Parasites: what causes some species to evolve to exploit others
If you saw the first episode of David Attenborough's new BBC series Perfect Planet, you will have seen the astounding bloodsucking behaviour of the vampire finches. These small birds exist only on two remote islands in the Galapagos and have evolved.....»»
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.....»»
How can a baby learn two languages at the same time?
Language acquisition in children is one of the most fascinating features of the human species, as well as one of the most difficult problems in linguistics and cognitive science. What are the processes that enable a child to completely master its nat.....»»
Discovering van Gogh in the wild: Scientists unveil a new gecko species
You've probably seen nature depicted in art, but how often do you see an artwork hiding in nature?.....»»
Less affluent countries found to be more prone to damage caused by biological invasions despite lower trade volume
Non-native species introduced mainly via increasing trade of goods and services have huge economic, health, and environmental costs. These "biological invasions" involve the intentional or unintentional transport and release of species beyond their n.....»»
Cold stratification impacts germination rates in Vitis species
It is imperative for the success of the grape industry to develop new grape varieties capable of enduring shifting climates and heightened pressures from diseases and insects. The majority of grape cultivars rely on a specific amount of "chilling ho.....»»
Why Apple Vision Pro could evolve similarly to the Apple Watch
If you're already wondering when the next generation of the Apple Vision Pro will arrive, and what features it may have, the history of the Apple Watch might yield some clues.Given the complexity of the Apple Vision Pro, it's very unlikely that a rev.....»»
New Zealand"s Maori King calls for whales to be given personhood
The King of New Zealand's Indigenous Maori people made an impassioned call Thursday for whales to be granted the same legal rights as people in a bid to protect the hallowed yet vulnerable species......»»
Bat with species-devastating fungus discovered in Colorado
A bat infected with a fungus that has killed millions of bats across the country was found in Longmont last month......»»
Biologists uncover new species of tiger beetle: Eunota houstoniana
Rice University evolutionary biologist Scott Egan and his research team have unearthed a new species of tiger beetle, deemed Eunota houstoniana, honoring the region of Houston, where it predominantly resides......»»
Europe"s forgotten forests could be 21st century "biodiversity hot spots"
An overlooked and long-neglected type of forest has vast capacity to rebound, enhancing species diversity and resilience to climate change, according to an international team of forest scientists......»»
North American cities may see a major species turnover by the end of the century
Climate change may dramatically affect the animal species observed in North American cities, according to a study published March 27 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Alessandro Filazzola of the University of Toronto Mississauga and Apex Resourc.....»»
Sniffing out bacteria: Team develops a novel approach for rapid bacterial species identification
Do you ever wonder how researchers identify bacterial infections? Traditionally, they collect samples from the infected site, grow the bacteria in a lab, and analyze them using a method called MALDI-ToF-MS. Although accurate, this method is time-cons.....»»
Coral research finds bleaching impedes reproduction and hinders recovery
Bleaching can suppress reproduction in a common coral species found in the Great Barrier Reef, hampering future reef replenishment, new research led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and James Cook University (JCU) has identified......»»
How did nervous systems, with their incredible complexity, evolve across different species?
New research supported by the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute's Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars program zeroes in on the surprising observation that many genes found in brain cells and synapses—the points of communication between neurons—.....»»
Invasive Pacific oyster proliferation during Blob marine heat wave portends similar events as seas warm
Pacific oysters, non-native to the United States but farmed in the U.S. for aquaculture, are an invasive species. During the Pacific Blob heat wave in the mid-2010s, as sea temperatures in Washington state's Puget Sound rose to 3°C above average, th.....»»
Scammers exploit tax season anxiety with AI tools
25% of Americans has lost money to online tax scams, according to McAfee. Of the people who clicked on fraudulent links from supposed tax services, 68% lost money. Among those, 29% lost more than $2,500, and 17% lost more than $10,000. Moreover, 76%.....»»
Citizen scientists contribute vital information about 35 seahorse species
Thanks to diligent observers, seahorses, those enigmatic and charismatic fish, are not only being discovered in new habitats and expanded geographic ranges, they are also being found at new ocean depths. While their capacity for male pregnancy has lo.....»»
Sea urchin killer spreads to new species, region
A parasite that devastated long-spined sea urchins in the Caribbean and Florida in 2022 has caused another die-off more than 7,000 miles away in the Sea of Oman......»»
Species diversity found to be directly correlated with productivity in eastern US forests
When scientists and policymakers make tough calls on which areas to prioritize for conservation, biodiversity is often their top consideration. Environments with more diversity support a greater number of species and provide more ecosystem services,.....»»
"Winners and losers" as global warming forces plants uphill
Some plant species will "win" and others will "lose" as global warming forces them to move uphill, new research shows......»»