How do diseases jump from one species to another?
From COVID to monkeypox, zoonotic viruses are a constant threat. But how do diseases jump between animals, and into humans? We asked our expert María José Ruiz-López......»»
Team of international experts call for urgent action against increasing threat from invasive species
While invasive alien species have long been recognized as a major threat to nature and people, urgent action now is needed to tackle this global issue. This is the critical evaluation by the 88 authors, representing 101 organizations from 47 countrie.....»»
How worms shaped Earth"s biodiversity explosion
One of Earth's most consequential bursts of biodiversity—a 30-million-year period of explosive evolutionary changes spawning innumerable new species—may have the most modest of creatures to thank for the vital stage in life's history: worms......»»
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.....»»
New photonic crystal approach can enable sensitive and affordable detection of biomarkers
Biomarkers are small molecules of interest to researchers, because they can indicate underlying diseases, often even before symptoms even appear. However, detecting these markers can be challenging as they are often present in very low quantities, es.....»»
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......»»
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......»»
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.....»»
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......»»
"Extraordinary" 4,000-year-old Egyptian skull may show signs of attempts to treat cancer
From ancient texts we know that—for their times—the ancient Egyptians were exceptionally skilled at medicine. For example, they could identify, describe, and treat diseases and traumatic injuries, build protheses, and put in dental fillings. Othe.....»»
Researchers develop new AI tool for advanced animal behavior analysis
Animal behavior analysis is a fundamental tool in various studies, ranging from basic neuroscience research to understanding the causes and treatments of diseases. It is widely applied not only in biological research but also across various industria.....»»
The Legend of Zelda’s first Lego set is even cooler than it looks
The Legend of Zelda is making the jump to Lego, as Mario and Animal Crossing did, with an elaborate Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 Set......»»
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.....»»
Study finds fewer invasive alien species on lands of Indigenous Peoples
The introduction of animal and plant species into new regions by humans is increasing rapidly worldwide. Some of these alien species, such as the gray squirrel, have a far-reaching impact on nature as they displace native species......»»
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.....»»