Latest science news in Biology & Nature

Florida says it flew migrants to California as flights come under investigation

1 week ago from UPI

Florida has confirmed that it flew migrants to California where investigators are probing the flights to see if any laws were broken.

Why scientists have a hard time getting money to study the root causes of outbreaks

1 week ago from PopSci

Understanding what conditions prime pathogens to leap from animals to people could help us prevent outbreaks. DepositPhotosThis article was originally featured on ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for...

When and why did masturbation evolve in primates? A new study provides clues

1 week ago from Sciencenews.org

Though masturbation is common across the animal kingdom, it seems, at its face, to be an evolutionary paradox: Why would an animal waste time, energy and reproductive resources on self-pleasure instead of copulating...

Electrical synapses in the neural network of insects found to have unexpected role in controlling flight power

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

A team of experimental neurobiologists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and theoretical biologists at Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin has managed to solve a mystery that has been baffling scientists for...

The "Sooty Bark Disease", harmful for maples and humans, can be monitored by pollen sampling stations

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

Especially after the last few COVID-affected years, nobody doubts that emerging infectious diseases can threaten the whole world. But humans are not the only ones at risk! With intensive global...

Super semen could be one reason why primates evolved to masturbate

1 week ago from PopSci

Primates evolved to be prime masturbators. Deposit Photos Despite centuries of taboo and titillation, masturbation in primates appears to serve an evolutionary purpose. A study published June 6 in the journal Proceedings of...

Development of communication in chimpanzees echoes that of human infants

1 week ago from Physorg

Young chimpanzees combine different gestures, vocalizations and facial expressions in a way which echoes the development of communication in human infants, according to new research.

Study explains the evolutionary origins and advantages of masturbation

1 week ago from Physorg

Masturbation is common across the animal kingdom but is especially prevalent among primates, including humans. Historically, this behavior was considered to be either pathological or a by-product of sexual arousal,...

Researchers visualize communication of G protein-coupled receptors, paving way for new drug discovery

1 week ago from Physorg

A group of researchers led by Prof. Arun K. Shukla in the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has unraveled a previously...

Study suggests long-lived tree species play greater role in generating genetic diversity

1 week ago from Physorg

A study of the relationship between the growth rate of tropical trees and the frequency of genetic mutations they accumulate suggests that older, long-lived trees play a greater role in...

Bombardier beetle vs. assassin bug: Mimetic interactions via a shared enemy

1 week ago from Physorg

Animals can defend themselves against their natural enemies in various ways. Well-defended species often share conspicuous body colors with other well-defended or undefended species, forming mimetic interactions.

CRISPR/Cas9 reveals a key gene involved in the evolution of coral skeleton formation

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

New work led by Carnegie's Phillip Cleves uses cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools to reveal a gene that's critical to stony corals' ability to build their reef architectures.

Unraveling brood parasitism in predatory mites

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

Several animal species display brood care, a phenomenon where 'caring' parents provide their offspring with food and protection against predators.

Bombardier vs. assassin: Mimetic interactions via a shared enemy

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

Animals can defend themselves against their natural enemies in various ways. Well-defended species often share conspicuous body colors with other well-defended or undefended species, forming mimetic interactions.

Cincinnati Reds call up shortstop Elly De La Cruz, MLB's No. 4 prospect

1 week ago from UPI

Shortstop Elly De La Cruz is headed to the big leagues, ending the wait for one of MLB's top prospects, the Cincinnati Reds announced Tuesday.

'Too small and carefree': Endangered animals released into the wild may lack the match-fitness to evade predators

1 week ago from Physorg

Breeding threatened mammals in fenced, predator-free areas is a common conservation strategy in Australia. The method is designed to protect vulnerable species and breed animals for release into the wild.

Giant Seaweed 'Blob' Could Carry Dangerous Bacteria

1 week ago from Scientific American

The combination of a massive seaweed bloom, plastic in the ocean and climate change is increasing the risk of dangerous infections

Changing wild animals' behavior could help save them—but is it ethical?

1 week ago from Physorg

When large and warty cane toads were first brought to Australia nearly 100 years ago, they had a simple mission: to gobble up beetles and other pests in the sugarcane...

Unraveling brood parasitism in predatory mites

1 week ago from Physorg

Several animal species display brood care, a phenomenon where 'caring' parents provide their offspring with food and protection against predators. However, there are many others that prefer not to do...

Loud launches: Researchers study how rocket noise affects endangered wildlife

1 week ago from Space.com

A new study will monitor the short- and long-term impacts of rocket launches on endangered wildlife near California's Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Study uncovers new clues about the process of cell plasticity

1 week ago from Physorg

Researchers have long thought that once a cell starts down its path of differentiation, growing into a skin cell or a liver cell or a neuron, that path could not...

A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics

1 week ago from Physorg

Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have found that a peptide from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics.

A gene therapy shot might keep cats from getting pregnant without being spayed

1 week ago from Sciencenews.org

Invasive surgeries to spay cats could one day be a thing of the past, replaced instead with a single shot.   An injected gene therapy given to female cats prevented them from...

Study reveals honey bee nest structure is surprisingly adaptive, resilient

1 week ago from Physorg

Researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University have discovered that honey bee colonies have surprising abilities to adapt and maintain their nest structure, even in the face...

Preventing pandemics by leaving bats undisturbed

1 week ago from Physorg

As the COVID-19 pandemic slowly subsides, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) experts and colleagues from the Wildlife Conservation Society have partnered on a new analysis in The Lancet...

A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics

1 week ago from Newswise - Scinews

Research shows that the natural peptide, called drosocin, protects fruit flies from bacterial infections by binding to ribosomes in bacteria. Once bound, drosocin prevents the ribosome from making new proteins.

Gene therapy produces long-term contraception in female domestic cats

1 week ago from Physorg

Currently there are no contraceptives capable of producing permanent sterilization in companion animals. Spaying, the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus, is the most widely used strategy to control...