Wouldn't it be great if the plants in your home could do more than just sit there looking pretty? Researchers at South China Agricultural University in the city of Guangzhou have found a way to upgrade them into soft glowing night lights in a range of hues, with the use of nanoparticles. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Plants, Nanoparticles, Light| Biology
A remarkably intact skeleton of a giant meat-eating crocodile relative has been unearthed in South America, providing scientists with a vivid picture of its physiology and behavior when it roamed the land 70 million years ago, chasing down its prey – which included medium-sized dinosaurs. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Dinosaurs, Reptile, History, Fossils, Paleontology, Animal science| Biology
If you've noticed that you're hearing birdsong longer into your day than you used to, your observation fits with those made by researchers examining millions of hours of tweets and warbles. But just why are our feathered friends holding longer concerts? Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Birds, Light, light-pollution, southern-illinois-university, oklahoma state university| Biology
In a breakthrough study, scientists have transferred a courtship behavior from one species to another, triggering the recipient to perform this completely foreign act as if it was its own. While genes have been swapped between species to influence traits, a totally unknown behavior has never been genetically swapped into a different animal before. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Nagoya University, Neuroscience, Evolution, Genetic engineering, neurons, Behavior| Biology
We've long known how the nerve endings in our skin detect cold and swiftly relay the information to our brains, but we haven't understood exactly how it works. Scientists have now solved the puzzle, unlocking the mystery of this temperature pathway. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:University of Michigan, Neuroscience, Pain, Signal Processing, neurons, Temperature, Chemotherapy| Biology
A groundbreaking study has traced the 66-million-year evolutionary history of primates and overturned conventional thought that our ancestors originally inhabited warm tropical forests. Using advanced statistical and climate-modeling techniques, researchers have discovered that the earliest members…| New Atlas
Forget flowers and chocolate – in the spider world, courtship survival is the ultimate gift. Scientists have now discovered a new genus of tarantula and the species' defining feature is a supersized sperm-delivery arm nearly four times the length of their body plate. Researchers believe these enormous palps serve as a “safety buffer,” reducing their risk of being grabbed – or eaten – by notoriously aggressive females while doing the deed. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science T...| Biology
Leopard seals may be one of Antarctica’s most fearsome predators, but these vocalizers sing with the structured charm of a child’s nursery rhyme. In a surprising new study, researchers found that the underwater vocal patterns of these solitary marine mammals are so predictable and orderly, they closely resemble the rhythmic repetition found in human song. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:University of New South Wales, Marine Biology, Antarctic, Songs, Animal science, Behavi...| Biology
Tracing the potato’s deep ancestry, researchers have revealed a surprising origin story: modern potatoes emerged from natural interbreeding between tomato relatives and a wild-potato-like species about nine million years ago. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Evolution, Food, Plants| Biology
Humpback whales may look like gentle giants, but each year they undertake nature's most extreme crash diet, shedding around 36% of their mass in less than two months – somehow avoiding the tissue breakdown that comes with starvation in other species. Now, new insights into their epic migration has…| New Atlas
In a glimpse of what could become a future Black Mirror episode, scientists have hooked the circulatory systems of old mice to young mice, and found that it slows the aging process in the older animals and increases their lifespan by up to 10%.| New Atlas
They’ve been crawling across the seafloor for more than 500 million years – predating the dinosaurs – yet sea stars remain some of the most misunderstood animals on Earth – if they’re even recognized as animals at all. Now, a new discovery about their spine-speaking communication has lifted the lid on these alien-like marine predators, and could help us finally gain the advantage in this ecological arm's race. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Okinawa Institute of Scie...| Biology
Humans love quirks. For example, eyebrow slashes, pup scarves, or TikTok moves with no practical use. Most of us don't invent these things. We see them, we copy them. Voilà: instant trend. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Animals, Behavior, Social Networking, Chimpanzees, Evolution| Biology
The first known cases of accidental choking have been discovered, dating back 150 million years, when some opportunistic fish got more than they bargained for picking off algae and slime from dead squid-like creatures. Lucky for them, the fish are no longer around to learn about the embarrassing…| New Atlas
Researchers in New Zealand have demonstrated a minimally invasive technology that has effectively aided in restoring movement in paralyzed rats. This breakthrough could mean we're a big step closer to treating spinal cord injuries in humans and pets – which are presently incurable and often lead to a loss of motor function. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Paralysis, Spinal cord injury, University of Auckland| Biology
A new study has cast doubt on the idea that women are biologically wired to wake more to a crying baby than men. It suggests that the significant disparity in nighttime care is due to social, rather than biological, factors.| New Atlas
Researchers have identified a fascinating behavior in killer whales, aka orcas: they sometimes offer to share their prey with humans. And while the orcas haven't gone on the record to confirm it, it's likely their way of building relationships with us. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Marine Biology, orca, Intelligence, Animal science, Behavior| Biology
