Falling Fruit Reveals a Hidden Pact Between Plants and Pollinating Beetles
A team at Kobe University has discovered a previously overlooked dynamic between the Japanese red elder plant and a group of beetles that both harm and help the plant.
Biology
How a Fungal Gene Stolen from Bacteria Could be the Next Weather Manipulation Tool
Fungi may be the key to weather manipulation, after researchers isolated a fungal protein that promotes ice formation.
New African Species May Reveal the Evolutionary Origin of Magic Mushrooms
An international team of researchers from Africa and the United States identified a newly described species of psychedelic mushroom that is the closest known wild relative of P. cubensis.
NASA Satellite Imagery Reveals Lifeforms Swarming Around This Iconic Dying “Megaberg”
The climate change-fueled demise of one of Antarctica’s largest icebergs has ironically fueled a surge in nature’s “biological carbon pump.”
“The Cradle of Life Does Not Necessarily Require a Sun “: Scientists Identify Free-Floating Planets as a Tantalizing New Target in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Moons orbiting free-floating planets that wander the cosmos without a host star could sustain extraterrestrial life for billions of years
NASA Experiments Challenge the Idea of Life in Titan’s Methane Lakes
New lab experiments explore whether or not certain rudimentary lifeforms could exist in the hydrocarbon lakes and seas of Saturn's moon Titan
Scientists Discover “Hidden” Lifeforms Thriving Beneath the World’s Driest Desert
A recent study from the University of Cologne has revealed that microscopic soil worms called nematodes form surprisingly diverse communities throughout the Atacama.
Scientists Find Missing Link to Psychedelics Like MDMA ‘Locking In’ PTSD Recovery Benefits
New experiments suggest a biological missing link that helps lock in the long-term benefits of psychedelic-assisted PTSD treatment
“Maybe We’re Martians!”: Scientists Say Some Microbes Could Survive the Violent Journey Between Planets
Asteroid impacts may catapult life from one planet to another, as new research claims that hardy bacteria can survive the ejection.
‘Adaptive’ Robotic Wing Senses and Reacts to Wind Changes More Rapidly Than a Barn Owl
Scientists have revealed an adaptive robotic wing equipped with artificial nerves so sensitive to air currents that it outperformed a barn owl
Scientists Placed Microscopic Animals in Simulated Martian Soil and Something Unexpected Happened
After exposing notoriously resilient microscopic animals called tardigrades to simulated Martian soil, they began to move extremely slowly
Moving at the Speed of Sight: Humans and Animals Experience Time at Dramatically Different Speeds
All animals, including humans. experience time at dramatically different speeds, allowing fast-pursuit predators to track prey in slow motion
Tiny Reef Fish Show Unexpectedly Advanced Awareness in Mirror Tests, New Study Reveals
A recent study reveals how tiny reef fish demonstrate advanced awareness by using mirrors to inspect marks placed on their bodies.
Scientists Have Long Searched for Evidence of Psychedelic DMT in the Brain—A New Study Challenges This Idea
For many years, researchers have questioned whether the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is produced naturally in the brain and if it might act as a signaling substance similar to serotonin.
“If Melting Ice Releases These Microbes, These Genes Could Spread”: Ancient Bacteria Frozen for 5,000 Years Show Resistance to Modern Antibiotics
Studies of ancient bacteria strains hidden in a frozen Romanian ice cave find they are resistant to several modern-day antibiotics
Scientists Successfully Use String Theory to Challenge More Than a Century of Assumptions About Living Systems
Scientists successfully borrow concepts from string theory to explain the network architecture of branching biological systems like neurons
Thousands of Alien Plant Species Could Soon Take Root in the Arctic
A recent study published in NeoBiota indicates that thousands of non-native plant species could now find suitable conditions in the Arctic.
Sleep Aid or Sleep Killer? Scientists Discover How Pink Noise Machines May Alter REM Sleep
According to new experiments, sleep machines that use pink noise could adversely affect deep sleep and REM sleep instead of helping it.
Scientists Deploy “Bat Accelerator Machine” to Unlock the Secret to How Bats Navigate in the Dark
In a new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, scientists from the University of Bristol reframe the concept of echolocation.
Global Study Finds Invasive Species Are Helping Drive Sharp Insect Losses
A recent global analysis shows that invasive alien species are linked to significant declines in insect populations and diversity worldwide.
Ancient Cannabis Enzymes Reveal How THC and CBD First Evolved
A team of scientists has taken a closer look at the origins of cannabis chemistry by reconstructing enzymes from ancient plants.
A Newly Discovered Species Offers Clues to the Great Salt Lake’s Past
Researchers have discovered a new species in the Great Salt Lake, offering scientists a new tool for monitoring environmental change.
When ISS Astronauts Unleashed Killer Viruses on E. Coli, Strange Things Started to Happen
Experiments aboard the International Space Station revealed how killer viruses that infect bacteria evolve their attacks in microgravity.
This Giant Virus, Previously Unknown to Science, May Help Unlock the Mystery of Life’s Origins
Researchers have identified a previously unknown giant virus that may offer new insight into how complex life first evolved.
Some Brains ‘Switch Gears’ More Efficiently Than Others—New Research Reveals Why
The brain’s ability to switch between fast and slow processes depends on communication between regions, new research reveals.
Overlooked for a Century, Forensic Scientists Unveil an Unexpected Game-Changer for Solving Crimes
New forensic research reveals that fragments of moss as small as an eyelash can serve as a powerful tool in solving crimes.
