Expedition uncovers four new tarantula species in Colombia"s biodiversity hotspot
The Colombian Pacific region, nestled within the heart of the Chocó Biogeographic Region, has unveiled some of its remarkable biological wonders. Recognized as one of the world's most enigmatic biodiversity hotspots, this area has remained largely u.....»»
New evolutionary model revises the origins of biodiversity
An international team of scientists has made a discovery that could reshape our understanding of how global biodiversity evolved. By reconstructing the evolution of species over the past 45 million years, researchers found that the geographic origins.....»»
Signs of hope for endangered Maugean skate
For the first time in nearly a decade, scientists have recorded an increased presence of young Maugean skates—a ray of hope for the survival of the endangered species......»»
New shark species named for late Microsoft co-founder
A hammerhead shark species discovered by FIU scientists finally has a name and its namesake is the late Paul G. Allen, philanthropist and cofounder of Microsoft......»»
New Zealand scientists discover ghostly "spookfish"
Scientists in New Zealand said Tuesday they have discovered a new species of "ghost shark", a type of fish that prowls the Pacific Ocean floor hunting prey more than a mile down......»»
Businesses trying to come clean about their impact on nature can end up concealing more than they reveal
Humans have overfished the ocean, cleared forests, polluted water and created a climate crisis by burning fossil fuels. These actions are affecting biodiversity around the world, from remote islands to our own backyards......»»
Indigenous outback rangers in WA find up to 50 night parrots, among Australia"s most elusive birds
In arid inland Australia lives one of Australia's rarest birds: the night parrot. Missing for more than a century, a live population was rediscovered in 2013. But the species remains elusive......»»
Extreme polar light environment of the North and South Poles sustains biodiversity, researchers suggest
Researchers working in Finland propose that the unique light environment of the Earth's polar regions creates conditions that result in circumpolar hybrid zones around the North and the South Poles. These extreme conditions increase the synchrony of.....»»
Study reveals high rates of seafood mislabeling and ambiguous market names in Calgary, Alberta
A study published in PeerJ Life and Environment has uncovered alarming levels of seafood mislabeling and the use of ambiguous market names in Calgary's seafood market, often concealing species of conservation concern. This research marks the first Ca.....»»
Colombia"s Inirida flower: from "weed" to emblem for UN meeting
When Ruben Dario Carianil began cultivating the unusual, pointy Inirida flower in the Colombian Amazon ten years ago, his relatives made fun of him for growing "weeds.".....»»
Colombia battles fires as drought fuels Latin American flames
Colombian authorities said Sunday they were fighting forest fires across seven departments, as a scorching drought fanned blazes across Latin America......»»
Can AI help save our planet?
Last year was the hottest on record. Around the world, we are witnessing more extreme events—from massive forest fires to floods to "hot tub'" ocean temperatures—with devastating consequences for human life and our planet's biodiversity......»»
Small "no-take zone" can help protect critically endangered hammerhead shark in Columbia
Researchers are advocating for a "no-take zone" off the coast of Colombia after one of the world's smallest and most threatened hammerhead species was found to do very little traveling outside of a Marine Protected Area in the region......»»
New database covers distribution and evolutionary history of megadiverse flowering plant family on isolated islands
Asteraceae, a family of flowering plants, are the most diverse group of flowering plants in the world. This plant family comprises about 34,000 species. An international research team with the participation of the University of Göttingen has now com.....»»
Team develops gene editing strategy for macroalgae Neopyropia
Neopyropia is an important economic macroalga and is one of the main macroalgae cultivation species in China, Japan, South Korea and other countries. As a critical juncture in the evolution of photosynthetic organisms, red algae to which Neopyropia b.....»»
Love island: Bird"s refusal to leave resort life leads to genetic change
A little yellow-and-white bird that prefers to date its mates in an idyllic island lifestyle rather than fly to the mainland to mingle is an example of avian species evolution in action, according to new Australian research......»»
Genetic tracing at the Huanan Seafood market further supports COVID animal origins
A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of meta.....»»
Moderate levels of exotic species invasions may help maintain biodiversity, study suggests
Globally, more than 13,000 plant species, equivalent to the entire native flora of Europe, have been naturalized outside their native ranges. A study, jointly conducted by scientists from China and the U.S., provides new insights about biodiversity,.....»»
New technique zeros in on the genes that snakes use to produce venom
Only about 10% of the world's roughly 4,000 snake species have venom strong enough to seriously hurt a human, but that's enough for snake bites to be an important public health concern. To help better understand how snakes make their venom and how ve.....»»
Reducing floodplain development doesn"t need to be complex, say researchers
A paper, titled "How local governments avoid floodplain development through consistent implementation of routine municipal ordinances, plans, and programs," published in Oxford Open Climate Change uncovers evidence suggesting that, contrary to expect.....»»
Study identifies possible novel species in fish genus endemic to Neotropics
With 84 species currently described, Characidium may be the most diverse fish genus known to science. This is the conclusion reached by Brazilian scientists after analyzing more than 4,400 specimens of this genus of South American darters endemic to.....»»