For years, we’ve admired plants for their ability to cleanse the air and help fight air pollution. However, our green ally might be contributing to air pollution in an unexpected way. While they may be just trying to fend off pests, this particular self-defense mechanism is also harming the environment. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Plants, Air pollution, Pests, Crops, Tree| Biology
The evolutionary ladder is meant to be climbed one rung at a time with an organism shedding some traits and gaining others on the way up. However, in a very surprising twist, some tomatoes on the Galapagos islands are inching back down the ladder.| New Atlas
A new organelle has been found by scientists at the University of Virginia (UVA). The super-small specialized structure has a role recycling material inside our cells, and its discovery could lead to improved treatments for a wide range of diseases. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Organelle, Cells, Cellular machinery, University of Virginia, Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's disease, Genetics| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
For four years now, orcas have been ramming and sinking luxury yachts in European waters, and scientists have struggled to work out just why these smart, social animals had learnt this destructive new trick. But it's not due to some anticapitalist 'eat the rich' agenda, nor is it to do with…| New Atlas
If you, like us, were under the impression that two-legged dinosaurs like those in the Velociraptor genus were pacy beasts that could zip across the ground at around 40 mph, a team of researchers has some bad news. A new study suggests they were much, much slower than previously thought. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Liverpool John Moores University, Dinosaurs, locomotion, Running, History, Birds, Animal science| Biology
Killer whales have joined the rare club of animals that can make and use tools, for the first time being observed crafting a kind of brush out of kelp and then using it on fellow pod members.| New Atlas
More than a third of large animals that feast on dead animals are struggling to survive, and a new report from scientists warns that their downfall could present a serious risk to human life, with an uptick in zoonotic disease spread as a result. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Stanford University, Ecosystem, Environment, Biodiversity, Animal science, Disease, Zoonotic, Bacteria| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
Just like fingerprints, your breathing patterns may be a unique identifying feature. Scientists have found they can identify people with 96.8% accuracy using only their breathing patterns. And it's not just simple identification, researchers say they can even predict Body Mass Index (BMI), state (sleeping or awake), and cognitive traits (anxiety or depression) from the way you breathe. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Breathing, Fingerprint, Health| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
It is no secret that the presence of humans has left visible scars on this planet. Be it edging out endangered species with our ever-expanding footprint, or the environmental pollution that comes as a result. One could say we have inextricably linked ourselves with pollution. It is in our drinking…| New Atlas
Even without noses, octopuses are able to determine which food sources are good to eat and which have gone past their prime simply by touching them. The secret, says a new study, lies with surface microbiomes and some very sensitive suckers. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Octopus, molecular biology, Microbes, Microbiome, Harvard| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
Talk about thinking small: researchers at Harvard University have devised a new way to implant flexible bioelectronic devices in the embryos of frogs, mice, and lizards, enabling them to monitor brain activity as these creatures develop. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Cyborg, Brain, Brain activity, Harvard, Bioengineering| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
Mosquitoes have long been among humanity’s most formidable adversaries, plaguing us for thousands of years and causing more deaths than any other animal. With traditional control methods facing mounting resistance, researchers are seeking innovative ways to combat mosquito-borne disease. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Mosquito, Fungus, Malaria, Infections, University of Maryland, Pests| New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
For the first time, scientists have pieced together the diverse diet of the sauropod Diamantinasaurus, using advanced technology to assess the fossilized stomach contents that make up the dinosaur's last meal, which took place around 95 million years ago. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Dinosaurs, Curtin University, Historic, History, Bones, Fossils, Evolution, Plant-based diet| Biology
It's not a simple case of "follow the leader" when it comes to baboons on foot, traversing their home range. Based on prior research, scientists had a few theories as to why the animals fall into such structured formation and travel in what looks like an orderly line. But what they found was a surprise, and something that can help us better understand human behavior, too. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Swansea University, Evolution, Animal science, Behavior, Human, Genetics| Biology
Wearing face masks and maintaining social distances were a significant part of the world's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, new research says the practices are not only effective at saving human lives, but chimp lives as well. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Chimpanzees, University of Arizona, Coronavirus (COVID-19), Masks, Distance, Disease, Infections, Animal science| Biology
A surprising finding from researchers in Japan has shown how an environmental factor can influence the development of sex organs in unborn mice. The discovery challenges the longstanding belief that sex is determined purely by genetic factors. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Pregnancy, Sex, Mice, Osaka University, Genetics, Iron, Diet| Biology
