Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Chromatin changes rapidly in response to low oxygen
A study reveals new insights into how cells respond to oxygen deprivation. The researchers found that chromatin, the complex of DNA and proteins where all genes reside, quickly changes in...
A mating war in diving beetles has stopped the evolution of species
In nature, males eager attempts to mate with females can be so extreme that they will harm females. Such negative impact of mating interactions has been suggested to promote the...
Gene variant associated with cellular aging
It is well known that psychiatric stress is associated with accelerated aging. Now, a new study shows that a gene mutation interacts with multiple types of psychiatric stress including post-traumatic...
Chromatin changes rapidly in response to low oxygen, study finds
A study by the University of Liverpool reveals new insights into how cells respond to oxygen deprivation.
Giant, Weird-Looking Fish With 'Startled' Eyes Washes Up on Aussie Beach
When a group of Aussies spotted the behemoth on the beach, they initially thought it was a rugged piece of driftwood. Upon closer inspection, however, they realized it was the...
Georgia residents asked to keep a lookout for exotic lizards
Wildlife officials in Georgia are asking residents to keep an eye out for large South American lizards spotted in the area.
New York Giants meet, eat dinner with Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins
New York Giants coaches and members of the front office had dinner with Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins on Tuesday night before his pro day.
It's spring already? Physics explains why time flies as we age
Researchers have a new explanation for why those endless days of childhood seemed to last so much longer than they do now -- physics. According to the theory, the apparent...
Butterfly numbers down by two thirds
Meadows adjacent to high-intensity agricultural areas are home to less than half the number of butterfly species than areas in nature preserves. The number of individuals is even down to...
Tagged by scientists, bluefin tuna passing submerged listening lines help reveal species' survival
An array of underwater listening lines that detect passing giant Atlantic bluefin tuna previously caught and tagged by scientists has created a new system to monitor these enormous, fast, powerful...
Despite Similarities, Are the Two Recent 737 Max 8 Crashes a Coincidence?
Former Boeing engineer Peter Lemme weighs in on the second 737 Max 8 accident in five months -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Local extinction of Southern California mountain lions possible within 50 years
Two isolated mountain lion populations in southern California's Santa Ana and Santa Monica Mountains are at risk of local extinction, perhaps as soon as within 50 years, according to a...
Watch: Predators' Pekka Rinne sprawls for Save of the Year candidate
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne entered his name into the conversation for Save of the Year after denying Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares.
How hot spots of genetic variation evolved in human DNA
New research investigates hot spots of genetic variation within the human genome, examining the sections of our DNA that are most likely to differ significantly from one person to another.
Wildlife tourism may negatively affect African elephants' behavior
Increasing numbers of tourists are interested in observing wildlife such as African elephants, and income generated from tourism potentially aids in the protection of animals and their habitats. However, a...
Beware of sleeping queen bumblebees underfoot this spring
Scientists have discovered a never before reported behavior of queen bumblebees.
Effects on offspring of epigenetic inheritance via sperm
As an organism grows and responds to its environment, genes in its cells are constantly turning on and off, with different patterns of gene expression in different cells. But can...
The recent spread of coyotes across North America did not doom deer populations
Coyotes eat deer, but not enough to limit the deer population at a large scale. A new study of deer numbers across the eastern United States has found that the...
Ant larvae fight the offspring of parasitic queens
The eggs of a parasitic ant queen living off a foreign species may end up as food for the larvae of the host species.
Bile acid-triggered bacterial adaptation characterized
When bacteria enter the digestive tracts of their hosts, including humans, they encounter a highly acidic environment. Bacteria have evolved elegant mechanisms to survive and colonize this habitat, such as...
Local extinction of Southern California mountain lions possible within 50 years
Two isolated mountain lion populations in southern California's Santa Ana and Santa Monica Mountains are at risk of local extinction, perhaps as soon as within 50 years, according to a...
Tigers, leopards and humans: creating a co-existent space
How can large carnivores co-exist with human communities? By studying tigers and leopards in Nepal, Babu Ram Lamichhane argues that co-existence is possible if wildlife sites are well conserved while...
Ant larvae fight the offspring of parasitic queens
In certain ant species, queens invade the colonies of other species, kill the host queen or queens and lay their eggs in the host nest. After this, the host workers...
Researchers using tissue engineering to create lab-grown meat
Tissue engineering experts at the University of Bath are growing animal cells on blades of grass, as they play their part in helping the UK understand how to effectively scale...
Breakthrough in fight against plant diseases
A global research team including scientists from La Trobe University have identified specific locations within plants' chromosomes capable of transferring immunity to their offspring.
Humans switch between apps in 'remarkably similar' ways, scientists find
Humans are unknowingly adhering to a universal pattern when they flick between apps on their smartphones, scientists have discovered.
Evidence that humans prefer genetically dissimilar partners based on scent
A team of researchers at Université Paris Diderot has found evidence that suggests humans are able to detect via smell which partners are genetically preferable. In their paper published in...
Scientists discover what’s controlling chameleon-like abilities in squid
In the blink of an eye, a squid’s “smart skin” can switch color and pattern for the purpose of camouflage or sexual signaling—a virtuosic display that has long fascinated scientists....