Scientists Map the Colors of Life to Hunt for Potential Biosignatures on Alien Worlds
In the search for alien life, one Cornell researcher says color may be a telltale sign of biosignatures on far-off exoplanets.
Biology
Levitation Breakthrough Enables Scientists to Sort Living Cells Using “Invisible Force” Instead of Physical Contact
A groundbreaking new device uses electromagnetic levitation to help researchers gently sort living cells, with no need for physical contact.
Scientists Demonstrate ‘Brain-Inspired’ Computers Made from Mushrooms That Mimic Neural Activity
Scientists have designed a novel fungus-based computer system that incorporates parts made from common shitake mushrooms.
“We Don’t Know Why It Happens”: Scientists Discover Bats That Glow an Eerie Green Under UV Light
Scientists studying North American bats have found several species that have the ability to glow when exposed to UV light.
Scientists Have Revealed the ‘Shocking’ Hunting Abilities of These Tiny Predaory Worms
Researchers have discovered a microscopic roundworm that uses electrostatic induction to launch itself onto flying insects.
Discovery of Ancient Amber in Ecuador Reveals the Tiny Inhabitants of an Ancient Gondwanan Forest
A team of scientists recently identified the first deposits of amber in South America to contain ancient insects, providing a window into biological life 112 million years ago.
Newly Discovered Glowing Shark and a Hidden Crab Reveal the Deep Sea’s Untold Biodiversity
Scientists have recently classified two new species off the coast of Western Australia that illuminate how little we actually know about life in the deep sea.
“We Knew We Had Documented Something Extraordinary”: Killing Behavior of European Bats Sounds Like a Scene from a Horror Movie
Eerie audio recordings reveal how Europe's largest bats hunt, catch, kill, and eat birds in mid-flight without having to land.
Ancient Fungi May Have Paved the Way for Life on Land, New Research Reveals
Before the first trees sprouted on Earth, the planet’s barren landscape may already have been transformed by fungi.
What One Bacteria’s Survival in a High-Stress Rocket Flight Means for Humans and the Search for ET
In a boon to human space travel, new research has shown that bacteria essential to our health can survive rocket launches and microgravity.
Venus Flytrap’s Bizarre Insect Capture Mechanism Has Long Puzzled Scientists—Now They Finally Know How It Works
Researchers have discovered how the Venus flytrap translates a physical touch into an electrical signal that quickly closes its trap.
Evidence of Hybrid Mammoths Roaming the Ancient Americas Reveals an Evolutionary Surprise
North American mammoths interbred more often than previously believed, suggesting hybrids were surprisingly common in the past 400,000 years.
Evolutionary Mystery of Psilocybin Deepens With Discovery That Mushrooms Twice Evolved the Psychedelic Compound
New research reveals a psychedelic mystery involving how two types of mushrooms evolved to produce psilocybin on separate occasions.
Fatal Attraction: This Flower Mimics a Dying Creature to Lure Pollinators
New research reveals a plant that mimics the scent of injured ants to attract flies, enabling an unusual pollination strategy.
If You Have Trouble Listening in a Crowded Room, Your Hearing May Not Be to Blame
Scientists studying the ability to distinguish between voices speaking simultaneously have identified a culprit beyond poor hearing.
Unraveling Gravitropism: Scientists Decode the Unusual Relationship Between Gravity and Plant Roots
An international team of scientists has unraveled the mysterious relationship between gravity, and the growth trajectories of plant roots.
Strange Blue Bird Spotted in Texas Believed to Be the First Known Hybrid Between Blue and Green Jay Species
A recent study confirmed the existence of a hybrid bird between the blue jay and green jay species in nature.
Tipsy Chimps? Study Reveals Wild Apes Consume the Equivalent of Two Drinks a Day
A new study suggests that chimpanzees in the wild are consuming the equivalent of several alcoholic drinks each day.
Genetic Links Between Humans and Bees Reveal the “Hive Mind” Behind Social Behavior
Humans and bees share genetic traits responsible for social behavior, suggesting that the basic elements of connection transcend species.
Culture May Be Replacing DNA as the Driver of Human Evolution, New Theory Suggests
Scientists are re-examining whether genetic changes remain the primary catalyst of human evolution, or if another factor has become more influential.
These Ant Queens Use Uncanny ‘Cloning’ Abilities to Give Birth to Two Entirely Different Species
Scientists have revealed that queen ants in southern Europe can produce male clones of a completely different species.
Insect Apocalypse: These Ants Are Vanishing at an Alarming Rate
Scientists concerned with a recently identified “Insect Apocalypse” have discovered an alarming rate of decline in Fijian ant populations.
Is There Life On Mars?: NASA Says Perseverance Rover Found Biosignatures Most Likely From Ancient Microbes
Moving a major step closer to proclaiming that life on Mars once existed, NASA researchers have discovered potential biosignatures.
“It Literally Leapt Out of the Rock at Us”: 150 Million-Year-Old Baby Pterosaur Fossils Stun Paleontologists
A recent study provides fresh details about how two small 150 million-year-old pterosaurs met their end during intense tropical storms.
“We Finally Have A Roadmap”: Biomanufacturing Breakthrough Reveals Bacteria’s Ultra-Efficient Breakdown of Plant Waste
The mystery of how tiny bacteria can digest the toughest plant waste has been resolved with major implications for biomanufacturing.
Scientists Fear “Mirror Life” Synthetically Produced in the Lab Could Create a Dangerous New Form of Biology
Scientists are warning that creating “mirror life,” a radical new concept in synthetic biology, could potentially have dangerous repercussions.
