Monarchs evolved mutations to withstand milkweed toxins; so did their predators
Monarch butterflies and their close relatives thrive on poisonous milkweed, thanks to genetic mutations that block the effects of the plant's toxins while allowing the poisons to accumulate in the caterpillar or adult insects as deterrents to hungry.....»»
You say tomato, these scientists say evolutionary mystery
Biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found evidence for evolutionary "syndromes"—sets of traits that occur together—that help to explain how tomatoes first evolved their distinctive blend of color, sweetness, acidity and aro.....»»
New research predicts effects of marine heat waves on top ocean predators
Forecasts can now predict the location and onset of marine heat waves that can disrupt marine ecosystems. Scientists say the next step is to forecast what happens to top predators that inhabit those ecosystems......»»
Researchers reveal the hidden world of Toronto"s urban predators, and their prey
Raccoons may be Toronto's unofficial mascot, but the furry creatures that plunder our green bins are far from the only wild animals that live among us......»»
How to make color-changing "Transformers" with polymers
Shape and color changing are key survival traits for many animals. Chameleons can change their body to hide from predators, to reflect their moods, or even to defend their territory, while some soft-bodied animal-like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefis.....»»
The 46 best shows on Netflix in September 2023
The best shows on Netflix In September include the new series Dear Child, nature documentary Predators, and hits like Suits, Who is Erin Carter?, and One Piece......»»
BA.2.86 fears fizzle as other variants drive up hospitalizations, deaths
Three preliminary studies suggest BA.2.86 may not be the scary subvariant some feared. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Justin Sullivan) Concern over the highly evolved omicron subvariant BA.2.86 is easing as the first batch of.....»»
Study suggests human shoulders and elbows first evolved as brakes for climbing apes
The rotating shoulders and extending elbows that allow humans to reach for a high shelf or toss a ball with friends may have first evolved as a natural braking system for our primate ancestors who simply needed to get out of trees without dying......»»
Research sheds surprising new light on evolution of plant kingdom
A new study has uncovered intriguing insights into the evolution of plant biology, effectively rewriting the history of how plants evolved over the past billion years......»»
New analysis suggests human ancestors nearly died out
Study claims 99% of human ancestors died off 930,000 years ago. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Multiple lines of evidence indicate that modern humans evolved within the last 200,000 years and spread out of Africa startin.....»»
Study predicts songbirds" alarm calls will be impacted by high temperatures due to climate change
An international study has predicted that high temperatures caused by climate change will impact the ability of the common songbird great tits (Parus major) to sound the alarm and scare off predators, potentially impacting the species future. The res.....»»
Tracking the migration adventures of Black-winged Monarchs
Black-winged Monarchs (Monarcha frater) are songbirds that live in the rainforests of New Guinea and northern Australia. They feed on insects and belong to the same bird family, Monarchidae, as flycatchers and magpie-larks......»»
The Top Programming Languages 2023
Welcome to IEEE Spectrum’s 10th annual rankings of the Top Programming Languages. While the way we put the TPL together has evolved over the past decade, the basics remain the same: to combine multiple metrics of popularity into a set of rankings.....»»
Predators play irreplaceable role in ecosystems
New research recently published in Oikos shows that predators play a unique and important role in ecosystems by creating "ecological hotspots"—localized areas important for plants and animals......»»
The "weird" male Y chromosome has finally been fully sequenced. Can we now understand how it works, how it evolved?
The Y chromosome is a never-ending source of fascination (particularly to men) because it bears genes that determine maleness and make sperm. It's also small and seriously weird; it carries few genes and is full of junk DNA that makes it horrendous t.....»»
Study demonstrates immune defense was key for plants conquering land
A new study, led by Hirofumi Nakagami at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, demonstrates that one of the two branches of plant immunity was likely to have evolved early during the establishment of plants on dry.....»»
It"s so metal: Scientists confirm nickel plays a key role in an ancient chemical reaction
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant greenhouse gas causing climate change but has existed on Earth long before humans started releasing it into the atmosphere at unprecedented levels. As such, some of the planet's earliest organisms evolved to.....»»
Massive pre-Jurassic reptile had weaker bite than modern crocs
The apex predators that roamed the earth 230 million years ago had a much weaker bite than previously thought, and likely couldn't crunch through bone to consume the entirety of their kills......»»
Researchers develop novel technique for sniffing out toxic algae blooms
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new way to monitor the danger associated with algae blooms: "sniffing" the water for gases associated with toxins......»»
Nauseous territory: Outfoxing predators using baits that make them ill
Introduced foxes, dogs, cats, rats, and other predators kill millions of native animals every year, but what if they were conditioned to associate this prey with food that made them ill?.....»»
Thick ones, pointy ones—how albatross beaks evolved to match their prey
Albatross are among the world's largest flying birds, with wingspans that can stretch beyond a remarkable three meters. These majestic animals harness ocean winds to travel thousands of kilometers in search of food while barely flapping their wings......»»