Neglected species: "Living fossil" sturgeon on the brink of extinction
Depending on your political affiliation, the words "Sturgeon in peril" may fill you with delight, despair or indifference. For those of us at Fauna & Flora International (FFI), however, this kind of headline is already old news......»»
Using CRISPR to decipher whether gene variants lead to cancer
In recent years, scientists have created a range of new methods based on CRISPR-Cas technology for precisely editing the genetic material of living organisms. One application is in cell therapy: A patient's immune cells can be specifically reprogramm.....»»
Endangered creature hit and killed by vehicle in Florida—the 27th death this year
A 2-year-old panther—listed as an endangered species—was found dead on a road in Florida, marking the 27th panther death in the state this year, records show......»»
Biologists discover new species of gecko
A team of biologists led by The University of Texas at Arlington has discovered a new tiny lizard species in the Paria Peninsula of northeastern Venezuela. This discovery, accepted for publication in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, hig.....»»
Invasive Species Are Threatening the Quality of New York’s Tap Water
Zebra mussels, hydrilla, and now a water flea have made their homes in New Croton Reservoir......»»
The US Has a Cloned Sheep Contraband Problem
After a Montana man illegally cloned and bred an endangered giant sheep species, government agencies must now contend with the illicit offspring......»»
People do care about extinct species, but not for long—new study
Lonesome George was discovered motionless in his enclosure, one morning in June 2012. Overnight, George had taken not only his final breath but the final breath of his entire species, the Pinta Island tortoise, as it faded into extinction......»»
Could microbes help create sustainable electronics?
Imagine a world where electronic devices are powered by living organisms and biodegrade after use, eliminating the problem of electronic waste. This isn't the plot of a futuristic sci-fi movie—it's a real, growing area of research known as bioelect.....»»
Man gets 10 years for stealing $20M in nest eggs from 400 US home buyers
Instead of celebrating a closing, some US home buyers lost everything. A Nigerian man living in the United Kingdom has been sentenced to 10 years for his role in a phishing scam t.....»»
How gophers brought Mount St. Helens back to life in one day
When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, lava incinerated anything living for miles around. As an experiment, scientists later dropped gophers onto parts of the scorched mountain for only 24 hours. The benefits from that single day were undeniable—an.....»»
The death of the internet: why the future is terrifying, and how we fix it
We’re living in a slowly degrading echo-chamber of AI, ads, and profits.....»»
Meet Strawberry Claws—a new species of hermit crab
Say hello to Strawberry Claws, a large new-to-science species of hermit crab recently described by Queensland Museum scientists......»»
Saturday Citations: Color vision created demand for colorful animals; observing black hole light echoes; deadlines!
This week, researchers hypothesized that human culture is distinguished from cultures of other species like whales by unique open-endedness—the ability to communicate and understand an infinite number of possibilities. An ancient unicellular organi.....»»
Research monkeys still having a ball days after busting out of lab, police say
They pose no risk to human health, and they're living their best lives. If you need any inspiration for cutting loose and relaxing this weekend, look no further than a free-wheeli.....»»
Power of aesthetic species on social media boosts wildlife conservation efforts, say experts
Facebook and Instagram can boost wildlife conservation efforts through public awareness and engagement, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Communication......»»
The rise of color vision in animals: Study maps dramatic 100-million-year explosion in color signals
Colors are widely used in communication within and among animal species. For example, peacocks proudly display their vibrant tails, adorned with iridescent eyespots, to attract peahens for courtship. This is a classic example of sexual selection usin.....»»
How prisons fall short in protecting the incarcerated from climate disasters
Blistering heat, freezing cold, and overflowing sewage water: These were the living conditions that formerly incarcerated people in Colorado said they suffered inside the state's prisons and jails......»»
Mountaineering mice shed light on evolutionary adaptation
Teams of mountaineering mice are helping advance understanding into how evolutionary adaptation to localized conditions can enable a single species to thrive across diverse environments......»»
Ancient unicellular organism indicates embryonic development might have existed prior to animals" evolution
Chromosphaera perkinsii is a single-celled species discovered in 2017 in marine sediments around Hawaii. The first signs of its presence on Earth have been dated at over a billion years, well before the appearance of the first animals......»»
New research reveals how stormy conditions affect albatrosses" ability to feed
Albatrosses are exceptionally mobile and use the wind to travel hundreds of thousands of miles to feed on squid, fish, or other animals found near the water surface in the open ocean. In fact, some larger species of albatrosses are so reliant on the.....»»
New plant bug species discovered in French Polynesia
Seventeen new species of plant bugs—a group of insects with a strawlike mouth used to feed on plant and animal matter—have been identified on the islands of French Polynesia, and their names honor scientists, actors, and Vice President Kamala Har.....»»