Hemp cannabinoids may have evolved to deter insect pests
Cannabinoids, naturally occurring compounds found in hemp plants, may have evolved to deter pests from chewing on them, according to experiments that showed higher cannabinoid concentrations in hemp leaves led to proportionately less damage from inse.....»»
Insect wings could inspire new self-cleaning technologies
Fresh insights into how insects use water droplets to wash dirt and pollutants from their bodies could help improve the performance of self-cleaning devices, a study suggests......»»
‘Tasks’ to-do app gets major update with new design, Tasks Cloud, and collaboration
Tasks is one of my favorite to-do apps, and it has evolved a lot since I first wrote about it here on 9to5Mac. This week, Tasks was updated to version 3.0, which comes with a new design for the iOS app, a completely rebuilt macOS app, and new featur.....»»
Humans have lost half of primate ancestors" gut bacteria, finds new study
A new study finds that hundreds of bacterial groups have evolved in the guts of primate species over millions of years, but humans have lost close to half of these symbiotic bacteria......»»
Humans evolved to walk with an extra spring in our step, shows foot arch study
A new study has shown that humans may have evolved a spring-like arch to help us walk on two feet. Researchers studying the evolution of bipedal walking have long assumed that the raised arch of the foot helps us walk by acting as a lever which prope.....»»
Orchids" ability to grow on other plants independently evolved multiple times
The most extensive study of the genetic relationships among orchids to date reveals that the flower's ability to grow on other plants evolved independently multiple times. A team of researchers, led by Penn State biologists, compared the sequences of.....»»
Could wildflowers and bug hotels help avert an insect apocalypse? We just don"t know—yet
Insects are in rapid decline. One study found the global total is falling by 2.5% a year, with insect species going extinct eight times faster than mammals, birds and reptiles......»»
Theoretical biologists uncover novel mechanism for flight control in fruit flies
Researchers at the Institute for Theoretical Biology at Humboldt Universität have solved a long-standing mathematical puzzle about the emergence of electrical activity patterns during insect flight. Together with colleagues at the Johannes Gutenberg.....»»
Fighting off pests with deep learning and drones
Early detection of pest infestation is an important first step in the adoption of control measures that can be tailored to specific local conditions. Remote sensing technology can be a helpful tool, allowing the quick scanning of large areas, but it'.....»»
Are you prone to feeling guilty? You may be less likely to take a bribe
Bribery is among the most recognizable forms of corruption, and new research is shedding light on personality traits that could deter this behavior. Guilt-prone people are less likely to accept bribes, particularly when the act would cause obvious ha.....»»
Marsupials might be the more evolved mammals
Mammal evolution has been flipped on its head, according to new research that suggests marsupials are the more evolved mammals......»»
Humans were using fire in Europe 50,000 years earlier than previously thought
Human history is intimately entwined with the use and control of fire. However, working out when our relationship with fire began and how it subsequently evolved has been notoriously difficult......»»
A guide through the genome of crops
Plants show enormous variety in traits relevant to breeding, such as plant height, yield and resistance to pests. One of the greatest challenges in modern plant research is to identify the differences in genetic information that are responsible for t.....»»
Small, fast-growing reef fishes evolved in a warming ocean, finds study
James Cook University scientists have found coral reef fish developed faster growth rates in the warm oceans of the past, 50 to 60 million years ago. These small and fast-growing fishes epitomize the productive coral reefs of today......»»
A new tool for deforestation detection
Every second, the planet loses a stretch of forest equivalent to a football field due to logging, fires, insect infestation, disease, wind, drought, and other factors. In a recently published study, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey Earth R.....»»
Butterfly tree of life reveals an origin in North America
About 100 million years ago, a group of trendsetting moths started flying during the day rather than at night, taking advantage of nectar-rich flowers that had co-evolved with bees. This single event led to the evolution of all butterflies......»»
Google is bringing more software to your car, but we’re not sure it’s a good thing
For cars that run Google’s automotive software, it seems that the company will be bringing more of its products and services to your vehicles. The infotainment systems of our cars has evolved considerably over the years. Long gone are t.....»»
Preserving pine forests by understanding beetle flight
The mountain pine beetle is one of the main causes of tree mortality in the pine forests of North America. For example, the insect has killed thousands of acres of pine forest in British Columbia and Alberta, and as a result, the areas are more vulne.....»»
A new model for the evolution of honey bee brains
Researchers have proposed a new model for the evolution of higher brain functions and behaviors in the Hymenoptera order of insects. The team compared the Kenyon cells, a type of neuronal cell, in the mushroom bodies (a part of the insect brain invol.....»»
Migrating birds could bring lethal avian flu to Australia"s vulnerable birds
In 2021, avian influenza evolved into a new form—a new and remarkably lethal variant first found in Europe......»»
Chimpanzees combine calls to communicate new meaning
A key feature of human language is our ability to combine words into larger compositional phrases, where the meaning of the whole is related to the meaning of the parts. Where this ability came from or how it evolved, however, is less clear......»»