In an impressive feat of rapid urban adaptation, sulphur-crested cockatoos have worked out how to use their feet and their large bodies to twist the tap handles of drinking fountains in order to access water from the faucet. It's the first observation of this behavior spread throughout a large population of birds. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Western Sydney University, Australian National University, Max Planck Institute, University of Vienna, Birds, Animal science, Behavio...| Biology
Scientists have long recognized human skin as a vibrant ecosystem that's home to millions of microorganisms. Our skin microbiome includes bacteria, fungi, and viruses; all playing a key role in shaping our health by promoting skin immunity and guarding against diseases. These friendly microbes feed on our skin's nutrients, and as a byproduct, they produce various active molecules that influence and interact with our skin cells. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Bacteria, Skin, S...| Biology
From fleas to mosquitoes, there's no shortage of organisms we like to consider pests – and, not surprisingly, the majority are insects, which account for up to 90% of animals on the planet. But thanks to new genetic detective work, scientists have found the very first species that got a taste for humans – and we're still the main dish on its menu, some 60,000 years on. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Virginia Tech, Insect, Bed, Parasites, Pests, Evolution, Animal science| Biology
Drawing parallels with other species, not naming names, the voices of female frogs are being drowned out by their much louder male counterparts – so much so we only know how 1.4% of the ladies actually sound. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:University of Sao Paulo, Frogs, Amphibious, Communications, Animal science, Conservation| Biology
An elusive nocturnal beast of a rodent that lives high in the mountains has been filmed and photographed for the first time, in a remarkable discovery for animal science and something akin to winning the zoology lottery.The animal has only been seen once in 30 years, and all descriptions of it stem from a handful of museum specimens. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Animal science, Discovered, nature, Expedition, Species, Evolution| Biology
The existence of orange cats dates back to at least the 12th century, but scientists have only had theories that a sex-linked genetic mutation is behind it. Now, new research has pinpointed the exact variant, and it involves a gene that has previously been unknown to impact pigmentation in animals. So while there are other orange-colored mammals, the ginger cat is one of a kind. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Kyushu University, Stanford University, Cats, Genetics, Genome, Col...| Biology
Scientists have recently shed some light on exactly why elephants, one of the biggest animals on the planet, paradoxically experience unusually low rates of cancer. The research found these remarkable mammals carry unique genetic variants that reduce their risk of tumors, and the findings could help develop new cancer therapies for humans. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Elephant, Animals, Animal science, Cancer, Protein, Genetics, University of Oxford, 2025 Updates| Biology
For years, the CRISPR-Cas9 genome technology has been reshaping genetic engineering, a precision tool to transform everything from agriculture to medicine. With its incredible efficiency, this molecular tool has been applied to plants, animals, and even bacteria. But until now, no one has used CRISPR-Cas9 on spiders. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:CRISPR, Spiders, Silk, Genetics, Materials| Biology
We usually associate friendship with human behavior, considering our exclusive domain. And that’s a fair assumption, as we don't often find animals boasting cooperative relationships beyond their blood relatives. The only complex "friend-like" relationship seen in vertebrates is known as cooperative breeding, in which two individuals assist in raising the young. Yet, for African starlings, the bonds they form go far beyond mere parenting duties. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Ta...| Biology
When picturing a flock of flamingos, we often imagine long pink legs planted in a shallow lake and heads submerged as they filter feed. Though it looks peaceful, there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. These birds are manifesting storms of swirling tornadoes, using their webbed feet and angled L-shaped beak to help them capture prey. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Animals, Feeding, Water of Life| Biology
A question from a curious kid quickly led a team of scientists down a research rabbit hole – one that has now culminated in fascinating new knowledge about our water-wrinkled fingertips. And there's more to this discovery than a cool piece of trivia. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Binghamton University, Fingerprint, Fingers, Evolution, Biometrics, Biomechanics| Biology
There’s no doubt about it – animal reproduction can get downright bizarre. Nature doesn’t always follow the rules we expect, and sometimes it veers straight into the realm of the absurd. Take, for example, a curious little snail species you’ve probably never heard of. It has a truly baffling biological quirk: it lays its eggs through an opening in its neck. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Animals, Animal science, New Zealand| Biology
Over the course of 18 years, a truck mechanic from Wisconsin injected himself with snake venom hundreds of times. His actions were considered stunts by some over those years, but his blood has just helped lead the way toward a universal antivenom. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Snakes, Venom Evil, antibodies, Columbia University| Biology
Remarkable research has unlocked new understanding of the mysterious ways trees communicate and share knowledge with each other – and much like in many animal species, the wisdom of age plays a vital role. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Southern Cross University, Italian Institute of Technology, Tree, Forest, Conservation, Ecosystem, Environment| Biology
