Reproduction

For the first time, we know more than we ever expected to know about the sex lives of the majestic beluga whale. It's complicated, to say the least, but it also shows just how strategic nature is at keeping an isolated group of animals alive.

In 1995, divers first noticed a group of bizarre sandy "crop circles" on the seabed near southwest Japan. But it took decades for scientists to identify the marine artists behind them – and why they were building such geometrically precise structures.

Upending 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.

If you were a flowering plant, wouldn't you want your pollen to be received by a plant of your own kind? According to a new study, at least one plant may ensure that happens, by blasting "rival" pollen off of pollinating animals' bodies.

Scientists have discovered a kind of “pause button” in early human development. This biological mechanism has long been known in other mammals, but its discovery in humans could aid IVF procedures.

A non-hormonal, reversible and safe male pill may be in sight, as scientists successfully silence a protein crucial in fertile sperm production. Knocking out this protein temporarily resulted in unviable sperm, without any lasting impacts on fertility.

Lab-grown testicle organoids that closely resemble the real thing provide a promising model for research that may help our understanding of testicular development and translate into therapeutic applications for male infertility.

Scientists have boosted the motility of slow sperm by blasting the cells with 40-MHz ultrasound waves to induce movement. Capturing the technique's impact on individual sperm cells, the study opens the door to new non-invasive fertility treatments.

Declining fertility can make it harder to have kids in middle age. Now scientists have identified a mechanism that seems to accelerate aging of the ovaries – and found a way, in mice at least, to slow it down to boost fertility later in life.

A new study has linked preconception exposure to phthalates to reduced odds of getting pregnant, adding to a growing body of evidence about the negative effects of these chemicals, commonly found in personal care products like soap and shampoo.

A study has found that plastic additives might be stopping the reproductive habits of a shrimp-like species that is key to the marine food chain. The findings provide a different perspective on the potential damage caused by specific pollutants.

What has eyes, antennae, swimming bristles, a genes stash and a feel for autonomy? The rear end of the bizarre Japanese green syllid worm. Scientists now know how the end of the animal detaches and swims off to find a similar tail of the opposite sex.