Bright Idea: These “Almost Magical” Glowing Succulents Could Offer Sunlight-Powered Sustainable Lighting Systems
These incredible glowing houseplants engineered by scientists could soon offer sustainable, bioluminescent alternatives to indoor lighting.
These Ingenious Spiders Use Light from Captured Fireflies as “Bait” to Attract More Prey
Scientists find evidence of spiders trapping fireflies and letting them live for extended periods of time to attract additional prey.
Origins of Life Decoded? Researchers Unravel How RNA and Amino Acids May Have First Combined
Researchers have revealed early conditions under which RNA and amino acids may have combined, giving rise to the origin of life on Earth.
Artificial Photosynthesis Breakthrough: Scientists Create Molecule That Stores Energy Like Plants Do
In the quest for sustainable technologies, researchers have taken a significant step toward making artificial photosynthesis a reality.
AI Unveils a Major Discovery in Ancient Microbes That Could Hold the Key to Next Generation Antibiotics
AI is searching for new antibiotics within ancient, single-celled microbes known for their ability to survive in extreme environments.
These Cyborg Jellyfish Could Help Researchers Reach Inaccessible Ocean Depths and Inspire Future Deep Sea Vehicles
Cyborg jellyfish could soon help explore some of Earth’s most inaccessible ocean deaths, according to engineers at CU Boulder.
Bizarre Krayt Dragon-Like “Penis Worm” Discovered in Grand Canyon Reveals Ancient Evolutionary Arms Race
A newly discovered Cambrian, "Kraytdraco," reveals a bizarre predatory 'penis worm' in an ancient arms race beneath Grand Canyon seas.
“We Just Opened Up a Pandora’s Box”: Ionic Liquid Discovery May Expand Habitable Zones in Search for Alien Life
MIT study suggests ionic liquid-based life forms could survive on the surface of rocky planets previously considered uninhabitable.
This Parasitic Worm Could Invade Your Body Undetected—Scientists Finally Know How It Infects Millions Annually
Research reveals how a parasitic worm can disable pain neurons to evade immune detection, offering deeper insights into infection and pain.
Scientists Successfully Synthesize ‘Superalcohol’ Seed of Life Molecule in Space-Like Conditions
Scientists announce the first ever successful synthesis of a "superalcohol" seed of life molecule that could aid the search for life in space.
The Deepest Ecosystem Ever Found Has Been Discovered in the Ocean’s Mysterious Hadal Trenches
Chinese ocean explorers have discovered the deepest life on record, existing at extreme depths on the sea floor.
“I’m Stunned and Flabbergasted”: Scientists Were “Blown Away” By a Rare Fossil Discovery Challenging Past Thinking on Pre-Dinosaur Evolution
A newly discovered prehistoric reptile, Mirasaura grauvogeli, was found to have unusual structures similar to feathers.
A ‘Neurobiotic’ Sixth Sense? Scientists Find Microscopic Organisms Can Directly Communicate with the Human Brain
Scientists have revealed a potential 'neurobiotic' sixth sense derived from direct communication between microorganisms and the human brain.
Aliens, or Something Else? Astronomers Thought Life Might Exist on This Exoplanet—New James Webb Telescope Data Says Otherwise
Claims that extraterrestrial life may exist on the exoplanet K2-18b face new challenges from James Webb Space Telescope data.
“It was Literally Hiding in Plain Sight”: Fossil Forgotten in a Harvard Museum Reveals Secrets of Early Evolution
When a string of misidentifications ended, a fossil sat in a drawer at Harvard for a century until its significance was recently discovered.
James Webb Space Telescope Made a ‘Puzzling’ Discovery on Jupiter’s Moon Europa—These Scientists May Have an Answer
SWRI experiments could explain puzzling levels of equatorial hydrogen peroxide on Saturn's moon Europa detected by the JWST.
Evolution Keeps Producing Anteaters, and New Research Finally Reveals the Strange Reason Why
New research has revealed the evolutionary reason anteaters have evolved at least a dozen times since the time of the dinosaurs.
“The Secret Might Be Here on Our Own Planet”: This NASA Scientist Is on a Mission to Find Out What Aliens Look Like
NASA has tasked a University of Massachusetts Amherst microbiologist who studies extremophiles with figuring out what aliens probably look like.
“Can They Really Do That?” Discovery of New Light-Sensitive “Cryorhodopsin” Proteins Could Revolutionize Neuroscience
A protein called cryorhodopsin, a molecule found in the coldest environments on Earth, may hold the key to manipulating human brain activity.
Controversial ‘Synthetic Human Genome Project’ Spurs Debate Over Ethics of Building Human DNA from Scratch
The Synthetic Human Genome Project is working to build synthetic human DNA but who is asking how this science will impact society?
Rethinking the Search for Extraterrestrial Life: Scientists Urge Broader Search as Exoplanet Discoveries Multiply
New research says that the search for extraterrestrial life may be too narrow, as life could thrive in conditions far different from Earth's.
Certain Plants in the Galápagos May Be Devolving, New Research Reveals
Wild tomatoes on the Galápagos Islands may be providing scientists with an unprecedented look at “devolution” according to a new study.
Our 500-Million-Year-Old Immune System Keeps Us Alive—And Now We Understand How It Knows When to Activate
The immune system has evolved to act as a first responder against infections, and scientists have revealed how it knows when to activate.
Bacteria Found on China’s Tiangong Space Station Shows Unique Adaptations for Space Survival, Study Shows
A strain of bacteria found aboard the Tiangong space station in 2023 appears to be a variety never previously identified on Earth.