Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Shark Week team discovers unusual 'black makos' off California coast
Weird makos filmed off the California coast in a new Shark Week show raise questions about what these sharks actually are.
Young bats with multiple infections may drive new coronavirus strains in nature
New research by the University of Sydney offers important insights into how and when new coronavirus variants arise in bats.
Researchers use AI to discover when different forest birds sing
Everyone knows that if you want to enjoy the full experience of the dawn chorus in the forests of Central Europe, or carry out scientific research on bird species, you...
Flies like it cool: Study reveals evolutionary shifts in temperature preference among drosophila larvae
New research from Queen Mary University of London reveals how fruit fly larvae have repeatedly evolved their temperature preferences, shedding light on the intricate ways animals adapt to their environments....
New molecule shields mitochondrial DNA from stress-induced degradation
When environmental stress harms DNA, it can set off a cascade of failures linked to heart conditions, neurodegeneration, and chronic inflammation. A new chemical tool developed at UC Riverside interrupts...
When plants attack themselves: Protein mix-ups spark self-destructive immune alarms
Plants, with their unique immune systems, sometimes launch "autoimmune responses" by mistakenly identifying their own protein structures as pathogens. In particular, "hybrid necrosis," a phenomenon where descendant plants fail to...
New-age and old school shark bite prevention strategies put to the test on Gold Coast beaches
Amid growing concerns about shark bites on Australian beaches, researchers have developed a new framework to compare and assess the broad range of prevention measures available to help identify which...
Mapping DNA repeats: Newly found genes may explain brain evolution and language disorders
What makes the human brain distinctive? A new study published in Cell identifies two genes linked to human brain features and provides a road map to discover many more. The...
This plant peacefully houses warring ant species by giving them their own apartments
A new study shows that how Squamellaria plants in Fiji house warring species of ants by building them their own little walled-off compartments with separate entrances. When researchers removed those walls,...
Slow and steady progress in decade-long project to save B.C.'s only native turtle
The 10-year project began in 2019, although the zoo was releasing turtles before that and has freed around 3,000 of them over the past decade.
How researchers are mapping genetics in N.B. to detect inherited diseases sooner
Researchers at Vitalité are studying the genes of New Brunswickers to find common variants they may have inherited from their parents. The hope is that with a full map of...
For these dolphins, using sponges to dig up fish is a family tradition
Dolphins off the coast of Australia are swimming around with sponges on their noses. But unlike the orcas who wear salmon on their heads, “sponging” isn’t a fashion statement or...
GPS ear tags help track bison at Sask.'s Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is believed to be the first provincial park in Saskatchewan using GPS ear tags to track the location of bison.
Spotting rare right whale off Newfoundland had this tour guide 'Out of my skin excited'
There are less than 370 North Atlantic right whales left in the world — and a local man spotted one off the southern Avalon Peninsula earlier this month.
SeaWorld veterinarians euthanize orca that had lung disease
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- SeaWorld euthanized one of the entertainment company's last killer whales to come from the wild, marking the third orca...
Science Says: DNA test results may not change health habits
NEW YORK (AP) -- If you learned your DNA made you more susceptible to getting a disease, wouldn't you work to stay healthy?...
Weird 'Obelisks' Found in Human Gut May be Virus-Like Entities
Rod-shaped fragments of RNA called “obelisks” were discovered in gut and mouth bacteria for the first time
What Apple's New Vision Pro Headset Might Do to Our Brain
The release of Apple’s mixed-reality headset raises questions about hours spent in a virtual replacement of our world
Chimpanzees and Bonobos Have Surprisingly Different Parenting Styles
Chimpanzee “helicopter moms” often protect their offspring from bullies, but bonobo moms are more hands-off
An Evolutionary 'Big Bang' Explains Why Snakes Come in So Many Strange Varieties
Snakes saw a burst of adaptation about 128 million years ago that led to them exploding in diversity and evolving up to three times faster than lizards
Scientists create safer pig organs with goal of transplants for humans
(Reuters) - Scientists at a Massachusetts company seeking to make pig organs safe enough to be transplanted into humans have used gene-editing technology to clone piglets that lack a potentially...
Majority of fruit fly immunity studies can be replicated, huge analysis finds
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Paleontologist to lead U.S. national academy
Neil Shubin, an evolutionary biologist best known for discovering an important fish fossil, has been nominated to head the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). He will take over next year with the...
Molecular fossils offer first glimpse of how life survived Snowball Earth
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A mushroom that escaped from kitchens could be harming North American wildlife
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How a string of deadly shark attacks made a remote island a hub of lifesaving research
Related podcast Studying a shark-haunted island, and upgrading our microbiomes with engineered bacteria ...
Stealing a ‘superpower’
Corey Allard in his lab at Harvard Medical School.Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Science & Tech Stealing a ‘superpower’ Study finds some sea slugs consume algae, incorporate photosynthetic parts into their own bodies to...
Forecasting the next variant
Health Forecasting the next variant Professor Eugene Shakhnovich (from left), Dianzhuo (John) Wang, and Vaibhav Mohanty worked together on the studies.Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Yahya Chaudhry Harvard Correspondent July 3, 2025 5 min read Harvard...