Red wolf genes found in coyote hybrids may be the key to preserving the endangered species
A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. reports a high percentage of red wolf genes in the genomes of coyote hybrids living in some parts of southwest Louisiana and eastern Texas. In their paper published in the journal.....»»
Researchers report on mechanisms of gene regulatory divergence between species
Closely related animal species can look physically different, but you might be surprised to learn that those differences can result not only from DNA sequence changes that alter proteins' structure or function, but also because changes in the DNA aff.....»»
Mojave desert tortoise officially joins California"s endangered list
The California Fish and Game Commission has formally recognized the Mojave desert tortoise as endangered......»»
Same species, different sizes: Rare evolution in action spotted in island bats
A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands......»»
Scientists find common genes defending coffee plants against devastating disease
Arabica coffee is the most economically important coffee globally and accounts for 60% of coffee products worldwide. But the plants it hails from are vulnerable to a disease that, in the 1800s, devastated Sri Lanka's coffee empire......»»
Why are groups of university students modifying Cadillac Lyriq EVs?
The competition provides a steady stream of experienced graduates to the auto industry. Enlarge / For the previous EcoCar 3 competition, student teams turned Camaro sportscars into hybrids. For the EcoCar EV challenge, their job.....»»
Saturday Citations: Irrationality modeled; genetic basis for PTSD; Tasmanian devils still endangered
Hello, stakeholders. (This is the nongendered term of address I've been workshopping because I see "folks" in too many social media posts.) Researchers this week reported on an AI model that attempts to emulate human irrationality in decision-making,.....»»
Lemur"s lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another
What can be done when one threatened animal kills another? Scientists studying critically endangered lemurs in Madagascar confronted this difficult reality when they witnessed attacks on lemurs by another vulnerable species, a carnivore called a fosa.....»»
Reintroduced wolves kill four yearling cattle in latest of string of livestock attacks in Colorado
Wolves killed several yearling cattle in north-central Colorado this week, bringing the total number of wolf kills of livestock this month to six......»»
Why zebrafish can regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot
A heart attack will leave a permanent scar on a human heart, yet other animals, including some fish and amphibians, can clear cardiac scar tissue and regrow damaged muscle as adults......»»
Why being humble can make you a better leader
When we consider how leaders get to the top, we might think of somebody like Jordan Belfort, the millionaire stockbroker portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street. And humility is probably not the word that comes to mind......»»
Invasive species sound off about impending ecosystem changes
Anticipating changes to ecosystems is often at best an educated guess, but what if there was a way to better tune into possible changes occurring?.....»»
Africa is full of bats, but their fossils are scarce—why these rare records matter
Africa is home to more than 20% of the world's bat population. There are more than 200 species to be found on the continent. South Africa is particularly diverse, with 72 bat species......»»
Researchers realize hydrogen formation by contact electrification of water microdroplets and its regulation
Direct utilization of water as a source of hydrogen atoms and molecules is fundamental to the evolution of the ecosystem and industry. However, liquid water is an unfavorable electron donor for forming these hydrogen species due to its redox inertnes.....»»
Discovery of new ancient giant snake in India
A new ancient species of snake dubbed Vasuki Indicus, which lived around 47 million years ago in the state of Gujarat in India, may have been one of the largest snakes to have ever lived, suggests new research published in Scientific Reports. The new.....»»
Team finds direct evidence of "itinerant breeding" in East Coast shorebird species
Migration and reproduction are two of the most demanding events in a bird's annual cycle, so much so that the vast majority of migratory birds separate the two tasks into different times of the year......»»
Researchers identify genetic variant that helped shape human skull base evolution
Humans, Homo sapiens, have unique features compared with other closely related hominin species and primates, including the shape of the base of the skull. The evolutionary changes underlying these features were significant in allowing the evolution o.....»»
Rewilding amphibians: Protecting endangered species to restore ecosystems
In a recent paper published in Biological Conservation, iDiv researchers suggest that given amphibians' ability to act as "canaries in the coal mine" for aquatic environments, they should be reintroduced or rewilded. Rewilding would not only help pro.....»»
Paleontologists unearth what may be the largest known marine reptile
The fossilized remains of a second gigantic jawbone measuring more than two meters long has been found on a beach in Somerset, UK. Experts have identified the bones as belonging to the jaws of a new species of enormous ichthyosaur, a type of prehisto.....»»
New class of antimicrobials discovered in soil bacteria
Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors, especially others of their own species......»»
Amazon butterflies show how new species can evolve from hybridization
If evolution was originally depicted as a tree, with different species branching off as new blooms, then new research shows how the branches may actually be more entangled. In "Hybrid speciation driven by multilocus introgression of ecological traits.....»»