Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Termite-fishing chimpanzees provide clues to the evolution of technology
Researchers, who remotely videotaped a generation of wild chimpanzees learning to use tools, gain insights into how technology came to define human culture.
Researchers discover novel molecular mechanism that enables conifers to adapt to winter
Unlike broadleaf trees, conifers are evergreen and retain their photosynthesis structure throughout the year. Especially in late winter, the combination of freezing temperatures and high light intensity exposes the needles...
RNA as a future cure for hereditary diseases
Scientists have developed an RNA molecule that can be used in bone marrow cells to correct genetic errors that affect protein production. Patients suffering from a rare hereditary disease that...
Native Hawaiian tiger cowries eat alien invasive species
Researchers have discovered the Hawaiian tiger cowrie is a voracious predator of sponges. Among preferred sponge prey is the invasive Orange Keyhole sponge (Mycale grandis).
'Tiger King' zoo closed, new park to be private film set
The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, which was the featured zoo on Netflix's "Tiger King," has been permanently closed.
Understanding the inner workings of the human heart
Researchers used artificial intelligence and genetic analyses to examine the structure of the inner surface of the heart using 25,000 MRI scans. They found that the complex network of muscle...
Stork briefly escapes enclosure at Maryland Zoo
The Maryland Zoo confirmed a saddle-billed stork escaped from its enclosure at the facility and was recaptured in an adjacent habitat housing rhinos, zebras and ostriches.
Songbirds, Like People, Sing Better After Warming Up
If you’ve ever been woken up before sunrise by the trilling and chirping of birds outside your window, you may have wondered: why do birds sing so loud, so early...
Oleandrin is a deadly plant poison, not a COVID-19 cure
With COVID-19 cases and deaths rising in the U.S. and globally, identifying new therapies to prevent and combat the virus is a top priority. Natural products from plants are an...
Alaska's salmon are getting smaller
New research suggests Alaska's salmon are spending fewer years in the ocean and returning early to spawn. As a result, Alaska's salmon are smaller than they were 30 years ago.
Filming underway in England for 'Call the Midwife' Christmas special
Filming began this week in England on the 2020 Christmas special for "Call the Midwife," the BBC announced.
Popular fish species disappear from Turkey's Marmara and Black Seas
Bluefin tuna, swordfish and Atlantic mackerel are among the fish species considered commercially extinct or extirpated on the Turkish side of the Marmara and Black Seas.
Tracking the tailbeats of a tiger shark
Although tiger sharks have a reputation as swift and fierce predators, new research by The University of Western Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science and Murdoch University has revealed that...
Study finds clues to aging in 'junk' DNA
For decades, greater than 60% of the human genome was believed to be "junk DNA" that served little or no purpose in the course of human development. Recent research by...
'Jumping sequences' may alter gene expression in melons
On the surface, the humble melon may just look like a tasty treat to most. But researchers from Japan have found that this fruit has hidden depths: retrotransposons (sometimes called...
Making the DNA melt curve more accurate
DNA is not only the blueprint of life, it has become the backbone for making tiny structures that can be inserted into the human body to diagnose and treat disease....
Culling dingoes with poison may be making them bigger
Australia’s dingoes are getting bigger, and it may be because of humans. New research suggests the change is happening only in places where the wild canine’s populations are controlled with poison. The findings...
Researchers log 34 waterspouts in 'outbreak' over Lake Huron
The International Centre for Waterspout Research says waterspouts aren't unusual – but there are a few reasons why people are seeing more right now.
Alaska's salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems
The size of salmon returning to rivers in Alaska has declined dramatically over the past 60 years because they are spending fewer years at sea, according to a new study...
Cryo-EM study yields new clues to chicken pox infection
Despite decades of study, exactly how herpesviruses invade our cells remains something of a mystery. Now researchers studying one herpesvirus, the varicella zoster virus (VZV) that causes chicken pox, may...
Shrinking Tasmanian tigers: Resizing an Australian icon
The thylacine, that famous extinct Australian icon colloquially known as the Tasmanian Tiger, is revealed to have been only about half as big as once thought—not a "big" bad wolf...
Illegal trade with terrestrial vertebrates in markets and households of Laos
It's not a surprise to anyone that numerous vertebrate species are being sold at different wildlife markets, but at the moment there is still no comprehensive understanding of how much...
Microbial ecology yields new insights for future shipwreck conservation
Shipwrecks act as artificial reefs and provide a substrate and nutrients for a great diversity of microorganisms, which can contribute to either the deterioration or preservation of the ship. Precisely...
Songbirds, like people, sing better after warming up
If you've ever been woken up before sunrise by the trilling and chirping of birds outside your window, you may have wondered: why do birds sing so loud, so early...
Migration and dispersal of butterflies have contrasting effect on flight morphology
Butterflies show several types of movement. They can seasonally migrate long distances over hundreds of kilometers. Alternatively, butterflies also disperse over relatively short distances for feeding and breeding over several...
New building block in plant wall construction
Researchers have uncovered a new biochemical mechanism fundamental to plant life. They have now detailed the enzymatic reaction involving carbohydrates present in plant cell walls, which are essential for their...
More fructose in diet during pregnancy impacts metabolism of offspring, animal study finds
An increased level of fructose intake during pregnancy can cause significant changes in maternal metabolic function and milk composition and alter the metabolism of their offspring, according to research in...
What's open and closed this week: Southern California beaches, parks, trails
Coronavirus restrictions and wild fires continue around California. But most public spaces and trails are open.