Underestimated female tutors: Zebra finch mothers coach their sons to sing better
In the world of zebra finches, males sing, and females were thought to just listen. But a new study by Daniela Vallentin at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence has overturned this assumption......»»
Dopamine-releasing brain cells reflect song bird intentions during courtship
His mind might have been set on finding water or on perfecting a song he learned as a chick from his dad. But all of that gets pushed down the to-do list for an adult male zebra finch when he notices a female has drawn nigh......»»
Sperm swimming is caused by the same patterns that are believed to dictate zebra stripes
Patterns of chemical interactions are thought to create patterns in nature such as stripes and spots. A new study shows that the mathematical basis of these patterns also governs how sperm tail moves......»»
Calif. dealership employee shot, killed; police kill suspect
An armed man shot and killed a female employee at Toyota of Berkeley Certified Service Center last Thursday, according to a statement released by Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín. The suspect was killed in shootout with police......»»
Heat extremes in the soil are underestimated, according to new study
For a long time, little attention was paid to soil temperatures. In contrast to air temperatures near the surface, hardly any reliable data was available because of the considerably more complex measurement. A research team leaded by the Helmholtz Ce.....»»
Worm that jumps from rats to slugs to human brains has invaded Southeast US
Multiple rats in Atlanta test positive for calamitous, rapidly spreading parasite. Adult female worm of Angiostrongylus cantonensis recovered from rat lungs with characteristic barber-pole appearance (anterior end of worm is to t.....»»
"Do not anthropomorphize plants," say plant and forest researchers
Plants are often attributed with abilities similar to those known in the animal or human world. Trees are said to have feelings and can purportedly care for their offspring, like mothers. In an article in the review journal Trends in Plant Science, 3.....»»
Witchcraft accusations an "occupational hazard" for female workers in early modern England
While both men and women have historically been accused of the malicious use of magic, only around 10–30% of suspected witches were men by the 16th and 17th centuries......»»
Sexualized Instagram imagery found to affect young women"s body image
Viewing sexualized Instagram posts by online influencers increases the negative mood and body dissatisfaction of young female adults who view them, and promotes negative effects among viewers beyond striving for thinness and attractiveness......»»
Female judges, especially women of color, cited far less frequently than male judges
The current U.S. Supreme Court may be the newsiest set of judges in the history of the judicial branch. From striking down Roe v. Wade and ending affirmative action, to ruling on President Biden's program to cancel student debt, SCOTUS has not been a.....»»
3 sci-fi movies with great female lead characters
From a 1980s James Cameron classic to an Oscar-winning film with Sandra Bullock, these sci-fi movies prove there are plenty of great female leads in sci-fi......»»
Why do female great hammerhead sharks gather every summer in French Polynesia?
A large international team of marine scientists are trying to solve the mystery of why a large group of female hammerhead sharks have gathered in two French Polynesian atolls every summer of over the past decade. In their paper published in the journ.....»»
Research explores why daughters in Chinese families with a preference for sons fail to break from sustained exploitation
New research from Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) unveils the extent of sustained exploitation within many Chinese families that have a clear preference for sons over daughters—and why daughters can stay 'trapped' in this situation th.....»»
"I almost lost my will to live": Preference for sons is leaving young women in China exploited and abused
China has a gender crisis. The country has a huge surplus of men—around 722 million compared to 690 million women in 2022. This is largely because of sex-selective abortions linked to China's one-child policy, which ended in 2015......»»
Trans students benefit from gender-inclusive classrooms—so do the other students and science itself, says researcher
Across the U.S., legislators are debating how and when sex and gender should be discussed in the classroom and beyond. Specifically, these bills are considering whether anything beyond male or female can be included in library books and lesson plans......»»
Female science heroes missing from Australian high school curricula
Australian high school students enrolled in STEM subjects don't read or learn about nearly as many prominent female scientists compared to their male counterparts, according to new research from Curtin University and The Australian National Universit.....»»
The surprising behavior of male fruit flies under intense light conditions
A recent study published in Open Biology reports that exposure to intense light almost instantly provokes courtship behavior in male fruit flies (Drosophila). Surprisingly, the researchers observed both male-male and male-female courtship behavior un.....»»
The pressure is real for mothers managing their children"s digital use
Parents are spending considerable amounts of energy thinking about and mitigating the risks associated with their kids using mobile phones and the internet......»»
Spider mites study: Social environment experienced by mothers influences sons" reproductive tactics
In the intense male–male competition for females, males often develop alternative reproductive tactics to achieve successful reproduction through unconventional means. These tactics often arise from their own condition and surroundings......»»
Caroline Herschel was the first female astronomer, but she still lacks name recognition two centuries later
Caroline Herschel, the first professional female astronomer, made contributions to astronomy that are still important to the field today. But even many astronomers may not recognize her name......»»
Teen mothers in South Africa: Largest ever study explores what it takes to go back to school
Imagine the weight of responsibility for caring for a child when you are not yet fully grown yourself, and the fear of being shamed by parents, fellow learners, and even strangers within the community?.....»»