Latest science news in Biology & Nature
In Sync? Malaria Parasite and Human Time Clocks Do Align
A new study has uncovered evidence of a "coupling" mechanism between the malaria parasite and its human host, which could one day lead to new treatments for a disease that...
Whale shark observed bottom-feeding for first time
A shark specialist and a life scientist are reporting on video evidence of a whale shark observed bottom-feeding for the first time. Darren Whitehead, Investigación Tiburones México and Joel Gayford,...
A documented case of a crocodile virgin birth
A team of entomologists and reptile specialists from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the Chiricahua Desert Museum, the Illinois Natural History Survey, Reptilandia Reptile Lagoon and Parque Reptilandia has...
The gap between male and female author-inventors: Who counts as an inventor?
New research, undertaken by an interdisciplinary team of Stanford Law and Stanford Medicine students, looks at the overlap between biomedical research paper authors and those authors who go on to...
Experiment halted in Norway after whale drowns
A controversial research project in Norway on whales' hearing was suspended after a whale drowned, researchers said on Wednesday, as activists slammed the "cruel and pointless" experiments.
Targeted small molecule alleviates arthritis symptoms in mice
Researchers at the University of Helsinki, together with researchers from the United States, have discovered a small molecule that inhibits the formation in cells of cytokine proteins that promote inflammation....
Coronavirus only needs to bind to a single receptor, shows study
Why is the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus able to spread so efficiently? Various hypotheses are still circulating in the scientific community. A group of researchers from Würzburg has now found new answers.
To groom or not to groom? 'Triage' in the ant kingdom
Social ants are masters of cooperative disease defense. They collectively take care of each other to prevent the spread of infections within a colony. But how does an individual ant...
Despite eco-friendly farming efforts in UK, populations of invertebrates continue to drop
A team of ecological modelers from the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology has found that despite efforts by officials and farmers in the U.K. to protect them, populations and...
Northern goshawk attacks biker on popular Whitehorse trail
A northern goshawk punctured Thane Phillips's helmet while he was biking the Mother-Tucker trail. Experts say the bird species is feeling the threat of habitat loss in the boreal forest.
Humpback whale rescued after being entangled in rope in B.C. waters
Marine researchers are warning the public to keep an eye out for humpback whales entangled in fishing gear, after one humpback was extricated from polysteel rope off the coast of...
Coral disease tripled in the last 25 years: Three-quarters will likely be diseased by next century
Deadly coral disease is spreading as global temperatures warm, and it's likely to become endemic to reefs the world over by the next century, according to new research.
How GOP efforts to restrict trans rights take a page from the antiabortion playbook
As conservative lawmakers introduce a record number of anti-transgender bills, abortion and trans rights advocates see mirrored fights for bodily autonomy.
Florida says it flew migrants to California as flights come under investigation
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,...
Just keep swimming: SoCal study shows sharks, humans can share ocean peacefully
You're gonna need a bigger ... drone.
Researchers visualize communication of G protein-coupled receptors, paving way for new drug discovery
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
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
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
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
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
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.