Male beetles neglect their genomes when competing for females
Male beetles face a trade-off between competing with other males for mating opportunities and repairing damage to their sperm DNA, according to a study published April 4 in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Mareike Koppik from Uppsala Universit.....»»
Researchers reveal a hidden trait in Mycobacterium genomes governing stress adaptation
A new study, led by Qingyun Liu, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Genetics, has uncovered a genetic feature known as "transcriptional plasticity," which plays a pivotal role in governing the transcriptional response of Mycobacteria to.....»»
Study examines influence of social media on televised debate viewing
Anyone who regularly watches news or sports has likely noticed the steady creep of content competing for screen space, whether it be stock market prices, social media posts, game scores or some other graphic display. Previous studies have indicated t.....»»
Exploring why young women in Australia are reluctant to enter politics
Despite growing momentum to increase female representation in Australia's national parliament, it continues to be a male dominated domain. New research from Monash University explores why young women still feel reluctant to become a member of the nat.....»»
Making crops colorful for easier weeding by robots
To make weeding easier, scientists suggest bioengineering crops to be colorful or to have differently shaped leaves so that they can be more easily distinguished from their wild and weedy counterparts. This could involve altering the crops' genomes s.....»»
Researchers find babbling by zebra finch chicks is important step to memorizing songs
When babies learn to talk or birds learn to sing, the same principle applies: listen and then imitate. This is how the first babble becomes the first word or vocalization. Male zebra finch chicks initially memorize the song of an adult bird. Later, t.....»»
Older male blue tits out-compete young males when it comes to extra-marital breeding
Young male blue tits are less successful in fathering offspring outside their breeding pair, not because of a lack of experience, but because they are outcompeted by older males, Bart Kempenaers and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Biolog.....»»
High stakes: The Arctic test of sustainable development
EU researchers are helping policymakers reconcile competing demands in a region full of natural resources, beauty and tradition......»»
One in 10 Australians sexually harassed by peers: Study
The first nationally representative figures on the prevalence of sexual harassment across childhood reveal females and those who are gender or sexuality diverse are most at risk......»»
Bonobos are more aggressive than previously thought, study shows
Chimpanzees and bonobos are often thought to reflect two different sides of human nature—the conflict-ready chimpanzee versus the peaceful bonobo—but a new study published in Current Biology shows that, within their own communities, male bonobos.....»»
Oxidant pollutant ozone removes mating barriers between fly species, study finds
Insect pheromones are odor molecules used for chemical communication within a species. Sex pheromones play a crucial role in the mating of many insects. Species-specific odors attract males and females of the same species. At the same time, they main.....»»
Climate change has positive and negative effects on invasive mountain pine beetles
Climate change is hampering mountain pine beetle reproduction but also appears to slightly benefit the invasive insect in other ways, new University of Alberta research shows......»»
Surprising role of female sex pheromone in crop pest points to new biocontrol possibilities
INRAE researchers have discovered that female pheromones play a remarkable role in the African cotton moth. In general, these pheromones trigger mate attraction, promoting encounters between males and females during reproductive periods. Astonishingl.....»»
Do opponents" race, gender, and party impact US congressional fundraising?
Donations for a political candidate can be motivated by support for that candidate or by opposition to the candidate's opponent. New research published in Social Science Quarterly found that female Democrats and non-white male Democrats in the United.....»»
Why are there so many species of beetles?
Diet played a key role in the evolution of the vast beetle family tree. Enlarge (credit: Laurie Rubin via Getty) Caroline Chaboo’s eyes light up when she talks about tortoise beetles. Like gems, they exist in myriad br.....»»
After 10 years of work, landmark study reveals new "tree of life" for all birds living today
The largest-ever study of bird genomes has produced a remarkably clear picture of the bird family tree. Published in the journal Nature today, our study shows that most of the modern groups of birds first appeared within 5 million years after the ext.....»»
Tech giant reveals nice price for new EV to take on Tesla
Tesla already has its work cut out in China competing with auto behemoth BYD, but a new player entering the market is set to pile on even more pressure......»»
Supergene research solves the mystery of tiny ant queens
An ant colony is sustained through complex social dynamics, with each member—the queen, males and workers (sterile females)—contributing to the greater community. Some species add complexity to this dynamic with the addition of rather small queen.....»»
Microsoft opens a crack in console gaming’s decades-old walled garden
Competing marketplaces like the Epic Games Store could show up on Xbox in the future. Enlarge / Will the fragile Xbox balloon pop if that cage is opened? (credit: Aurich Lawson / Getty Images) Since the days of the NES,.....»»
Two coral snakes recorded battling for prey in a scientific first
Two red-tailed coral snakes have been observed competing over a caecilian in the first documented wild case of kleptoparasitism within the family Elapidae......»»
Male and female crab spiders found to "cooperate" to mimic a flower to fool prey and predators
A pair of environmental scientists at Yunnan University, in China, has found an instance of a pair of spiders, one male, the other female, working together to create the image of a flower, thereby fooling both prey and predators......»»