How a Carnivorous Mushroom Poisons Its Prey
Scientists have known for decades that oyster mushrooms feasted on roundworms—and they’ve finally figured out how their toxins work -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Exploring how the hallucinogenic substance in psilocybin mushrooms works on the molecular level
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic compound found in about 200 mushroom species, including the liberty cap (Psilocybe semilanceata). For millennia, our ancestors have known and used this substance, and in recent years, it has received renewed interest fr.....»»
Nuke-launching AI would be illegal under proposed US law
Markey and Lieu seek to ban fed funds for nuke launches without "meaningful human control." Enlarge / An AI-generated image of a nuclear mushroom cloud. (credit: Midjourney) On Wednesday, US Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.....»»
Newly identified whale"s favored prey is not endangered, but the whale is
One of the world's most endangered whales is a picky eater. Their meal of choice is an abundant little schooling fish, and scientists say, though common, this fish must be considered as part of conservation strategies for the critically endangered wh.....»»
A healthy but depleted herd: Predators decrease prey disease levels but also population size, study finds
Nature documentaries will tell you that lions, cheetahs, wolves and other top predators target the weakest or slowest animals and that this culling benefits prey herds, whether it's antelope in Africa or elk in Wyoming......»»
Oyster Mushroom Venom Kills Roundworms--So the Mushrooms Can Feast
A volatile compound makes nematodes food for oyster mushrooms.....»»
Plagues, poisons and magical thinking: How COVID lab leak hysteria could be straight from the Middle Ages
The COVID "lab leak" story clearly isn't going away soon. The theory that the pandemic began with an accidental release of the virus from a lab in Wuhan recurs like clockwork—most recently in a report from Senate Republicans in the US this week......»»
Why Are Killer Whales Ripping Livers Out of Their Shark Prey?
Killer whales rip open the bellies of sharks to snag the liver. Other predators also have dietary preferences for organs, brains and additional rich body parts.....»»
Pitcher plants might be luring in prey using specialized scents
It's time to wake up and smell the pitcher plants......»»
The seahorse has two tendons that allows it to lift its head and suck in prey at high speed
A trio of marine scientists from Brown University, the Inter-University of Marine Science and the Rochester Institute of Technology has found that the seahorse has two elastic tendons that allows it to lift its head and suck in prey at very high spee.....»»
New photo reveals extent of Centaur V anomaly explosion [Updated]
"A column of burning, clear hydrogen shot up into a mushroom cloud." Enlarge / An image of the Centaur V anomaly that occurred on March 29 during testing of the Vulcan rocket's upper stage at Marshall Space Flight Center. (credit.....»»
ULA continues investigation of Centaur stage “anomaly”
"A column of burning, clear hydrogen shot up into a mushroom cloud." Enlarge / ULA stacks its Centaur V upper stage onto the first flight version of the Vulcan rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. (credit: ULA).....»»
Study suggests pumas utilize sly strategy of fertilizing plants that recruit prey to hunting grounds
A new Panthera study published today in Landscape Ecology has found that pumas might utilize a sly hunting strategy known as 'garden to hunt,' by which puma kills fertilize or deposit nutrients in soil that increase plant quality and attract ungulate.....»»
Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage
Squids and octopuses are masters of camouflage, blending into their environment to evade predators or surprise prey. Some aspects of how these cephalopods become reversibly transparent are still "unclear," largely because researchers can't culture ce.....»»
Endangered vulture returns to Bulgaria after being extinct for 36 years
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)—also known as Black Vulture, Monk Vulture or Eurasian Black Vulture—is the largest bird of prey in Europe......»»
Their time to slime: who will be "Mollusc of the Year"?
Will you choose beauty? The carnivorous Wavy Bubble Snail, perhaps, with its billowing skirts shimmering under UV light. Or will it be age? Like the venerable 500-year-old Methuselah oyster......»»
Marine mammal reproduction rests on a precarious tipping point of ocean resources
Changing environmental conditions may threaten marine mammal populations by making it harder to find prey, and a new study shows how small, gradual reductions in prey could have profound implications for animal populations......»»
New spider genus named after pop band ABBA
Spiders of the family Araneidae are known for building vertical orbicular webs to catch prey. They can be easily identified by their eye pattern, the abdomen normally overlapping the carapace, and complex genitalia. The family currently has 188 gener.....»»
Toothed whales catch food in the deep using vocal fry register
Dolphins and other toothed whales are large brained top predators that captivate our imagination; they are extremely social, they cooperate, and can hunt prey down to 2 km deep in complete darkness with echolocation......»»
Bacteria rely on cooperation and evolution to defend against predatory protists, finds study
Eating and being eaten is a normal process in nature. These predator–prey dynamics help to stabilize ecosystems. It ensures that individual species do not become too abundant, controls their populations, and prevents damage caused by overpopulation.....»»
Australia"s rarest bird of prey disappearing at alarming rate
Australia's rarest bird of prey—the red goshawk—is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland known to support breeding populations......»»