Tiny orchid flowers pollinated by tiny flies
Researchers Yuta Sunakawa, Ko Mochizuki, and Atsushi Kawakita of the University of Tokyo have discovered the first orchid species pollinated by gall midges, a tiny fly species. This is the first documented case of an orchid species found to be pollin.....»»
The stone-eaters that threaten Iran"s ancient Persepolis
Conservationists at Persepolis, Iran's most iconic ancient site, are waging a delicate battle against an unlikely adversary: tiny but persistent lichens eroding the millennia-old monuments......»»
Flowers use adjustable "paint by numbers" petal designs to attract pollinators, researchers discover
Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes—a crucial pre-pattern that can significantly impact their ability to attract pollinating bees......»»
Scientists discover crude oil decimates sea otter buoyancy
Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back. However, the charismatic c.....»»
New technique boosts mutation rates in fruit flies for genetics research
A new technique, TF-High-Evolutionary (TF-HighEvo), allows large-scale assessment of de-novo mutations in multicellular organisms. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Friedrich Mie.....»»
Image: Chili flowers bloom in International Space Station
In July 2021, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station started growing chili peppers in the Advanced Plant Habitat, as part of the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment......»»
An evolutionary battleground: Plants vs. microbes
Gazing out on a freshwater pond, you may see tiny green plants with oval-shaped leaves floating in clusters. In overgrown ponds, these plants coat the water's surface. These plants—called duckweed or water lentils—can grow so fast that they can d.....»»
Long stems on flowers are an adaptation that encourages bat pollination, research suggests
Flowers that are pollinated by bats tend to have long stems that make them stand out from the surrounding foliage. New research published in New Phytologist reveals the evolutionary advantage that this characteristic provides to plants to ensure that.....»»
Multiple ways to evolve tiny knee bone could have helped humans walk upright
The evolution of bones in primates' knees could have implications for how humans evolved to walk upright, a new study has found......»»
Whales are recovering from near extinction, but industrial fishing around Antarctica competes for their sole food source
The Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica is the world's largest feeding ground for baleen whales—species like humpbacks that filter tiny organisms from seawater for food. In the 20th century, whalers killed roughly 2 million large whales in the Sou.....»»
The fascinating secrets of plant reproduction that scientists are still uncovering
You might think flowers don't have much choice about who they mate with, given they are rooted to the ground and can't move......»»
Atomic diffusion technique could lead to mass production of metal nanowires
A group from Nagoya University in Japan has created a new technique for growing the tiny metal nanowires (NWs) that are expected to be used in next-generation electronics. Their results suggest a way to mass produce pure metal NWs, which has until no.....»»
Could alternative meat meet a growing demand?
Inside a UC Davis engineering lab, tiny round pellets swirl in a brown liquid inside a 5-liter glass tank. The tank, a bioreactor, is brewing edible fungi high in protein and designed to look and taste like meat......»»
New mass spectrometry technology could transform tiny sample analysis
Mass spectrometry is a powerful technique that allows scientists to break down and identify the building blocks of just about anything by measuring the mass of the tiny particles of which something is comprised. It has a major limitation, however—a.....»»
The amazing flowers growing in pavement cracks and why you shouldn"t pass them by
In spring and summer flowers pop up spontaneously in lawns, playgrounds, fields and even cracks in the pavement. But what do you see: weeds or wildflowers?.....»»
Ultimate Ears Miniroll speaker is tiny, waterproof, and wearable
Ultimate Ears' latest portable Bluetooth speaker is also its smallest......»»
Tiny glass beads suggest the moon had active volcanoes when dinosaurs roamed Earth
Volcanoes were still erupting on the moon when dinosaurs roamed Earth, new research suggests......»»
Plant thermogenesis has played key role in attracting pollinating insects for at least 200 million years, study suggests
Thermogenesis is a process by which organisms generate internal heat. Although it is usually associated with animals, some plants have also developed this ability. This metabolic process allows certain parts of the plant, such as flowers and inflores.....»»
Global experts present early-stage recommendations for nanomedicine development
They're tiny drug-delivery systems 1,000 times smaller than a human hair, but while nanomedicines have long been hailed as the future for treating debilitating and life-threatening diseases, their journey from lab to patient has many challenges......»»
An epic, Lord of the Flies-inspired series that I wish more people knew about is headed to Netflix
An epic, Lord of the Flies-inspired series that I wish more people knew about is headed to Netflix.....»»
Minitruck, van import enthusiasts wary of potential restrictions in certain states
Kei vehicle owners voiced support for the tiny trucks and vans at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's board of directors meeting in July......»»