Biology
Elephants continue to shape the savanna even after death
Elephants shape the African savanna. They consume huge amounts of forage, dig for water, topple trees and affect all the animals around them. So, what happens to their outsized pr…
High-speed video reveals how honey bee stingers keep pumping venom after detachment
Australian scientists have used high-speed video to uncover the unique mechanism that allows a honey bee's stinger to continue to pump venom into its target even after it has sepa…
Fijian bee genomics suggest 99% effective population decline since European colonization
The decline of pollinator species due to habitat loss and pesticide use over recent decades has been a global concern. Pollinators like bees and butterflies support both wild plan…
New Jurassic crocodile species had unusually slender teeth, suggesting it fed on shrimp and tiny fish
A new species of ancient crocodile relative that lived around 170 million years ago has been discovered by scientists at the University of Portsmouth and Hassan II University of C…
Ancient people relied on genetic variation already present in wild plants to domesticate crops like rice and corn
Oryza rufipogon is an ordinary-looking wild grass found today in parts of China, India and Southeast Asia. More than 8,000 years ago, people living in the Lower Yangtze Valley beg…
A migration running out of time? New Zealand banded dotterels reach Australia later each year
On open beaches, gravel riverbeds and bare volcanic plateaus, banded dotterels—or double-banded plovers, as they are called in Australia—are a familiar and much-loved sight across…
What can free‑living Indian street dogs teach us about how to care for pet dogs?
We give our pet dogs shelter, veterinary care, affection, training and play. We decide when they eat, where they sleep, when they go outside, who they meet and how they move throu…
Franklin created famed 'Photo 51' after calculating key features of DNA's helix from an earlier image, study reveals
"Photo 51" was a cleaner version of an earlier X-ray image, "Photo 49," that Rosalind Franklin had already used to calculate key features of DNA, challenging long-held assumptions…
Mangroves shield coasts from waves, but seedlings need calm waters to take root
Mangrove forests, which are widespread along subtropical and tropical coasts, play a vital role in coastal protection, as they dampen the force of waves and storm surges. They als…
Conservation parks don't have to be vast—as one tiny grasshopper reminds us
A vast stretch of land where animals roam widely and plants grow freely. That's what most people would picture if they thought of a conservation area.
Did you solve it? The treacherous puzzle of the round table
The solutions to today’s puzzlesEarlier today I set you these six puzzles. Here they are again with solutions.The round table Continue reading...
How nature lovers can aid ecology with an assist from AI
Millions of people worldwide, likely without realizing it, are capturing rare and valuable data that can help researchers assess trends in ecosystem health. Such data, however, ar…
'Molecular sunscreen' may explain why DNA uses thymine despite its vulnerability to UV damage
Scientists have long sought to understand the complex origins of intelligent life. It remains unclear how biological systems not only formed but survived and persisted under the e…
Some house cats carry a gut parasite that can infect humans, study finds
Giardia duodenalis is a microscopic, flagellated parasite that often calls the human and animal gut its home. In most cases, it coexists harmlessly with its host, and most infecte…
Atypical B cells shift immune roles as they develop, malaria study finds
B cells are an important part of the immune system and help the body recognize and fight infections. A group of B cells known as atypical B cells has attracted considerable intere…
AI platform and database map protein phase separation across species
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed an AI-powered database and a platform that could enable researchers to more accurately pre…
DNA reveals genetic divide in Australian brolgas, with southern birds facing greater diversity risks
New research on the brolga, an iconic Australian crane species, has shown important genetic differences between northern and southeastern populations, with evidence that those in …
Why some anglers always follow the rules
New research sheds light on why a surprising number of fishers always follow fishing rules, even when enforcement is unlikely and breaking the rules offers a financial reward.
AI system could transform rabies testing around the world
Rabies virus detection in cell cultures could soon become faster and more accessible, thanks to the world's first AI system for this purpose, developed by researchers at the Unive…
AI platforms offer promise in limiting the illegal wildlife trade
New University of Kent research has found promising signs that AI platforms have the potential to limit the illegal wildlife trade. The research paper titled "Assessing safeguards…
Italian rice farmer beats heat with biodiversity haven
Four hundred years after monks transformed a patch of marshlands in northwest Italy into rice fields, farmer Alice Cerutti has restored a third to their natural state, prioritizin…
Roman fort found in Wales could prove myth of emperor’s camp is real
Exclusive: Finds suggest account in medieval folklore of a camp near Frenni Fawr hill was rooted in realityMagnus Maximus, the Roman emperor who ruled Britain in the fourth centur…
Can you solve it? The treacherous riddle of the round table
A puzzle for the agesIt’s made of wood, it’s in the shape of a circle, and it is the forum for many an important gathering.It is also the setting for today’s puzzle. Continue read…
Starwatch: Mars signposts the beautiful Beehive cluster
From a dark location, the Beehive – or Praesepe – will appear as a faint, misty patch very close to the red planetThe red planet, Mars, sails through the beautiful cluster of star…