Biology
Screening tool amplifies tiny changes in protein levels within cells
Imagine a brain teaser where the challenge is to spot the difference between two nearly identical sandcastles. The only difference? The removal of three grains of sand. Scientists…
Ecological collapse in the world's largest mangrove forest is a preview of what's to come
The first thing that struck us wasn't the missing trees, but the missing water. In May 2026, we visited the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest in the delta where the Ganges, Brahmaputr…
Could humans ever communicate with whales? - video
Ever since the earliest known recording of whale song was made in 1949, researchers have been captivated by the wails, rumbles, clicks, grunts and squeals of their communication. …
Growing bacteria line up single-file, then buckle in liquid crystals
When scientists study bacteria that are not in a Petri dish or a test tube but in environments that more closely mimic their actual microbial habitats, they often find delightfull…
Drone laser scans map more than 1,000 trees across 90-acre campus
It took one drone, 300 million laser data points and seven teams of students on foot to map Wake Forest University's trees. Led by Ovidiu Csillik, an assistant professor of remote…
Bees see the world in more ways than previously thought
The honey bee has held a special place in vision research. It is one of the best-studied insects, and much of what scientists know about how bees perceive the world is based on st…
In Japan's mountains, a different way to manage bears
As a sensor sounded, scientist Akiko Takii hurried to a bear trap deep in the forests of Nagano, Japan, where rising nationwide attacks have sparked fear and the culling of thousa…
Researchers catch sharks off NY's Hamptons, attach trackers to toothy predators
Just off one of New York's famed Hamptons beaches, shark researcher Greg Metzger reels in one of the day's prize catches: a young but powerful sand tiger shark.
Clicks, grunts and squeals: the wonders of whale communication – podcast
Ever since the earliest known recording of whale song was made in 1949, researchers have been captivated by the wails, rumbles, clicks, grunts and squeals of their communication. …
Higher cutting could reduce annual bluegrass contamination in tall fescue seed
Harvesting tall fescue above annual bluegrass seed heads could help reduce contamination and seed-cleaning costs. Preliminary Oregon research found that cutting at 28 centimeters …
New policy brief outlines how EU policies can better support sponge restoration
Europe's water and climate resilience is under increasing pressure, with degraded soils, drained catchments and the loss of wetlands intensifying droughts and contributing to more…
Cover crops could ease the shift from perennial seed to annual crops
Transitioning an aging perennial forage seed stand into annual cropping can be difficult, particularly when the original crop persists or weeds establish after termination. Prelim…
Drones take farming to new heights
High above the fields of the Morven Sustainability Lab, drones equipped with heat and light sensors are changing what it means to farm smarter. This month, researchers and student…
Australia's reefs follow trend of global coral cover decline
Australia's coral reefs are in relatively good condition compared with coral reefs globally, although coral cover on Australian reefs has declined over the past 40 years—reflectin…
Important role of plastid ion channels in plant stress response identified
When plants are attacked by herbivores or pathogens, they must respond rapidly while also preparing for potential future attacks. Calcium, a cellular second messenger, and the pla…
Even small amounts of ocean plastic can affect petrel chicks
Ocean plastic pollution is accidentally on the menu for southern giant petrel chicks. Even small nibbles of it may affect their physiology during development, according to a study…
Sliding sugars offer simpler, smarter route to precision liver-targeted therapies
Targeted drug delivery directly to the liver has unlocked major breakthroughs across medicine, but constructing the chemical key to enter liver cells remains complex and costly. T…
Even ancient bacteria possessed intercellular communication structures like humans today, study finds
Communication between cells in plants, animals and humans takes place via specialized connecting structures. An international team led by biologists from Heinrich Heine University…
'One-pot' CRISPR platform delivers lab-like sensitivity in 30 minutes for at-home testing
A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed an innovative "one-pot" testing platform, known as TEMPO, that could transform highly…
Nature's color palette explains why everything we see is a mix of red, yellow, green and blue
Biologists and linguists alike have long puzzled over the universal human tendency to see and name colors as a combination of four "pure" hues—red, yellow, green and blue.
Q&A: What dinosaur teeth reveal about diet and evolution
What did dinosaurs eat? Teeth provide important clues to understanding the ecology of dinosaurs, which became extinct approximately 66 million years ago. Their shape, structure an…
Managing chronic conditions together may be key to longer lifespan, canine study finds
As dogs age, many develop more than one chronic health condition. New research from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) shows those conditions …
Antarctica is home to microbes found nowhere else on Earth
Scientists have often wondered about species that are unique to Antarctica. But the focus has mainly been on animals, like feathery penguins. CIRES researchers wanted to dig deepe…
Industrial-scale microbial foods—growth strategies for the next-generation protein market
The question is no longer whether microbial foods can be made. The question now is who can be first to turn them into an industry. KAIST researchers have analyzed the conditions r…