An analysis of high-speed raindrops hitting biological surfaces such as feathers, plant leaves and insect wings reveals how these highly water-repelling veneers reduce the water's impact.
Plants & Animals
Jun 9, 2020
0
509
Phasmatodea, commonly known as stick insects and leaf insects, are icons of crypsis and primary defense specialization, exhibiting a wide range of remarkable morphological and behavioral modifications associated with camouflage. ...
Plants & Animals
May 19, 2020
0
22
Bird wings adapted for long-distance flight are linked to their environment and behaviour, according to new research on an extensive database of wing measurements, led by the University of Bristol.
Ecology
May 18, 2020
0
227
Flies that cannot take to the air respond by sleeping more as they learn to adapt to their flightlessness, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings, published May 8 in ...
Molecular & Computational biology
May 8, 2020
3
243
The iconic eyespots that some moths and butterflies use to ward off predators likely evolved in distinct ways, providing insights into how these insects became so diverse.
Plants & Animals
May 6, 2020
1
118
Pterosaurs were the largest animals ever to fly. They soared the skies for 160 million years—much longer than any species of modern bird. Despite their aeronautic excellence, these ancient flyers have largely been overlooked ...
Archaeology
Apr 15, 2020
1
377
Biological structures sometimes have unique features that engineers would like to copy. For example, many types of insect wings shed water, kill microbes, reflect light in unusual ways and are self-cleaning. While researchers ...
Materials Science
Apr 14, 2020
0
223
Some insect wings such as cicada and dragonfly possess nanopillar structures that kill bacteria upon contact. However, to date, the precise mechanisms that cause bacterial death have been unknown.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 6, 2020
1
32
The Common Nightingale, known for its beautiful song, breeds in Europe and parts of Asia and migrates to sub-Saharan Africa every winter. A new study published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances suggests that natural selection ...
Ecology
Apr 1, 2020
0
7
Set against a piece of black construction paper, the wings of the male cattleheart butterfly look even blacker than black.
Bio & Medicine
Mar 10, 2020
2
500