Just when you think you've seen it all, researchers claim to have developed a way for people to see a color the human eye has previously never seen before. They're calling this new shade 'Olo.' Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Vision, Colors, University of California Berkeley, University of Washington, Laser| Biology
A benzodiazepine seeping into waterways is causing young Atlantic salmon to behave strangely, with fish in the wild migrating more rapidly and taking more risks on their journey from river to ocean. It even seems to be messing with their social dynamics. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Griffith University, Deakin University, Monash University, Sweden, Drugs, Pollution, Marine Biology, Fish, Environmental| Biology
Literally a century after it was first discovered, we now have footage of the colossal squid alive in its natural habit for the very first time for your viewing pleasure. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Ocean, Animals| Biology
Now this is the sort of application of AI that really intrigues me. Researchers have developed DolphinGemma, the first large language model (LLM) for understanding dolphin language. It could help us translate what these incredible creatures are saying, potentially much faster than we ever could with manual approaches used over several decades. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Google DeepMind, LLM (Large Language Model), Artificial Intelligence, Dolphin, Language, Communications| Biology
Zombies are real – not in the walking dead sense, but there are parasites that can hack the brains of living creatures and force them to do things against their will, with the goal of spreading the infection. That relative realism is why The Last of Us hits so hard, and the launch of the second season feels like a great time to explore some of the real-world zombie stories that inspired it. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Insect, Ants, ANT+, Parasites, nature, Animal science...| Biology
The only de-extinction company in the world announced today that 12,500 years after it last roamed the Earth, the dire wolf is no longer extinct. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Cloning, Extinction, Genetics, Animal science, Animals| Biology
Scientists have discovered how an Australian jumping spider's semi-hydraulics allows it to speed jump long distances with precision while experiencing g-forces higher than those of fighter pilots. Their insights might help robotics research. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Spiders, Biomechanics, Hydraulics, Robotic construction, Macquarie University| Biology
You don't often find crowds of people flocking together to take in the pungent scent of rotting flesh, but that's exactly what happens every time a corpse flower blooms at a public garden. In fact, thousands turned out to get close to the flower of the world's stinkiest plant in January in Australia. It proved such a drawcard that Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens kept the gates open until late at night to accommodate the eager fans. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Northwestern U...| Biology
We're one step closer to not just treating baldness but preventing it, with scientists making an important discovery that offers keen insight into why hair growth comes to a screeching halt, offering new hope to millions of people across the globe. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Baldness, Hair, Stem Cells, Stress, Age-Related, Cells, Protein| Biology
If you ever travel back in time to the reign of dinosaurs, don’t touch any flowers – it might just be a parasitic wasp in disguise. Analysis of wasps trapped in amber has revealed that the insect ensnared hosts for its larvae with an alluring, Venus flytrap-style butt. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Parasites, Insect, Amber, Fossils, China| Biology
Why don’t we remember specific events during those crucial first few years, when our brains worked overtime to learn so much? A new Yale study finds evidence that we do form memories, but can’t retrieve them. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Memory, Brain, Neuroscience, Yale, Baby, Children, fMRI| Biology
Dr. Frankenstein might not have needed a lightning bolt to bring his monster to life after all. A new study from Stanford suggests that life might have been kickstarted by constant zaps from “microlightning” between water droplets. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Life, Molecules, Chemistry, Earth, Stanford University, Lightning, Organic| Biology
In a potentially major breakthrough for regenerative medicine, scientists at MIT have developed a way to convert skin cells directly into brain cells extremely efficiently, without needing to go through the intermediate step of converting them to stem cells first. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Stem Cells, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS), Cells, MIT, Brain, neurons, Regenerative Medicine, Regenerative| Biology
You may not think of fish as being noisy, but they can actually be a pretty vocal bunch. A new AI system is able to quickly identify specific fish calls within general reef noise, allowing scientists to better track local populations. Continue Reading Category:Biology, Science Tags:Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Fish, Acoustics, Sound, Identification, Coral| Biology
Eight years on from the formation of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium, which set out with the hugely ambitious task of mapping the entire human body – around 37.2 trillion cells – scientists reveal that it's nearly at its first draft stage. This week, we got more of a glimpse of what's coming,…| New Atlas
If some speakers in your sound system were broken, you might try to compensate by cranking up the volume on the ones that still work. It turns out that the brain does the same thing when damaged hair cells in the ear lead to hearing loss – and this could be causing your tinnitus.| New Atlas
A new report has sounded the alarm on the evolution of the avian influenza virus, with comprehensive genome sequencing showing that the current strain is now capable of multidirectional infections across species. While human-to-human risk remains low, it's a worrying step towards the virus honing…| New Atlas
