Popular Science articles about Biology & Nature

Personality test finds some mouse lemurs shy, others bold

Three mouse lemurs (<i>Microcebus murinus</i>) peer cautiously from their nesting tube at the sound of an approaching Duke Lemur Center technician who might just be carrying snacks.

Researchers find genetic diversity key to survival of honey bee colonies

When it comes to honey bees, more mates is better. A new study from North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows...

Bullfrogs may help spread deadly amphibian fungus, but also die from it

Amphibian populations are declining worldwide and a major cause is a deadly fungus thought to be spread by bullfrogs, but a two-year study shows they can also die from this...

Mapping translation sites in the human genome

Because of their central importance to biology, proteins have been the focus of intense research, particularly the manner in which they are produced from genetically coded templates -- a process...

Researchers unearth bioenergy potential in leaf-cutter ant communities

As spring warms up Wisconsin, humans aren't the only ones tending their gardens.

'Tailing' spiny lobster larvae to protect them

The commercial value of spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) in the Caribbean reaches $1 billion annually, thus making it one of the most valuable fisheries in the region. In a new...

Study: Context crucial when it comes to mutations in genetic evolution

With mutations, it turns out that context can be everything in determining whether or not they are beneficial to their evolutionary fate.

Jammed molecular motors may play a role in the development of ALS

Slowdowns in the transport and delivery of nutrients, proteins and signaling molecules within nerve cells may contribute to the development of the neurodegenerative disorder ALS, according to researchers at the...

Fingernails reveal clues to limb regeneration

Mammals possess the remarkable ability to regenerate a lost fingertip, including the nail, nerves and even bone. In humans, an amputated fingertip can sprout back in as little as two...

Life underground

Microbes are living more than 500 feet beneath the seafloor in 5 million-year-old sediment, according to new findings by researchers at the University of Delaware and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution...

Chalking up a marine blooming alga: Genome fills a gap in the tree of life

To World War II soldiers, "The White Cliffs of Dover" was a morale-boosting song that lifted spirits in dark times. To geographers, the white cliffs mark the point at which...

Chemical probe confirms that body makes its own rotten egg gas, H2S, to benefit health

A new study confirms directly what scientists previously knew only indirectly: The poisonous "rotten egg" gas hydrogen sulfide is generated by our body's growing cells.

Mice in a 'big brother' setup develop social structures

How does a social animal -- mouse or human -- gain dominance over his or her fellow creatures? A unique experiment conducted by Dr. Tali Kimchi and her team in...

'Chase and run' cell movement mechanism explains process of metastasis

A mechanism that cells use to group together and move around the body -- called 'chase and run' -- has been described for the first time by scientists at UCL.

Teaching complete evolutionary stories increases learning

Many students have difficulty understanding and explaining how evolution operates. In search of better ways to teach the subject, researchers at Michigan State University developed complete evolutionary case studies spanning...

Study shows how diving mammals evolved underwater endurance

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shed new light on how diving mammals, such as the sperm whale, have evolved to survive for long periods underwater without breathing.

Monell-led research identifies scent of melanoma

According to new research from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions, odors from human skin cells can be used to identify melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In addition...

Dangerous strains of E. coli may linger longer in water than benign counterparts, study finds

A toxin dangerous to humans may help E. coli fend off aquatic predators, enabling strains of E. coli that produce the toxin to survive longer in lake water than benign...

Do parasites upset food web theory?

Parasites comprise a large proportion of the diversity of species in every ecosystem. Despite this, they are rarely included in analyses or models of food webs. If parasites play different...

Turtles watch for, snack on gelatinous prey while swimming

Loggerhead turtles use visual cues to find gelatinous prey to snack on as they swim in open waters, according to research published June 12 in the open access journal PLOS...

Harbor porpoises can thank their worst enemy, the killer whale for their success

The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a whale species that is doing quite well in coastal and busy waters. They are found in large numbers throughout the Northern Hemisphere from...

A critically endangered beauty: The passion flower Passiflora kwangtungensis

Passiflora is a genus of beautiful plants commonly known as the passion flowers or passion vines. The most famous representative of this group is the passion fruit, favorite to many....