Latest science news in Biology & Nature
U.N.: Pro-Afghan forces killed more civilians than Taliban, IS in 2019
Pro-Afghan government forces were responsible for more civilian deaths in the first quarter of 2019 than the Taliban and the Islamic State.
Simple sea anemones not so simple after all
New research on tube anemones is challenging everything that evolutionary biologists thought they knew about sea animal genetics. The mitochondrial DNA of the tube anemone, or Ceriantharia, is a real...
Smelling with your tongue
Scientists report that functional olfactory receptors, the sensors that detect odors in the nose, are also present in human taste cells found on the tongue. The findings suggest that interactions...
Targeting how fungi 'taste' wheat could be key to control
Exploring how a hazardous fungal pathogen 'tastes' its surroundings within a wheat plant to coordinate virulence could be the key to developing new control strategies, scientists believe.
Bacteria reveal strong individuality when navigating a maze
Researchers from ETH Zurich demonstrate that genetically identical cells exhibit differing responses in their motility towards chemical attractants. Average values hide the full picture when it comes to describing the...
Study unravels mystery of antimicrobial frog secretions
Japanese scientists, including researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) and Yokohama National University, have identified the molecular mechanism that gives the skin secretions of a species of...
Don't be a kidnapper: Leave the babies be, wildlife expert says
It's an unwelcome omen of spring. Baby animals — usually wide-eyed hares and trembling fawns — unwittingly kidnapped from their mothers.
'The Boss' grizzly is ready for his closeup, as Alberta wildlife shakes off winter doldrums
Wildlife photographer Rick Price catches a few wildlife scoops, including candid photos of the grizzly bear known as 'The Boss.'
In order to recognize spatial structures, bat echolocation uses similar cues as our sense of sight
The sonar system of bats exploits spatial information in a way similar to our sense of sight, despite the different anatomy of eyes and ears. In a new study, scientists...
Seabird Poop Speeds Up Coral Growth
Conservation plans should consider such links between land-based and marine ecosystems -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Chinese-UK project reveals ancient secrets of medicinal mint
The precious chemistry of a plant used for 2000 years in traditional Chinese medicine has been unlocked in a project that raises the prospect of rapid access to a wide...
U.N. report: Pro-Afghan forces killed more civilians than Taliban and IS
Pro-Afghan governmernt forces were responsible for more civilian deaths in the first quarter of 2019 than the Taliban and the Islamic State.
Can we solve the riddle of the coral reef halos?
Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by a variety of human impacts. Fishing is among the most pressing threats to reefs, because it occurs on most reef systems and fundamentally alters...
NASA’s InSight lander has likely detected its first ‘marsquake,’ seismologists say
It sounds like a subway train rushing by. Or a plane flying low overhead. But it’s something much more exotic: In all likelihood, the first marsquake ever recorded by humans....
Why unique finches keep their heads of many colors
There appears to be an underlying selection mechanism at work among Gouldian finches -- a mechanism that allows this species to produce and maintain individuals with red heads, black heads,...
Bacteria reveal strong individuality when navigating a maze
Researchers demonstrate that genetically identical cells exhibit differing responses in their motility towards chemical attractants. Average values hide the full picture when it comes to describing the behavior of bacteria.
Revealing how enzymes turn a toxin into a potential painkiller
Microbial enzymes that add sulfur groups to saxitoxin could help make nonaddictive drugs that relieve pain
How 'superbug' E. coli clones take over human gut
A 'superbug' clone of E. coli has evolved to prevent itself from becoming so dominant that it could potentially wipe out the bacteria from existence, scientists have discovered.
Smallpox: The World's First Eradicated Disease
Prior its eradication in 1980, smallpox killed hundreds of millions of people globally.
“Nanofiber yarn” makes for stretchy, protective artificial tissue
The human body is held together by an intricate cable system of tendons and muscles, engineered by nature to be tough and highly stretchable. An injury to any of these tissues, particularly...
Working out makes hydrogels perform more like muscle
Human skeletal muscles have a unique combination of properties that materials researchers seek for their own creations. They're strong, soft, full of water, and resistant to fatigue. A new study...
Dengue mosquito is Queensland's biggest threat for spreading Zika virus
Researchers have found that the dengue fever mosquito common to north and central Queensland poses the greatest danger of spreading the Zika virus in Australia. The researchers showed that not...
Mediterranean diet tamps down overeating, study says
Primates that consumed a Mediterranean diet ate less of any other available food and lost weight.
Scientists propose new theory on Alzheimer's, amyloid connection
'Is amyloid precursor protein the mastermind behind Alzheimer's or is it just an accomplice?' Researchers devised a multi-functional reporter for amyloid precursor protein and tracked its localization and mobility, noticing...
Good mousekeeping: En suite bathroom makes for happier mice
Mice have a strong preference to nest away from their own waste, new research has found. The study showed that mice who were housed in a system of three interconnected...
Proofreading the book of life: Gene editing made safer
Scientists describe a method of rendering the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 'immunosilent,' potentially allowing the editing and repair of genes to be accomplished reliably and stealthily.
Devil rays may have unknown birthing zone
The discovery of dozens of pregnant giant devil rays tangled in fishing nets in a village along Mexico's Gulf of California could mean the endangered species has a previously unknown...
How light triggers brain activity
Optogenetics uses light to control brain processes. It is based on light-controlled proteins such as channelrhodopsin-2, an ion channel that opens when it's exposed to light, thus activating cellular processes....