Biology
Hot spring amoeba breaks record for heat tolerance of complex life
A tiny, single-celled organism can thrive at temperatures that would kill all other known complex life. In a study published in Cell, scientists describe a new species of amoeba t…
New tool aims to deliver graziers a faster, more accurate read on exactly how much feed is in front of their cattle
A drone lifts off over a paddock at Boorowa Agricultural Research Station, the breeze from its rotors setting the tall, uncut grass below rippling. At the controls, Stuart Brown, …
Duncan Russet offers heat tolerance and virus resistance for southern potato growers
The latest potato variety released in August by the Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program, the Duncan Russet potato, delivers disease resistance that will directly benefit growers in …
Newly discovered orange killifish in the Brazilian Amazon may already be endangered
Researchers have discovered a new species of brilliantly colored fish from a network of forest streams in the Brazilian Amazon and have already recommended it for listing as Endan…
Follow the fish: How marine life is helping reveal hidden shipwrecks
In September 2026, 20 Australian university students departed Brisbane for Fiji aboard the CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator on a CAPSTAN sea training voyage. While in coast…
Bacteria-killing polymers—a new class of antibiotic?
Swimming in the blood, sweat, cells and tears of every human are small proteins known as peptides. Many peptides can kill bacteria on contact, yet the bacteria never seem to evolv…
Five foods that could cost even more this winter—and why
A number of pressures have converged on food production over the past year, and their effects are likely to show up in our shopping carts this winter. Farmers have faced increasin…
Invasive deer, goats are eating away Hawaiʻi's ranchlands
The first study to measure wild ungulate (axis deer, mouflon sheep, goats, pigs, etc.) grazing on Hawaiʻi rangelands finds forage losses at two-thirds of sites surveyed, with axis…
Do any diets actually work? – podcast
As diet trends proliferate on social media, it can be hard to work out which are backed by science and which should be ignored. From paleo to keto, raw food to intermittent fastin…
US judge declines to block transfer of wildlife refuge land to Musk’s SpaceX
Environmental groups vow to continue opposition to deal that would expand site for Elon Musk rocket companyA federal judge on Monday refused to block the Trump administration from…
Circular mRNA helps cell factories make up to six times as much protein
A synthetic biology technology has been developed that converts easily degraded messenger RNA (mRNA) into a ring-shaped form inside microbial cells, increasing protein production.
Cyanobacterium found in clean lakes shows little toxic potential
Gloeotrichia echinulata is a type of cyanobacterium that draws scrutiny because it tends to bloom in clear lakes, forming thick mats of visible green or white puffballs in otherwi…
Sydney cockatoos reveal how animal culture helps them adapt to city life
Sulfur-crested cockatoos are surprisingly smart. In Australian cities such as Brisbane and Sydney, they've learned how to turn on drinking fountains by twisting the handle with th…
Eat, prey, love: Nurse shark mating and Northeast angler conflicts offer conservation insights
While the Discovery Channel's annual Shark Week event has given the public greater familiarity with sharks, much about them—from their mysterious love lives to how their eating ha…
Centenarian sea cucumbers at risk of overfishing
Marine scientists have been amazed to discover an endangered sea cucumber can live for decades, with some animals living more than 100 years, in a first-of-its-kind genetic mark-r…
New study reveals gaps in bison parasite management
Gastrointestinal parasites can cause serious health problems in North American bison, but the drugs producers rely on to control them can become less effective when used too frequ…
Two new large stick insect species discovered in Australia's backyards and rainforests
Insect "detectives" have discovered two new types of large stick insects, showing scientists are still uncovering new species in some of Australia's most well-studied landscapes. …
Sequencing genomes from museum collections could transform scientific inquiry
Natural history collections around the world collectively hold more than 1 billion specimens, spanning a wide variety of times and places. These include species that are extinct o…
New screening method finds rare DNA gyrase poison for future antibiotics
The goal was to build a faster way to search for new antibiotics. The search turned up something unexpected. FIU biochemistry professor Fenfei Leng and a group of researchers set …
AI tool compares 125 cell types across 700 million years of evolution
A KAUST-led team has developed the AI tool Unify to help scientists compare similar cell types across distant species. This comparison can help researchers assess which findings f…
Scientists reveal how our cells conduct emergency repairs for DNA
Two new studies from Johns Hopkins University are providing scientists with an unprecedented view of how human cells repair one of the most dangerous forms of genetic damage: a br…
How migrating cells build their leading edge: Master regulator may resolve long-standing debate
The ability of cells to move and change position is essential for various processes in our bodies. Immune cells move to sites of action, epithelial cells migrate during wound clos…
Low-cost sensor tracks soil pH continuously for months across varied soils
At first glance, a farm field doesn't seem all that complicated. It's just dirt and crops.
Tiny wild cat newly identified as a species draws curious visitors in Bolivia
A tiny wild cat hidden away in the cloud forests of Bolivia has become an unlikely tourist attraction, drawing a stream of visitors hoping for a glimpse of the animal that scienti…