En garde! Wasps use penis spikes to ward off predators
An accidental sting has helped Japanese scientists prove some male wasps have a rather unusual predator defence weapon: penis spikes......»»
Some solitary mammals have surprisingly social lives: What one researcher has learned from a tiny south African rodent
We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realizes that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus.....»»
Findings reveal eurypterids evolved giant size independently at least nine times
Sea scorpions, ancient predators that patrolled Earth's marine and freshwater habitats hundreds of millions of years ago, are the focus of a sizable scientific mystery......»»
Flood of "junk": How AI is changing scientific publishing
An infographic of a rat with a preposterously large penis. Another showing human legs with way too many bones. An introduction that starts: "Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic"......»»
Ancient Antarctic microorganisms are aggressive predators
In Antarctica there is a small lake, called Deep Lake, that is so salty it remains ice-free all year round despite temperatures as low as -20°C in winter. Archaea, a unique type of single-celled microorganism, thrive in this bitterly cold environmen.....»»
Hackers exploit VMware vulnerability that gives them hypervisor admin
Create new group called "ESX Admins" and ESXi automatically gives it admin rights. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Microsoft is urging users of VMware’s ESXi hypervisor to take immediate action to ward off ongoing attac.....»»
New study shows that "super spikes" can increase track running speeds by 2%
New research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that super spikes, scientifically described as advanced footwear technology (AFT) spikes, can give runners about a 2% edge in middle-distance track races, like the 800- and 1,500-meter.....»»
Ghosts of species past: Shedding new light on the demise of NZ"s moa can help other flightless birds
New Zealand was once home to giant flightless birds called moa. They had grown accustomed to life without predators. So the arrival of humans in the mid-13th century presented a massive—and ultimately insurmountable—challenge to their existence......»»
Paris Mayor Defies Poop Threats to Swim in Seine, and Prove a Point
French politicians’ pledge to make swimming possible in the iconic river is a way to ward off criticism about the cost of the cleanup operation......»»
Ladybugs: Understanding the beneficial predators among us
Lady beetles, also known as ladybugs, are distinct, varied and abundant, with approximately 500 species in North America and 6,000 worldwide. Their oval, dome-shaped bodies can be colorful and decorative, but the "lady" designation has nothing to do.....»»
DNA analysis reveals that there are more species of parasitoid wasps than anticipated
When Charles Darwin first encountered parasitoid wasps, he was horrified. In an 1860 letter to American botanist Asa Gray, he wrote: "I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created parasitic wasps with the.....»»
Farm wastewater modeling shows footbaths are source of antimicrobial resistance
New research has mapped wastewater flows on farms and revealed where spikes in antibiotic resistant bacteria in slurry occur, showing that water from copper and zinc footbaths used by dairy animals can cause fluctuations......»»
Biologists discover caterpillars are able to sense electrostatic fields generated by predators
Sam England and Daniel Robert, biologists at the University of Bristol, report that at least three types of caterpillars are capable of sensing and responding to an electrostatic field generated by a predator......»»
Dice snakes found to use a variety of techniques to more effectively fake their own deaths
A pair of biologists at the University of Belgrade, in Serbia, has found that dice snakes use a variety of techniques to fool predators into believing they have died. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Vukašin Bjelica and Ana G.....»»
The wasps that tamed viruses
Some insects have transformed wild viruses into tiny biological weapons. Enlarge / Xorides praecatorius is a parasitoid wasp. (credit: TorriPhoto via Getty) If you puncture the ovary of a wasp called Microplitis demolito.....»»
Alpacas found to be the only mammal to directly inseminate the uterus
A pair of biologists from Mount Holyoke College, working with a colleague from North American Camelid Studies Program, the Nunoa Project, has found that the male alpaca thrusts his penis all the way into the uterus of the female during mating, making.....»»
Report: People are bailing on Safari after DMA makes changing defaults easier
Indie browsers report significant spikes in users in the past month. Enlarge (credit: Thomas Trutschel / Contributor | Photothek) Smaller web browsers are gaining traction in the European Union after the Digital Markets.....»»
Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race
One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria an.....»»
Scientists agree, the media is biased against wasps
Wasp scientists around the globe agree that media coverage of wasps skews negative and almost entirely overlooks their beneficial attributes, reports a team led by UCL researchers......»»
Amphibians use scream inaudible to humans for self-defense against predators, study suggests
A study reported in the journal acta ethologica has recorded the use of ultrasound by amphibians for the first time in South America. It also describes the first documented case of the use of ultrasound for defense against predators, in a distress ca.....»»
These Women Came to Antarctica for Science. Then the Predators Emerged
Jane Willenbring was the first to blow the whistle on sexual harassment and assault in Antarctica. Years later, women are still coming forward with tales of horror as a government investigation unfolds......»»