Of ants and trees: "Evolutionary déjà vu" in the tropical rainforest
Ants are famous for their regimented and complex social behaviors. In the tropics, they are also famous for forming mutualisms with plants. Certain species of trees have conspicuous hollow swellings that house ants, often feeding the ants with specia.....»»
Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolutionary trend
The largest animals do not have proportionally bigger brains—with humans bucking this trend—a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has revealed......»»
Pongamia trees grow where citrus once flourished, offering renewable energy and plant-based protein
An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy......»»
Beryl heads for Texas after causing damage, no deaths in Mexico
Beryl weakened to a tropical storm Friday after hitting Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, with fierce winds causing material damage but no injuries along the touristic Yucatan Peninsula......»»
High speed video shows hippos get airborne when running
A pair of evolutionary biomechanics specialists at the University of London's, Royal Veterinary College, has found that when hippos run at full speed, all four of their feet are regularly in the air......»»
Study reveals human degradation of tropical forests is greater than previously estimated
Tropical forests are essential to sustain high biodiversity and mitigate climate change. They suffer from deforestation, the cutting and converting of forests for agriculture, mining, or infrastructure purposes. However, significant human impacts on.....»»
Decolonizing a university"s tropical ecology curriculum
A new study of curriculum reading material at the University of Glasgow finds that 94% of recommended tropical ecology authors are white, and that 80% of authors are affiliated with universities outside of the tropics. Dr. Stewart White, Senior Lectu.....»»
Climate Change Has Fried Earth So Badly Trees Won’t Save You Today—But I Will
The people of Phoenix will suffer under extreme heat this summer. The city has workers for that......»»
Call the ant doctor: Amputation gives injured ants a leg up on infections
"Ants are able to diagnose a wound, see if it's infected... and treat it accordingly." Enlarge / Scientists have observed wound care and selective amputation in Florida carpenter ants. (credit: Danny Buffat/CC BY-SA) Flo.....»»
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 emoji in iOS 18, iPad Pro, and patented Apple Store trees, on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple is slowly adding more to watch on Apple Vision Pro, it's gearing up for AI, emoji, and more at WWDC, and yet another Apple Store has opened — but it's made out of Lego.It may never go on sale, but this Lego Apple store is a joyThe new Lego Ap.....»»
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......»»
Ecological impact of eucalyptus trees: Balancing benefits and risks
A new study has found that Eucalyptus trees, widely planted in Israel's Western Negev, have a significant allelopathic effect, reducing herbaceous plant biomass and flowering density of red anemones, particularly in unshaded areas......»»
Small birds boast range of flight styles thanks to evolutionary edge
Small birds have explored a wide variety of styles of flight, ranging from hovering hummingbirds to bounding sparrows to soaring swifts and swallows. A new Cornell University study could explain why......»»
Replanting trees can help prevent devastating landslides like the one in Papua New Guinea, but it"s not a silver bullet
More than 2,000 people are now feared dead after a huge landslide buried a village in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, Australia's nearest neighbor. Rescue efforts are being stymied by the fact the land is still sliding and moving. The disaster has.....»»
Tropical forest resilience to seasonal drought linked to nutrient availability
Tropical forests are highly productive ecosystems, accounting for nearly half of the global forest carbon sink. If tropical forests can no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the effects of climate change may become even more severe......»»
Millions more trees isn"t the climate fix New Zealand thought
Of all the solutions for a warming world, "plant more trees" seems pretty obvious......»»
Deforestation in Brazil"s Cerrado higher than in Amazon: Report
Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado region, a vast tropical savanna renowned for its rich biodiversity, increased sharply in 2023 and overtook that of the Amazon, according to a report published Tuesday......»»
Mexico Is So Hot, Monkeys Are Falling to Their Death From Trees
Authorities and conservation groups are investigating the deaths of dozens of howler monkeys in Tabasco, where extreme heat and land-use change appear to be threatening the vulnerable species......»»
Only the Hardiest Trees Can Survive Today’s Urban Inferno
In a rapidly warming world, cities need more tree cover to stay cool—but only certain species can handle soaring temperatures, and often they aren’t native species......»»