Shaky oasis for some polar bears found, but not for species
With the polar bear species in a fight for survival because of disappearing Arctic sea ice, a new distinct group of Greenland bears seem to have stumbled on an icy oasis that might allow a small remote population to "hang on.".....»»
Cross-species transplantation: Generation of rat offspring from ovarian oocytes in mice
The idea of maturing oocytes in the ovary to produce offspring has been implemented in various ways. One such method, ovarian transplantation, is a relatively simple procedure for obtaining eggs, compared to in vitro culture of ovaries and follicles......»»
Troubled waters: How to stop Australia"s freshwater fish species from going extinct
Three-quarters of Australia's freshwater fish species are found nowhere else on the planet. This makes us the sole custodians of remarkable creatures such as the ornate rainbowfish, the ancient Australian lungfish and the magnificently named longnose.....»»
One year after the end of Apple leather iPhone cases, what do you use? [Poll]
I’m fairly firmly convinced that people who don’t keep their iPhone in a case are from an entirely different species to me. While I don’t make a habit of dropping mine, I don’t think there has been a year in which I haven’t dropped or knock.....»»
As Philippines picks up from Usagi, a fresh storm bears down
Typhoon Usagi blew out of the Philippines early Friday as another dangerous storm drew closer, threatening an area where scores were killed by flash floods and landslides just weeks ago, the weather service said......»»
Q&A: Holobiont biology, a new concept for exploring how microbiome shapes evolution of visible life
Microorganisms—bacteria, viruses and other tiny life forms—may drive biological variation in visible life as much, if not more, than genetic mutations, creating new lineages and even new species of animals and plants, according to Seth Bordenstei.....»»
Ocean warming and acidification threaten key ocean plankton groups, study warns
According to a recent study published in Nature, many planktonic foraminifera species may face unprecedented environmental conditions by the end of this century, potentially surpassing their survival thresholds. Planktonic foraminifera are single-cel.....»»
Fifth storm in under a month bears down on Philippines
The Philippines issued fresh weather warnings on Tuesday as the fifth major storm in three weeks bore down on the archipelago, days after thousands were evacuated ahead of Typhoon Toraji......»»
Bioengineered yeast mass produces herbal medicine
Herbal medicine is difficult to produce on an industrial scale. A team of Kobe University bioengineers manipulated the cellular machinery in a species of yeast so that one such molecule can now be produced in a fermenter at unprecedented concentratio.....»»
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......»»
Swirling polar vortices likely exist on the sun, new research finds
Like the Earth, the sun likely has swirling polar vortices, according to new research led by the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR). But unlike on Earth, the formation and evolution of these vortices.....»»
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.....»»
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.....»»
Q&A: Looking at ancient Roman plagues through an environmental lens
A pit of human bones, potential evidence of a catastrophic epidemic that struck Constantinople in 541 A.D. Sulfur deposits trapped in polar ice, showing traces of a series of massive volcanic eruptions. For Brandon McDonald, these seemingly incongruo.....»»
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......»»