Latest science news in Biology & Nature
At least 3 killed in India-China Himalayan border dispute
A decades-long border dispute between China and India in the Himalayas has turned deadly for the first time in nearly a half-century.
Australian fossil reveals new plant species
Antoine Champreux, a Ph.D. student in the Global Ecology Lab at Flinders University, has cataloged the discovery of the new fern-like plant species as part of an international effort to...
Barn owlets share food with their younger siblings in exchange for grooming
If ever there were a competition to rank sibling relationships in the animal kingdom, barn owls would be close to the top. That’s because elder barn owlets will sometimes give away their...
A Bee C: Scientists translate honeybee queen duets
Queens "quack" when ready to hatch - but if two are free at the same time, they fight to the death.
In virus lockdown, Europe's predators regain turf
The hunter-prey drama took place just outside wildlife enthusiast Ennio Ciccotti's window, in the central Italian town of Scanno.
Shining like a diamond: A new species of diamond frog from northern Madagascar
Despite the active ongoing taxonomic progress on Madagascar's frogs, the amphibian inventory of this hyper-diverse island is still very far from being complete. The known diversity of the diamond frog...
1,300 under one roof: Life at the San Diego Convention Center homeless shelter
Thefts, screams at night and tedium are some of the challenges at San Diego's largest homeless shelter
Wildfires cause bird songs to change
A new study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances suggests that wildfires change the types of songs sung by birds living in nearby forests.
Surprising growth rates discovered in world's deepest photosynthetic corals
New research has revealed unexpectedly high growth rates for deep water photosynthetic corals. The study alters the assumption that deep corals living on the brink of darkness grow extremely slowly.
Artificial synapse works with living cells
In 2017, Stanford University researchers presented a new device that mimics the brain’s efficient and low-energy neural learning process. It was an artificial version of a synapse – the gap...
Super-potent human antibodies protect against COVID-19 in animal tests
Researchers have discovered antibodies in the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients that provide powerful protection against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease, when tested in animals and human cell...
Spectacular bird's-eye view? Hummingbirds see diverse colors humans can only imagine
While humans have three color cones in the retina sensitive to red, green and blue light, birds have a fourth color cone that can detect ultraviolet light. A research team...
Benchmark for detecting large genetic mutations linked to major diseases
Researchers have developed a way for laboratories to determine how accurately they can detect large mutations. The new method and the benchmark material enable researchers, clinical labs and commercial technology...
Hummingbirds see 'nonspectral' colors humans can only imagine
According to a new study, hummingbirds can see a diversity of so-called nonspectral color combinations.
Kenny Chesney reschedules 'Chillaxification' tour to 2021
Kenny Chesney shared new dates for his "Chillaxification" tour with Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Michael Franti & Spearhead.
Researchers uncover drivers of healthy gut maintenance
Researchers have found two genes that regulate the differentiation of stem cells in the small intestine, offering valuable insight into how the body develops and maintains a healthy gut.
Immune properties in ancient DNA found in isolated villages might benefit humanity today
Could remnants of DNA from a now extinct human subspecies known as the Denisovans help boost the immune functions of modern humans? An international study represents the first characterizations of...
Cell wall research reveals possibility of simple and sustainable method to protect crops
While crop diseases have devastating consequences on agriculture, causing losses of up to 30% in some crops, plants constantly evolve to maintain robust immune systems that allow them to perceive...
New analysis of human portraits reveals shift in culture, cognition
Throughout history, portraits featuring the human profile have evolved to reflect changing cultural norms. A new study led by Helena Miton, a Santa Fe Institute Omidyar Fellow, and co-authored by...
Spectacular bird's-eye view? Hummingbirds see diverse colors humans can only imagine
To find food, dazzle mates, escape predators and navigate diverse terrain, birds rely on their excellent color vision.
Scientists discover three-dimensional structure in smaller water droplet
Water and its interactions with other substances are essential to human life. However, understanding the structure of liquid water and its hydrogen-bonding networks has been a challenge.
Team develops benchmark for detecting large genetic mutations linked to major diseases
Many serious diseases, including autism, schizophrenia and numerous cardiac disorders, are believed to result from mutation of an individual's DNA. But some large mutations, which still make up only a...
Role of lipid rafts in virus infiltration
New research sheds light on how and why the cell membrane forms and grows lipid rafts triggered by ligand-receptor activity. The work could lead to new strategies and innovative approaches...
A continental-scale prediction on the functional diversity of stream microbes
Climate mediates continental scale patterns of stream microbial functional diversity.
Watch: Alicia Keys performs 'Gramercy Park' at Tiny Desk concert
Alicia Keys performed "Gramercy Park," a song from her forthcoming album, "Alicia," during an intimate NPR concert.
New research investigates the role of lipid rafts in virus infiltration
A cell's membrane acts as a natural shield, a fence around the cell that protects and contains it. It mediates processes that let nutrients through and let waste out, and...
Surprising growth rates discovered in world's deepest photosynthetic corals
New research published in the journal Coral Reefs revealed unexpectedly high growth rates for deep water photosynthetic corals. The study, led by Samuel Kahng, affiliate graduate faculty in the University of Hawai'i...
Researchers discover what's behind nature's perhaps largest erection, which is not that big
In the plant kingdom, the sexual organ of a male pollen grain grows up to a thousand times its own length as it sniffs its way forth to a female...