Biology

Apr 17th, 2024 - Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a colossal marine reptile that may be the largest ever to have roamed Earth's oceans. The newly identified species, described in a study published in the journal PLOS ONE , is an ichthyosaur, a group of extinct marine reptiles that somewhat resemble modern-day dolphins. Ichthyosaurs inhabited the world's oceans between roughly 250 million and 90 million years ago. While their existence coincided with the age of the dinosaurs, they are not ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2024 - M ore than a trillion noisy, inch-long cicadas are set to emerge from underground this spring to embark on the final leg of their lifetimes, in a massive co-emergence that hasn't been seen in more than 200 years. Cicadas that are part of both a 13-year and a 17-year brood will emerge at the same time this spring. It will be the first time since 1803—when Thomas Jefferson was President—that these particular broods simultaneously tunnel up from their burrows to find a mate and make ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2024 - International Bat Appreciation Day, observed annually on April 17th, shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked benefits that bats contribute to our ecosystem. This occasion aligns with the mission of Bat Conservation International (BCI) to protect these nocturnal mammals through awareness, conservation, and research. "Each year on April 17th, International Bat Appreciation Day reminds us of the roles bats play in our daily lives. April is also the best time of the year to observe bats, as they ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2024 - A newly discovered ant species detailed in a ZooKeys study shares several characteristics with a well-known Harry Potter villain, the source of its namesake. The Leptanilla voldemort ant was discovered in early March by Dr. Mark Wong of the University of Western Australia. Two of the ants were discovered when Wong and his team of researchers were drilling in Australia. Researchers found the ants living deep underground after drilling an 80-foot-deep hole to extract them. The ant is part of the ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2024 - Humans, Homo sapiens, have unique features compared with other closely related hominin species and primates, including the shape of the base of the skull. The evolutionary changes underlying these features were significant in allowing the evolution of our increased brain size. Now, in a study recently published in The American Journal of Human Genetics , a team from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), the University of Helsinki, and the University of Barcelona has analyzed a genomic ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2024 - Bumblebees may be more resilient than previously thought: Hibernating queen bees can survive for up to a week underwater, researchers report Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters . Researchers learned of the insects' surprising superpower by accident. The discovery unfolded while ecologist Sabrina Rondeau was investigating the effects of pesticide residue on common eastern bumblebees ( Bombus impatiens ) in a laboratory at Canada's University of Guelph in 2021. More specifically, Rondeau was ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2024 - Giant pandas , with their instantly recognizable black and white fur, are symbols of conservation and adored across the globe. But hidden within their bamboo-filled mountain homes lies a fascinating secret: sometimes, pandas are born with rich brown fur. This rare coloration has baffled scientists for years, but a recent groundbreaking study has finally shed some light on this captivating mystery. The story of brown pandas Let's meet a few of the famous brown pandas : Dan Dan Dan Dan holds the ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2024 - After a year of ocean heat waves and unprecedented temperatures off the coast of Florida that alarmed conservationists last summer, the world is currently experiencing a "global coral reef bleaching event," the fourth ever recorded and the second in the past decade, according to climate scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Coral reef bleaching occurs as warming temperatures stress the tiny organisms that form the foundation of complex reef ecosystems, and ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2024 - According to a research team led by paleontologists from the University of Vienna, the net-like leaf veining typical for today's flowering plants developed much earlier than previously thought, but died out again several times. Using new methods, the fossilized plant Furcula granulifer was identified as an early forerunner. The leaves of this seed fern species already exhibited the net-like veining in the late Triassic (around 201 million years ago). The study was recently published in the ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2024 - Imagine a large antelope, not the usual dusty brown, but shimmering with a bluish-gray coat. Sleek, swift, and mysterious – that was the blue antelope. Sadly, this beautiful animal hasn't roamed the grasslands of South Africa in over 200 years. But why? That's the puzzle scientists have been determined to solve. Blue antelope extinction Picture this: It's the late 1700s. European colonists are venturing into southern Africa, coming across the magnificent blue antelope. Within a mere few ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - It's not just ocean heat that's affecting marine life – new research shows extremely cold events are welling up and causing mass mortalities. And the same planet-warming pollution that's driving the climate crisis is likely to blame for these "killer events" on the other end of the temperature spectrum. The world's oceans have been plagued by unprecedented heat over the past year, fueling concerns for marine life. Billions of crabs disappeared in the northern Pacific; sea lions and ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - Bumblebees appear to be quite resistant to common pesticides. This is shown by a new study, the results of which have now been published by scientists from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in the journal Environment International . The team from the university's Biocenter divided a bumblebee colony and exposed the animals to individual insecticides and fungicides as well as combinations of these pesticides. The scientists then examined the learning ability and flight ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - A Canadian study found that chemicals excreted by ants keep ticks at bay. Researchers hope the discovery leads to new ways to ward off the Lyme Disease-spreading insects. Are you going for a hike ? Don't forget your bottle of ant musk. A new scientific study suggests that some species of ticks —those Lyme Disease -spreading creepy crawlies—are scared off by pheromones produced by ants. Now, a team of researchers is working to synthetically replicate these ant excretions and sell ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - - It's a bird! - It's a plane! - No... it's Archaeopteryx! Archaeopteryx is often heralded as the bridge between dinosaurs and birds. Discovered in the 19th century, this creature embodies the transition from non-avian dinosaurs to modern birds. Its fossils, primarily found in southern Germany, date back to the Late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago. It sported feathered wings and a toothed beak. Discovery and History Archaeopteryx's story begins in the late 19th century, ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - Before the evolution of legs from fins, the axial skeleton — including the bones of the head, neck, back, and ribs — was already going through changes that would eventually help our ancestors support their bodies to walk on land. A research team including a Penn State biologist completed a new reconstruction of the skeleton of Tiktaalik, the 375-million-year-old fossil fish that is one of the closest relatives to limbed vertebrates . The new reconstruction shows that the fish's ribs ... [Read More]

Apr 15th, 2024 - As part of a team of ecologists , I've been studying aspects of great tit biology at Wytham Woods near Oxford. One aspect of our research is how climate change affects their breeding behavior. So far, our research suggests that these great tits have been able to deal with climate change effects. During early spring , usually in March, great tits (Parus major) abandon their winter flocks and start preparing for the breeding season. First they find a mate and build a nest. Then they raise naked ... [Read More]