Biology
CRISPR roadblocks: Scientists identify genes blocking gene therapy success
Like a delivery driver navigating crowded city streets, a gene-therapy-toting lipid nanoparticle faces a gauntlet of potential detours on its journey toward a cell's nucleus. Firs…
‘Colander sales jumped nearly 40%’: How Britons viewed the solar eclipse
Safety advice was followed by almost all the public but the historic event left behind huge quantities of litter and abandoned Lime bikesIt started with the glasses, as people des…
Fishing nets main cause of death among Cornwall's stranded common dolphins
Fishing nets remain the most common cause of death among common dolphins that strand on Cornwall's coast, new research shows.
The mindblowing invertebrates you have never heard of – video
Each year the Guardian runs a competition to find the invertebrate of the year. To find out more about the 2026 nominees science editor Ian Sample hears from climate reporter Petr…
‘The colander worked best!’ Guardian readers share their experience of the solar eclipse
Readers recall the breathtaking sight and community spirit of the rare celestial treat – and the handmade contraptions they saw it throughOn Wednesday evening, millions of people …
Fungal age remains elusive as underground networks continually grow, split and recycle
Some of Earth's oldest living organisms may be right beneath our feet: not ancient trees or coral reefs but fungi. Yet despite their ubiquity and importance, scientists still don'…
Thinking fast and slow: Wild fish reveal how cognition evolved in two closely related species
Why do two individuals faced with the same information sometimes make completely different decisions? It is a question made famous by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, whose book "T…
Greater vegetable diversity needed for healthier diets and climate-resilient agriculture
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers show how a wider diversity of vegetables could help improve diets and strengthen agricultu…
Complex suicidal somersault behavior in male redback spiders may be explained by surprisingly simple genetics
The Australian redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti), a cousin of the North American black widow spider, is known to practice sexual cannibalism, which is somewhat common among sp…
Controlling wild pigs can work if it's a group effort
The federal government is injecting millions of dollars into efforts to combat feral hogs—and it's considering spending even more in the coming years. The problem has grown for de…
'How many will die?': The mysterious ailment killing Kenyan elephants
Lying on the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust, the elephant slowly exhausted himself in futile attempts to stand, the latest potential victim of a still-mysterious ailment in…
Mice bred to run three times farther show no fertility or lifespan cost
Being an elite athlete—at least for a mouse—does not shorten lifespan or limit how many children one can have. This is the finding of a study 30 years in the making, and it runs c…
Teaching AI the biology of antibodies speeds drug discovery
Designing an effective antibody drug is like searching for the right key in a warehouse of locks. Scientists may begin with millions—or even billions—of antibody candidates, but o…
Nature's original bioplastic may have fed animals for hundreds of millions of years
Long before humans discovered biodegradable plastics, microorganisms had already invented their own. Many bacteria and archaea produce natural bioplastics called polyhydroxyalkano…
The immortal jellyfish and other mindblowing invertebrates – podcast
Each year the Guardian runs a competition to find the invertebrate of the year. To find out more about the 2026 nominees science editor Ian Sample hears from climate reporter Petr…
A 236-million-year-old fossil challenges the story of mammalian live birth
Some cynodonts may have been giving birth to live young much sooner in evolutionary history than previously assumed. A new Frontiers in Mammal Science study has offered the first …
AI‑designed viruses are a test of whether biosecurity can keep pace
Scientists have crossed an important line in biological engineering. In a recent study, researchers used artificial intelligence to design complete sets of genetic instructions fo…
Fast-moving wildfires may prevent western forests from recovering
The severe, drought-fueled fires now burning across much of the American West and Canada may be scorching forests so thoroughly that they cannot recover to the forests they once w…
Pain isn't the point: European viper venoms may have evolved to subdue prey
For many people, the fear of venomous snakes is linked to one thing: pain. Yet new research led by scientists at Bangor University suggests that, for Europe's vipers, at least, ca…
Soil-dwelling myxobacteria reveal five new classes of bioactive compounds
Most antibiotics used clinically are based on natural compounds produced by bacteria and other microorganisms. At the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIP…
A $10 soil test goes global with virtual reality training for farmers
Last year, we described Agrilo, an affordable "colorimetric" soil-testing system developed through research at MacEwan University. Using a smartphone camera to interpret color cha…
DNA research highlights the genetic vulnerability of Asian elephants
The DNA of Asian elephants tells a concerning story. Although all four subspecies are under pressure, there are considerable differences in their genetic health. In an article pub…
Severe weather now a key predictor of where bird species occur in North America
Scorching heat waves, severe cold snaps and other extreme weather events are limiting where species can exist—and affecting biodiversity estimates—for more than 500 North American…
Genetic switch could help tomatoes produce fruit in cold weather
Every tomato begins with a flower. But before a fruit can grow, an intricate sequence of events must happen in perfect order. The flower's male and female organs must develop toge…