The first flowers evolved before bees—so how did they become so dazzling?
Colorful flowers, and the insects and birds that fly among their dazzling displays, are a joy of nature. But how did early relationships between flower color and animal pollinators emerge?.....»»
Cyber insurance 2.0: The systemic changes required for future security
Digitalization has evolved into a systemic risk for organizations – and, therefore, cyber insurers. With the global cost of cybercrime skyrocketing, something has to change. In this Help Net Security video, Vishaal Hariprasad, CEO at Resilience, di.....»»
Nature"s gender reveal: Key gene controls female flowers in Cucurbita pepo
Sex determination in cucurbits such as squash is influenced by a complex interplay of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors, with ethylene being the primary hormone promoting female flower development......»»
Microbial structures in Antarctic lake could reveal more about how life evolved
In the depths of remote Antarctic lakes, communities of microorganisms are thriving where few life forms can survive. Scientists are studying structures formed by these communities to understand more about microscopic life in these extreme environmen.....»»
Modular design: New insights into protein factories in human mitochondria
The "power plants" of living cells, the mitochondria, probably evolved through endosymbiosis: A bacterium migrated into a primordial cell and eventually developed into an organelle that provides the cell with energy, among other things. Mitochondria.....»»
Ancient microbes offer clues to how complex life evolved
A new study published in Science Advances reveals a surprising twist in the evolutionary history of complex life. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that a single-celled organism, a close relative of animals, harbors the r.....»»
Prime Day Lego deal gives everlasting bouquet at discount price
These flowers never die, just like your love (for Lego deals). Grab the ultimate Prime Day flowers now......»»
Study finds language affects how quickly we perceive shades of color
Bees have a phenomenal ability to perceive different shades of color, and their eyes are able to see ultraviolet light. This helps them find flowers that produce nectar......»»
Unusual rainfall brings winter flowers to Chile"s Atacama desert
Large swaths of the Atacama desert, the driest on the planet, have been covered with purple and white flowers after unusual rainfall patterns in northern Chile......»»
Air pollution harms pollinators more than pests, study finds
Bees and other beneficial bugs are disproportionately harmed by air pollution when compared to crop-destroying pests, a new study published in Nature Communications has found......»»
Do we really need a radically redesigned Apple Watch?
is turning 10 this year, and although the product has evolved a lot, its design is still very similar to the original introduced in 2014. In recent years, there have been many rumors about a major redesign coming to the Apple Watch – but they neve.....»»
Notepad’s spellcheck and autocorrect are rolling out to everybody after 41 years
It's still bare-bones by most standards, but Notepad has evolved a lot recently. Testing spellcheck in the latest version of Windows Notepad......»»
To save bees, scientists say focus on habitat first, then pesticides
Worldwide, hedgerows and wild grass in field margins which previously served as semi-natural habitats are being swallowed up into agricultural production. While scientists have suggested both pesticide use and habitat loss are detrimental to pollinat.....»»
AI approach optimizes development of antibody drugs
Proteins have evolved to excel at everything from contracting muscles to digesting food to recognizing viruses. To engineer better proteins, including antibodies, scientists often iteratively mutate the amino acids—the units that are arranged in a.....»»
Study reveals rapid evolution and global spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa—an environmental bacteria that can cause devastating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in people with underlying lung conditions—evolved rapidly and then spread globally over the last 200 years, probably driven b.....»»
Could we replace Ingenuity with a swarm of robotic bees?
Humans finally achieved controlled flight on another planet for the first time just a few years ago. Ingenuity, the helicopter NASA sent to Mars, performed that difficult task admirably. It is now taking a well-deserved rest until some intrepid human.....»»
Giant salamander-like creature was a top predator in the ice age before the dinosaurs
Forty million years before the first dinosaurs evolved, a ferocious predator lurked in swampy waters. Its skull alone was over two feet long. It lay in wait, its jaws open wide, preparing to clamp down its interlocking jaws on any prey unwise enough.....»»
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.....»»
Tracing the evolution of ferns" surprisingly sweet defense strategy
Plants and the animals that eat them have evolved together in fascinating ways, creating a dynamic interplay of survival strategies. Many plants have developed physical and chemical defenses to fend off herbivores. A well-known strategy in flowering.....»»
Butterflies, bees, bugs and more: The summer of insect-counting gets underway in Germany
In a strip of greenery between Berlin's Natural History Museum and a busy street, bumble bees move swiftly between flowers while a ladybug makes its way along a leaf full of aphids and bugs crawl about......»»
Scientists pit primates against smaller-brained mammals to find out who is the smartest forager
Primates, including humans, have larger brains than most other mammals, but why? Scientists searching for the answer have long followed a trail pointing to diet—specifically fruit—as the reason for why primates evolved larger brains......»»