Biology
From the smallest microbe to the largest dinosaurs and from the tiniest spore to the biggest giant sequoia, biological research continues to shed new light on the weird and wonderful world of living organisms.
Top News
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For four years, orcas have been ramming and sinking luxury yachts, and scientists finally have an idea why. No, it's not their anticapitalist 'eat the rich' agenda, nor is it to do with territory and aggression. The truth is, well, it's child's play. -
Scientists have discovered that a once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event is underway, as two lifeforms have merged into one organism that boasts abilities its peers would envy. Last time this happened, Earth got plants. -
In the 1800s, a conflict between the founding fathers of evolution divided the community. Charles Darwin said sexual selection drove male butterfly looks, while rival Alfred Russel Wallace believed it was just natural selection. Now we have an answer.
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Latest News
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January 26, 2025 | Abhimanyu GhoshalYou've probably heard that Salmonella is most commonly transmitted through food or water contaminated by the bacteria of the same name. A new study suggests that if you've got a pet dog, chances are you're susceptible to catching it from them, too. -
January 17, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonA 13-year study of tiny penguins in Australia has dispelled the long-held myth that these seabirds mate for life, with the 'divorce rate' nearly 10 times that of the current statistics for US adults. And, not surprisingly, it all comes down to kids. -
January 14, 2025 | Ben CoxworthWhat has 14 legs, lives at the bottom of the sea, and looks like Darth Vader? It's a newly discovered species of supergiant isopod, and should you happen to be in Vietnam sometime soon, you can buy one and eat it. -
January 08, 2025 | Abhimanyu GhoshalMosquitoes looking to mate in Australia are about to have the worst sex of their lives – thanks to genetic modifications turning their semen toxic. That could kill females swiftly, and greatly reduce their ability to spread deadly diseases. -
January 03, 2025 | Abhimanyu GhoshalA quarry in South East England has yielded a fascinating paleontological discovery: long tracks with a total of 200 footprints left by enormous dinosaurs that roamed the earth during the Middle Jurassic Period, some 166 million years ago. -
January 02, 2025 | Michael IrvingWe often see the results of evolution, but not the process directly. Now, scientists have witnessed evolution unfolding in real time, as two similar lizard species encounter each other for the first time and quickly adapt to fill different roles. -
December 31, 2024 | Bronwyn ThompsonAs a rather odd and chaotic year comes to a close, it's fitting that our biggest animal story was news that researchers had worked out why orcas were sinking expensive boats. This, and more, makes up our favorite animal science news of 2024. -
December 29, 2024 | Michael FrancoWhile it might sound like a cute gift to buy for your pet mouse, a new set of virtual reality goggles have a much more serious purpose. The inventors say they should help advance research into Alzheimer's disease and other brain conditions. -
December 22, 2024 | Michael IrvingUnless you're a nut, cute little squirrels pose little threat – but they could have a surprising murderous streak. After watching squirrels in California for 12 years, scientists have seen them actively hunt and kill small rodents this past summer. -
December 18, 2024 | Michael IrvingA new study from Caltech calculates that our brains process information at the extremely slow speed of just 10 bits per second. This leisurely pace may have long evolutionary roots, despite our sensory systems gathering data 100 million times faster. -
December 02, 2024 | Michael IrvingA new discovery in Kenya shows that ancient human relatives crossed paths – literally. Paleontologists have discovered the first known example of fossil footprints left by two different species of ancient hominins on the same day. -
November 29, 2024 | Abhimanyu GhoshalResearchers have found compelling evidence to confirm that a specific pod of clever killer whiles in the Gulf of California has developed an astonishing new skill: hunting enormous whale sharks by attacking their undersides. -
November 29, 2024 | Michael IrvingScientists have charted how dinosaurs rose to prominence using a pretty unconventional method. They studied, in dirty detail, hundreds of samples of fossilized poop and vomit. -
November 28, 2024 | Michael IrvingScientists have engineered a hybrid mouse with a gene that predates all animal life. The team replaced a single gene in the mouse stem cells with a version from an ancient, single-celled ancestor, and successfully grew healthy live mice from it. -
November 26, 2024 | Bronwyn ThompsonUpending long-held beliefs that testosterone levels fuel sexual desire, a new study has found that while the hormone plays a key role in reproductive success, elevated concentrations may instead drive 'courtship' efforts – particularly in single men.
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