Biology

Some 465 million years ago this marine scavenger was caught unawares by a mud current that would bury it alive. It had spent its last hours feasting on a large range of seafood, and now, thanks to the latest imaging tech, its last meal has been revealed.

Play is a vital part of animal behavior, helping to form social structures and bonds, develop cognitive function and enhance physical abilities. Now, it's believed whale play with seaweed to scrub off dead skin cells and parasites as they migrate.

Delivering electric shocks to 1mm-long roundworms may sound rather meanspirited, but scientists have used this stimuli to uncover some curious behaviors of C. elegans that could further our understanding of human emotional mechanisms.

Researchers have found that quieting some mobile DNA sequences in roundworms led to a longer life. Not only does the discovery provide a greater understanding of how we age, but it also opens the door to potential applications in biology and medicine.

A new study has identified rare genetic variants associated with male pattern hair loss. In addition to increasing our understanding of the condition, the findings may pave the way for personalized therapies.

Scientists have successfully extracted RNA from an extinct species for the first time. This was achieved in the thylacine, a species of carnivorous marsupial that roamed Australia until a century ago – and may again one day, if current plans bear fruit.

Almost 200 years on from when Charles Darwin observed his Galapagos Islands finches, which became the emblems of his theory of evolution, birds in the region are again in the news for what many scientists warn could be the source of the next pandemic.

Hijacking the body of another animal is nothing new in the opportunistic world of parasitism. But for the first time, scientists have observed how one crafty flatworm can switch ‘zombie mode’ on and off, leaving its host ant stuck between life and death.

More than 400 footprints across a diverse range of species have been identified in incredible detail for the first time, with researchers enlisting a trio of expert indigenous trackers to help solve the mystery of these 5,000-year-old records.

Believe it or not, male sexual desire actually begins in the brain. Scientists have found the neural circuit that triggers mating behaviors and the ensuing pleasure and reward feedback in mice. They hope it can lead to new drugs to treat dysfunction.

Burmese pythons are famously known for being capable of swallowing pigs whole, but you have to keep in mind, the snakes themselves are pretty darn big. When it comes to snake-to-prey-size ratio, however, nothing beats the Gans' egg-eater.

They weigh about an ounce, spend their lives underground and are unlikely to be shortlisted for any cute animal calendars, but the fascinating naked mole-rat continues to offer clues that it holds the key to anti-aging under its pale, wrinkly skin.

In what might be a surprise for some, the male sex chromosome is far more complex than its female counterpart. This is why it’s taken scientists so long to work out exactly what makes a male a male. Now, they've completed the elusive Y chromosome map.

A study has found that glitter negatively affects the growth of cyanobacteria, an important player in aquatic ecosystems and a key component of marine food webs, highlighting the importance of reining in the use of this stealthy microplastic.

With grim predictions that all polar bears may be wiped out by the end of the century, it’s vital scientists find a way to better monitor the beasts to see if conservation efforts are having any impact. So they decided to 'fingerprint' them using DNA.