Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Less flocking behaviour among microorganisms reduces the risk of being eaten
When algae and bacteria with different swimming gaits gather in large groups, their flocking behavior diminishes, something that may reduce the risk of falling victim to aquatic predators. This finding...
Big mammals at higher risk of extinction in world's poorest countries
A review, which looks at 81 studies carried out between 1980 and 2020, has found that illegal hunting is causing worrying declines in the big mammal populations of protected areas...
Apple orders 'The Essex Serpent' starring Keira Knightley
Apple TV+ has given a series order to "The Essex Serpent" starring Keira Knightley, based on Sarah Perry's bestselling novel of the same name.
Strigolactones increase tolerance to weevils in tobacco plants
A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, has discovered that strigolactones, a class of novel plant hormones, mediate the fine-tuning of the...
Tropical songbirds stop breeding to survive drought
Songbirds in tropical rainforests curtail their reproduction to help them survive droughts, according to a study Monday.
New studies find agricultural pesticides can affect prawns and oysters
Researchers from the University's National Marine Science Centre have demonstrated that imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, can impact the feeding behavior of prawns in a laboratory environment, leading to nutritional deficiency...
Unconventional farming methods could help smallholders fight back against climate change
New research from Ghana shows less popular methods of biochar application are more effective in promoting cowpea growth and yield. The article, "Method of biochar application affects growth, yield and...
Watch:'Raised by Wolves': Androids raise humans in new trailer
A pair of androids go to a mysterious planet to raise human children in the new trailer for upcoming HBO Max series, "Raised by Wolves."
Big mammals at higher risk of extinction in world's poorest countries, study reveals
Big mammals such as elephants, rhinos and primates are at highest risk of extinction in the national parks and nature reserves of the world's poorest countries, a new global review...
Downstream effects: Sturgeon lifespan, fertility vary strikingly with river conditions
New research has found that pallid sturgeon stocked in a northerly segment of the Missouri River live an average of three times longer, produce roughly 10 times as many eggs...
Researchers to investigate wind power effects on bats in the Baltic Sea region
Researchers from the Universities of Turku and Helsinki in Finland have been looking into literature about wind farm impacts on bats in several countries around the Baltic Sea (Estonia, Finland,...
Nooks, crannies and critters: Researchers develop new way to measure complexity of habitats
Places with lots of nooks and crannies contain lots of living things—that old brick-pile in the backyard has far more critters than the concrete driveway. This general rule is the...
Species 'pushed out of the tropics' by climate change
The world's tropical regions are home to the widest range of plants and animals, but research from The University of Queensland reveals that climate change is pushing species away, and...
Forging molecular bonds with green light
Scientists have created a new molecular coupling tool employing both green light and pH triggers that has potential for use in applications such as drug delivery and 3D cell culture...
Leopard captured 14 hours after zoo enclosure escape
Officials at a zoo in Malaysia said an endangered leopard that escaped from its enclosure was captured after about 14 hours on the loose.
Antagonistic genes modify rice plant growth
Scientists at Nagoya University and colleagues in Japan have identified two antagonistic genes involved in rice plant stem growth. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, could lead to new...
Hot sulfur breath: Extremophilic archaea provide clues on evolution of sufur metabolism
The use of sulfur compounds to produce energy is one of the most ancient types of metabolisms used by primitive microorganisms to thrive on the early anoxic Earth. How this...
Studies in mice give clues to combatting changes in aging muscle stem cells
Our muscles start to shrink and weaken when we reach our 50s and 60s in a process called sarcopenia, but new research in mice from the University of Michigan offers...
Forging molecular bonds with green light
QUT researchers have created a new molecular coupling tool employing both green light and pH triggers that has potential for use in applications such as drug delivery and 3-D cell...
This barren N.S. ecosystem is a rare biodiversity hotspot. Scientists want to preserve it
Over hundreds of years, human activity has reduced Nova Scotia's sand barrens to roughly 3 per cent of their original size. Scientists and a community organization are trying to build...
Coronavirus vaccine: What are human challenge trials?
Could human challenge trials speed up the development of a coronavirus vaccine?
Second day of record daily increases as Manitoba announces 72 new COVID-19 cases
Seventy-two new cases of COVID-19 were announced in Manitoba on Sunday, shooting past the province’s previous record of 42 new cases set Saturday. Most are in the Prairie Mountain Health...
Periodic Graphics: Natural sweeteners
Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning provides a taste of the molecules behind some natural sweeteners
'The whole world celebrates' on-camera birth of panda cub
A brand new giant panda cub is sparking pandemic-fueled panda-mania, and officials at the National Zoo said traffic on their livestream spiked 1,200% over the past week.
A new molecular guardian of intestinal stem cells
Researchers investigated how intestinal stem cells are controlled at the molecular level to remain stem cells or to develop into one of various intestinal cells. By studying mice lacking the...
Giant panda gives birth at National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
Giant panda Mei Xiang, age 22, has given birth to a newborn cub at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., caretakers announced.
Panda cub birth at Washington zoo sparks intense online interest amid pandemic
A brand new giant panda cub is sparking pandemic-fuelled panda-mania, and officials at the National Zoo said traffic on its livestream spiked 1,200 per cent over the past week.
In photos: Moments from Miami Swim Week
Models walk down the runway during Miami Swim Week in Miami Beach, Fla., on August 21, 2020.