Plant, animal surfaces inspire infection-proof engineered implants
Dragonfly wings, lotus leaves, cicada wings—thanks to millennia of evolution, nature has optimized the ways these surfaces and others behave to offer antibacterial functionality......»»
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.....»»
Scientists reveal strigolactone perception mechanism and role in tillering responses to nitrogen
"How is plant growth controlled?" and "What is the basis of variation in stress tolerance in plants?" were among the 125 most challenging scientific questions, according to the journal Science in 2016......»»
Evolutionary anthropologist presents hypothesis about why humans are dominating the world over other animals
Why is human culture—the shared body of knowledge passed down across generations—so much more powerful than animal cultures?.....»»
Earliest evidence of Ephedra use found in 15,000-year-old Moroccan burial
An international group of researchers led by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have uncovered the earliest evidence of Ephedra use from the charred remains of the plant in a 15,000-year-old human burial site in northeastern Morocco......»»
Biologists discover how plants evolved multiple ways to override genetic instructions
Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered the origin of a curious duplication that gives plants multiple ways to override instructions that are coded into their DNA. This research could help scientists exploit a plant's existin.....»»
Probability training: Preventing errors of reasoning in medicine and law
How trustworthy is a positive HIV test result? How probable is an actual infection when the test is positive? Even professionals often get such questions wrong, which can lead to misdiagnoses and unnecessary surgeries......»»
Lab-cultured plant yogurt rivals dairy creaminess
Food engineers have harnessed the power of lupins (legumes) to create a yogurt that rivals dairy in taste and texture while delivering more nutrition than typical plant-based yogurts......»»
Are these tiny insects the world"s laziest bugs?
At less than 3mm long, you may not think Dunatothrips aneurae seem like much. And—as I have shown in a new study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology—you'd be absolutely right. That's because these may be the world's laziest insects......»»
Scientists shed light on an arms race between barley and a fungal pathogen
Scientists from the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), together with partners from the University of Cologne, have discovered a new group of defense substances in barley that are effective against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens. One.....»»
Q&A: How animal tracking data can help preserve biodiversity
Today's ecologists have more data than ever before to help monitor and understand the world's biodiversity. Yet researchers are still working to get more detailed information to better combat declining animal populations that can eventually lead to s.....»»
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.....»»
The iPad Mini 7 is Proof that We Need Good Compact Android Tablets
There's still room for a proper Android-powered competitor. The post The iPad Mini 7 is Proof that We Need Good Compact Android Tablets appeared first on Phandroid. If you’ve been paying attention to Apple’s recent product laun.....»»
Guy makes “dodgy e-bike” from 130 used vapes to make point about e-waste
Most one-use vape batteries are actually rechargeable, and this guy has proof. Disposable vapes are indefensible. Many, or maybe most, of them contain rechargeable lithium-ion bat.....»»
Not the usual suspects: Research reveals novel genetic basis of pest resistance to biotech crops
If left unchecked, insect pests can devastate crops. To minimize damage and reduce the need for insecticide sprays, crops have been genetically engineered to produce bacterial proteins that kill key pests but are not harmful to people or wildlife. Ho.....»»
Study reveals effect of slope position on nonstructural carbohydrates in biological soil crusts
Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) provide energy for metabolic processes in plants and play a key role in plant growth, defense and osmoregulation. However, the regulation of NSC in biological soil crusts across different slope positions remains unc.....»»
Only 3% of South Africans can name all five national animals and plants. Why these symbols matter
Alongside a national flag, anthem and coat of arms, most countries have one or more plant and animal species that they designate as national symbols. The national animal of China, for example, is the giant panda, a nation-wide source of pride and dip.....»»
A physicist and his cat "reveal" the equation of cat motion
In the social media age, there is little doubt about who is the star of the animal kingdom. Cats rule the screens just as their cousins, the lions, rule the savanna. Thanks to Erwin Schrödinger, this feline also has a place of honor in the history o.....»»
Mangrove degradation threatens carbon storage in China"s Pearl Bay
Carbon sinks are important in the fight against climate change as they draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by storing organic carbon in the oceans and soil, for example. Within tropical and subtropical intertidal locations, wetland plant comm.....»»
Fossil of huge terror bird offers new information about wildlife in South America 12 million years ago
Researchers including a Johns Hopkins University evolutionary biologist report they have analyzed a fossil of an extinct giant meat-eating bird—which they say could be the largest known member of its kind—providing new information about animal li.....»»
NBA reopens investigation into Jaxson Hayes after video surfaces of him and ex-girlfriend in 2021
NBA reopens investigation into Jaxson Hayes after video surfaces of him and ex-girlfriend in 2021.....»»