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Biology news
121-million-year-old fossils suggest Longipteryx had no tail feathers
Around 121 million years ago, somewhere in modern northeastern China, an early bird took to the skies. If you drew its silhouette, you'd notice something was missing. Unlike any bird alive today, it had no tail feathers.
Scientists reveal the staggering number of bat deaths at wind turbines
Bat populations across the United States face numerous threats, and one of the biggest may be the number of collisions with wind turbines. According to the most comprehensive study of the problem to date, published in the ...
Marine molecule may help combat 'brain-eating' amoeba
Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a parasitic disease that causes the rapid deterioration of brain tissue, is one of the most lethal infections known, with a fatality rate exceeding 97%. Caused by the free-living ...
Cell & Microbiology
1 hour ago
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Backward motion is easier to judge at walking speed
When we walk forward, the scene ahead spreads outward from a central point. Moving backward produces the opposite pattern, with the scene appearing to contract inward. These patterns, known as optic flow, help us judge our ...
Cell & Microbiology
4 hours ago
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Millipede from South Australia rediscovered and described 90 years after it was first collected
The new species Colobothrix deckeri is in the millipede family Dalodesmidae. It is remarkable because it is the first in its moisture-loving family to be found in a part of Australia with a low annual rainfall, between 400 ...
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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Q&A: Why does the right side of the brain control the left side of the body?
Dr. Martin Wessendorf is a neuroscientist and an associate professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on how the brainstem controls the function of neurons in the spinal cord. Daniel Wang also researches ...
Cell & Microbiology
11 hours ago
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Fossils from brickworks reveal new dinosaur species that roamed England's wetlands 125 million years ago
More than 25 years after it was first discovered, a new species and genus of dinosaur have been named from the fossil collections cared for by the Natural History Museum. Paludohadros proudlovii was discovered at wienerberger's ...
Paleontology & Fossils
15 hours ago
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78
False lingzhi unmasked: Scientists crack the 245-year mystery behind a medicinal mushroom mix-up
In a new study published today in Plants, People, Planet, scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and their international collaborators clarify the distinction between Ganoderma lucidum, a European bracket fungus ...
Evolution
14 hours ago
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Can cats really thrive on vegan diets? Professor Andrew Knight responds to critics
In response to a recent article on vegan diets for cats, Phys.org received numerous messages from concerned readers. People raised a lot of concerns, mainly arguing that cats are obligate carnivores and that vegan diets could ...
Veterinary medicine
19 hours ago
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New binary gene expression system enables independent control of multiple cell types
Our bodies are composed of many different types of cells that work together to build and maintain normal physiological functions. In the central nervous system, for example, neurons transmit information, while glial cells ...
Cell & Microbiology
16 hours ago
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How shoes change our bones—and what that tells us about the evolution of walking
We tend to think of our bones as solid, unchanging support structures inside our bodies, but a recent study from the University of Chicago shows just how much they can change depending on how we use them.
Evolution
21 hours ago
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Lizard tail preserved in amber sheds light on a 100-million-year-old defense mechanism
A lizard making a dramatic escape, leaving its tail wriggling behind as it darts to safety, is an image familiar to many. Tail-shedding is one of the most widespread defenses against predators among living lizards, yet tracing ...
Evolution
23 hours ago
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113
Could ecological roles offer clues to how life began?
Producers, consumers, and decomposers play different roles in today's ecosystems. Thinking about these familiar roles led me to a question: Could their differences partly reflect the different physical and chemical environments ...
Two distinct sleep stages emerge in jumping spider, including a REM-like state
Humans and other vertebrates go through various stages of sleep, including REM (rapid eye movement) sleep characterized by rapid eye movements and muscle twitches. Can a similar sleep state be observed in spiders? Researchers ...
Plants & Animals
21 hours ago
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Hidden chromosome structures reveal greater complexity in how roundworms organize DNA
Almost every cell in our body contains around two meters (6.6 feet) of DNA, packed into a tiny nucleus. Yet for the cell to function, this enormous amount of genetic material must remain organized and accessible. Researchers ...
Molecular & Computational biology
20 hours ago
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Protecting isn't enough—creating integrated conservation landscapes is key
New Monash University research has revealed how countries could strengthen their conservation networks by looking beyond the boundaries of national parks and protected areas—and focusing on how these areas connect.
Ecology
21 hours ago
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Zoologist's study of wild Panamanian bats highlights use of metrics to inform bat conservation
Bats are not only a marvel of myth and imagination but also of energy use, working at the height of their energetic ceiling to fly the night skies the world over.
Ecology
15 hours ago
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South Africa's lion-petting industry: We spent three years investigating and here's what we found
An estimated 8,000 lions are held in captivity in South Africa in about 350 places, ranging from zoos to tourism venues where people can interact up close with the big cats. Lions are also bred for live trade, trade in body ...
Ecology
16 hours ago
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Drought forces livestock farmers to make tough decisions: Our model shows the impact on inequality
Climate change is amplifying extreme weather conditions across southern Africa. Dry seasons are getting hotter and drier, while rains are becoming heavier and more concentrated. This means greater swings between production ...
Ecology
16 hours ago
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Expanding hemp could boost Kentucky water quality and ecological diversity
Hemp has long been pitched to Kentucky farmers as a way to diversify their income. Research now suggests it could diversify the landscape itself, with measurable benefits for the state's water and wildlife.
Ecology
18 hours ago
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More news
Botanists comb Gabon's rich rainforests with nature on the line
RNA archiving method reveals what a cell did days ago
People may have preexisting immunity to bird flu
Researchers improve RNA extraction from precision-cut lung slices
Crows make decisions twice as fast as humans and monkeys
Monarchs report their locations via… cellphone?
Microorganisms show promise for reducing emissions from manure
Other news
Perseverance offers clues to protect crews from ultrafine Mars dust
New converter could bridge light wavelength gap in quantum communications
Scientists reveal hidden world of living cells in human milk
Clouds on a lava planet challenge what astronomers expected
Metalens microscope switches focus with voltage, not moving optics
Newly identified protein pathway helps HIV stay hidden despite treatment
New long‑clawed British dinosaur is the first of its kind in Europe
Vegan-fed cats less often reported overweight in survey
