Gills are best known for helping most fish species breathe underwater. But less well known is the fact gills regulate the salt and pH balance of fishes' blood, a vital role played by the kidneys in other animals. Collectively ...
Evolution
Oct 19, 2022
0
29
Are elephants important? How about rhinoceros? Or lions? What happens if Earth loses its last remaining large animals? New research by Professor of Biology Felisa Smith at the University of New Mexico shows the profound impacts ...
Ecology
Sep 19, 2022
1
162
White-necked jacobin hummingbirds sport a colorful blue-and-white plumage as juveniles. When they grow into adulthood, males retain this dazzling pattern, while females develop a more "muted" palette of green and white—at ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 7, 2022
1
194
European moles can ride out harsh winters by becoming up to 11% smaller.
Plants & Animals
Sep 7, 2022
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174
Mutations are the raw material of evolution. For example, a single change in an DNA base pair can cause a protein molecule to lose its function, with potentially major effects on the overall organism. However, mutations—and ...
Evolution
Sep 5, 2022
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103
In a discovery that challenges over a century of evolutionary conventional wisdom, corals have been shown to pass somatic mutations—changes to the DNA sequence that occur in non-reproductive cells—to their offspring. ...
Evolution
Aug 31, 2022
0
302
Earth's geological history is characterized by many dynamic climate shifts that are often associated with large changes in temperature. These environmental shifts can lead to trait changes, such as body size, that can be ...
Evolution
Aug 23, 2022
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280
Living together in groups entails constant interactions between individuals. Individuals need to permanently assess the behavior of others and to respond flexibly to it. Primates and other animals regulate and coordinate ...
Evolution
Aug 17, 2022
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59
Many mammal species living in cold climates tend to have large bodies and short limbs to reduce heat loss—a general pattern known as Bergmann's rule. However, bats are the exception to the rule, displaying small body sizes ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 21, 2022
0
154
An international team of 40 researchers analyzed the genomes—the complete set of DNA—of all living and recently extinct penguin species and combined this with the fossil record to gain new insights into the key events ...
Evolution
Jul 19, 2022
0
164