Scientists Have Discovered Evidence of Previously Unknown Electrical Power Generation in Living Cells
New evidence of electrical power generation on cell membranes could offer insights into how living cells interact with their surroundings.
This Vampire-Like Organism “Lost Much of What Defines It” to an Odd Twist in Evolution—So It Became a Parasite Instead
Balanophora may look like a mushroom, but instead of being a fungus, it's a parasitic plant with rare traits that puzzle biologists.
“This Was a Remarkable Observation”: Deep-Sea ‘Zombie Worms’ Have Gone Missing, and It Has Ocean Scientists Concerned
A team of researchers led by Ocean Networks Canada conducted an experiment to lure a species of deep-sea worms to colonize remains placed on the seafloor.
Arctic Scientists Discover Previously Unknown Deep-Sea Ecosystem Thriving on the Arctic Seafloor
After spotting the deepest hydrate seep ever, scientists were shocked to discover a deep-sea ecosystem thriving on the Arctic seafloor.
Microbes Found Colonizing Fresh Lava May Offer Clues to Life on Mars, Scientists Say
Scientists studying volcanic eruptions in Iceland say microbes begin colonizing new lava flows faster and more predictably than once thought.
Bearly Wild? Study Confirms Bears Living Near Humans Evolved to Become More Tame
Modern species of bears living near humans for extended periods show evidence of genetic changes making them less aggressive than others.
“We Need to Rethink What’s Possible:” This “Fire Amoeba” Proves Complex Life Can Survive New Extremes
Scientists have discovered a “fire amoeba” capable of surviving temperatures typically impossible for complex life.
This Tiny Worm Could Hold a Major Clue to How the Brain Regulates Aging
A surprising discovery from aging researchers shows that dietary restriction isn’t enough to extend lifespan on its own.
Yellowstone Quakes Offer Clues to Finding Underground Life on Other Worlds
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reports that a swarm of small earthquakes beneath Yellowstone National Park set off a burst of biological activity deep underground.
“We Used to Think Life Had to Start Completely from Scratch”: New Evidence Shows Biomolecules May Have Origins in Earth’s Atmosphere
New experiments show that biomolecules the form the basis of all life were present in the Earth's atmosphere before the first life existed
Newly Discovered Fossil Evidence Proves These Giants Roamed the Earth Over 12 Million Years Ago
Analysis of ancient fossils has shown that giant anacondas became extremely large over 12 million years ago and remain giants today.
Astronauts Placed an Extreme Earth Organism in Outer Space. Nine Months Later, it Was Still Alive
After placing an ancient extreme Earth organism outside of the ISS for nine months, scientists were shocked to find it was still alive.
Engineered ‘Nanopores’ Displayed Learning-Like Traits in Recent Breakthrough Experiments, Scientists Say
A team of researchers from EPFL has discovered that biological nanopores exhibit electrical signal responses that resemble learning-like behavior.
Forget Meat—Here Comes Genetically Modified Protein Fungus
Move over meat, scientists have engineered a fungal organism that produces protein more efficiently than conventional livestock while dramatically reducing environmental damage.
Mysterious Magnetic Fossils Left Behind by An Unknown Ancient Creature Offer Clues to the Origins of Nature’s “Sixth Sense”
Ninety-seven-million-year-old magnetic fossils, left behind in sea beds by an unknown creature, may have been a biological GPS.
Could Toothpaste Made From Hair Help Teeth Regrow Enamel? Scientists Think So
Scientists at King’s College London have developed a sustainable biomaterial derived from hair that could help rebuild tooth enamel.
Life on Earth Began About One Billion Years Earlier than Previously Thought, New Research Finds
Scientists have detected signatures in ancient rocks that push back the timeframe for the discovery of early life by billions of years.
Watch As This Parasitic Ant Queen Deploys a “Chemical Weapon” and Tricks Worker Ants into Killing Their Own Mother
Researchers have discovered parasitic ant queens that use natural "chemical weapons" to trick ants from rival colonies.
Bees Can Tell Time: New Study Reveals Shockingly Advanced Insect Intelligence
Bees can distinguish split-second flashes of light, revealing surprising timing abilities and advanced cognitive flexibility.
Eerie Sightings of “Sea Serpents” Have Haunted Sailors for Centuries—We Went to a Famous Monster Hunter for Answers to the Mystery
Tales of sea serpents have haunted seafarers for centuries, and Scottish researcher Adrian Shine offers a naturalist's view on some of history's most famous cases.
“Tectonics, Climate, and Life Co-Evolved Through Deep Time”: How a Supercontinent Breakup Produced All Complex Life on Earth
All complex life on Earth may be the result of plate tectonics tearing apart the ancient supercontinent Nuna 1.5 billion years ago.
Scientists Discover Extremophiles Thriving in Blue ‘Volcanic Goo’ Deep in the Ocean
New research reveals that in some of the most inhospitable parts of the ocean depths, a blue volcanic mud contains evidence of extremophiles.
Bioengineering ‘Hack’ Allows Scientists to Recreate Octopus Camouflage Pigment Using Bacteria
Scientists at UC San Diego have successfully used bacteria to reproduce a unique pigment that allows octopuses to blend in with their surroundings.
Flatworm Stem Cell Discovery Could Soon Rewrite the Rules of Regeneration Science
Scientists have long been intrigued by the ability of flatworms to regenerate complete bodies from small fragments of tissue. The underlying mechanisms behind this process have remained relatively unclear until recently.