachyura) and "fals.....»»
Discovering new anti-aging secrets from the world"s longest-living vertebrate
New experimental research shows that muscle metabolic activity may be an important factor in the incredible longevity of the world's oldest living vertebrate species—the Greenland shark. These findings may have applications for conservation of this.....»»
Discovering a new piranha species in the Amazon Basin
Have you ever wondered what secrets the Amazon Basin holds beneath its murky waters? I'm Flavio Gallo Cardozo, a biologist from Bolivia, and I'm excited to share with you the journey of discovering a new piranha species, Serrasalmus magallanesi, from.....»»
How many giraffe species are there? Understanding this maybe key to their protection
Giraffes, with their distinctive body shape and variations in coat patterns, have long been an example in evolutionary biology teachings. They are a textbook example of how species adapt to their surroundings and survive under harsh conditions. Despi.....»»
Novel nematode species, a relative of model organisms, discovered
A new nematode species has been discovered in soil-dwelling bees at the University of Tsukuba's Sugadaira Research Station. This species shares a close relationship with a model nematode Pristionchus pacificus used in developmental and evolutionary b.....»»
Study shows cuckoos evolve to look like their hosts—and form new species in the process
The theory of coevolution says that when closely interacting species drive evolutionary changes in each other this can lead to speciation—the evolution of new species. But until now, real-world evidence for this has been scarce......»»
Study suggests faster decomposition rates in waterways could exacerbate greenhouse gas emissions, threaten biodiversity
Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study from the University of Georgia, Oakland University and Kent State University......»»
The missing puzzle piece: A striking new snake species from the Arabian Peninsula
Researchers have discovered a new distinctive and secretive snake species in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia......»»
Rapid urbanization in Africa transforms local food systems and threatens biodiversity, says study
Urbanization in Africa is accelerating quickly, showing no signs of slowing down. An international team of researchers addresses critical gaps in our understanding of how this urbanization affects local food and ecological systems, emphasizing the im.....»»
New method advances cancer detection by counting tiny blood-circulating particles
A University of Houston researcher is reporting a new method to detect cancer which could make cancer detection as simple as taking a blood test. With a 98.7% accuracy rate, the method—which combines PANORAMA imaging with fluorescent imaging—has.....»»
Women are 14 times more likely to die in a climate disaster than men—just one way climate change is gendered
When we think of climate and environmental issues such as climate-linked disasters or biodiversity loss, we don't tend to think about gender. At first glance, it may seem irrelevant......»»
Researchers find high concentrations of D-amino acids and D-lactate in estuarine polychaetes
A research group has discovered that high concentrations of D-amino acids, in addition to L-amino acids, are present in the body tissues of polychaetes and that their composition is species-specific......»»
Fatal attraction: When endangered species try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose
Sticks and stones aren't enough to thwart biological attraction, but sometimes those are the only tools available to pastoralists trying to prevent wildlife from eloping with their livestock......»»
Researchers cataloging plant species are trying to decipher what makes some groups so successful
Irish researchers involved in cataloging the world's plant species are hunting for answers as to what makes some groups so successful......»»
Scientists count emperor penguins in the Antarctic to investigate factors affecting population
Emperor penguins are an endangered species. Scientists are protecting the largest of all penguins by monitoring their numbers precisely and investigating which factors affect their population. A team led by researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universi.....»»
Butterflies, bees, bugs and more: The summer of insect-counting gets underway in Germany
In a strip of greenery between Berlin's Natural History Museum and a busy street, bumble bees move swiftly between flowers while a ladybug makes its way along a leaf full of aphids and bugs crawl about......»»
Marine Protected Areas don"t line up with core habitats of rare migratory fish, finds new research
According to a new modeling study, 62% of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated to protect rare migratory fish species are outside of their core habitats. The findings are published in the Journal of Applied Ecology......»»
Florida fossil porcupine solves a prickly dilemma 10 million years in the making
There's a longstanding debate simmering among biologists who study porcupines. There are 16 porcupine species in Central and South America, but only one in the United States and Canada. DNA evidence suggests North America's sole porcupine belongs to.....»»
Scientists uncover a multibillion-year epic written into the chemistry of life
The origin of life on Earth has long been a mystery that has eluded scientists. A key question is how much of the history of life on Earth is lost to time. It is quite common for a single species to "phase out" using a biochemical reaction, and if th.....»»
Partial skeleton of a previously unknown medium-sized theropod dinosaur found in Siberia
Study of a partial skeleton found embedded in a rock has resulted in the discovery of a new species of dinosaur. Using a variety of technology and techniques, researchers affiliated with several institutions in the Russian Federation found that the f.....»»
Global activity of seafloor biodiversity mapped for the first time
A team of scientists from the U.S. and the U.K. has used artificial intelligence (AI) to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, such as worms, clams and shrimps, across all the oceans of the world......»»