Humans found to prey on approximately one-third of all vertebrate species
An international team of ecologists, life scientists, conservationists and biologists has found that humans prey on approximately one-third of all vertebrate species in existence. In their study, reported in the journal Communications Biology, the gr.....»»
Is the physics of red blood cells in bats a key to "artificial hibernation" for humans?
The mechanical properties of red blood cells (erythrocytes) at various temperatures could play an important role in mammals' ability to hibernate. This is the outcome of a study that compared the thermomechanical properties of erythrocytes in two spe.....»»
Bacteria discovered in healthy vertebrate brains point to a potential role in brain function
Researchers at the University of New Mexico have identified the presence of bacteria in the healthy brains of fish. Understanding this connection between bacteria and animal brains could have future implications for the study of Alzheimer's disease......»»
A Hong Kong zoo seeks answers after 9 monkeys die in 2 days
Hong Kong's oldest zoo is seeking answers in a monkey medical mystery after nine animals died in two days, including three members of a critically endangered species......»»
Modern mass extinction in an Ecuadorean cloud forest found to be a mirage
One of the most notorious mass extinction events in modern times occurred on a hilltop in coastal Ecuador in the 1980s. Ninety species of plants known from nowhere else on Earth—many of them new to science and not yet given a name—went extinct wh.....»»
How "vaccinating" plants could reduce pesticide use and secure global food supplies
In a growing and changing world, we need to find ways of putting food on everyone's table. Pesticides have enabled mass cultivation on an incredible scale, but they can have harmful secondary effects on humans and wildlife, and pests are rapidly evol.....»»
Seven new frog species discovered in Madagascar
An international team of researchers have discovered seven new species of tree frogs that make otherworldly calls in the rainforests of Madagascar. Their strange, high-pitched whistling calls sound more like sound effects from the sci-fi series "Star.....»»
Ancient hominins had humanlike hands, indicating earlier tool use, study reveals
An analysis by Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Germany, on the manual capabilities of early hominins reveals that some Australopithecus species exhibited hand use similar to modern humans......»»
Dual-species atomic arrays show promise for quantum error correction
A study in Nature Physics has realized a dual-species Rydberg array combining rubidium (Rb) and cesium (Cs) atoms to enhance quantum computing and its applications......»»
Owls that nest underground become candidate for endangered status
California wildlife policymakers have opted to protect the diminutive Western burrowing owl as they consider listing the rapidly declining species as endangered or threatened......»»
Scientists explore seaweed as potential energy and food source
A trio of scientists from Rutgers University–New Brunswick is studying the potential of turning a species of seaweed into a source of energy and food......»»
Giving First Nations names to bird species is more complex and contentious than you might think
First Peoples' names for animals and plants undeniably enrich Australian culture. But to date, few names taken from a language of Australia's First Peoples have been widely applied to birds......»»
Invisible text that AI chatbots understand and humans can’t? Yep, it’s a thing.
A quirk in the Unicode standard harbors an ideal steganographic code channel. What if there was a way to sneak malicious instructions into Claude, Copilot, or other top-name AI ch.....»»
Does parrot farming protect wild species? Wildlife trade researchers review the evidence
The lives of people and parrots have been entwined for thousands of years. These colorful, charismatic birds are kept as pets all over the world for companionship and entertainment......»»
Giant prehistoric elephant skull from India belongs to mysterious extinct species
The giant fossil skull of an extinct elephant, discovered in northern India's Kashmir Valley in 2000, sheds light on a poorly known episode in elephant evolutionary history......»»
Ancient humans were so good at surviving the last ice age, they didn"t have to migrate like other species
Humans seem to have been adapted to the last ice age in similar ways to wolves and bears, according to our recent study, challenging longstanding theories about how and where our ancestors lived during this glacial period......»»
A brown ale or hoppy lager? Even fruit flies have a preference
It's no secret fruit flies are attracted to beer. Setting aside a glass of beer is a common practice to lure pesky insects away from a summer barbeque. Research by Belgian and German scientists now shows that not all fruit fly species like the same b.....»»
Cells From Different Species Can Exchange ‘Text Messages’ Using RNA
Long known as a messenger within cells, RNA is increasingly seen as life’s molecular communication system—even between organisms widely separated by evolution......»»
New oak species found in Guangxi
Oak (genus Quercus), comprising approximately 469 species of ornamental and timber trees and shrubs in the beech family (Fagaceae), is a dominant woody lineage in forest ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere......»»
New web platform provides global mapping of freshwater crayfish and pathogens
Freshwater crayfish, keystone species of aquatic ecosystems, are now at the center of a new tool that promises to revolutionize conservation efforts. World of Crayfish (WoC), a newly launched web platform, aims to provide real-time global mapping of.....»»
What colors do bees see? And how do we know?
I was reading a children's book about insects to my daughter, and it said that bees see colors differently than humans do. My daughter immediately asked, in short succession: "What colors do they see? Why? How do we know?" I did some homework to find.....»»