Colorful birds possibly raised for ceremonial and trade purposes long before Spanish arrival

In a first, a study shows that bioluminescence can be controlled by slow-acting hormones, not rapid-fire nerve cells.

Beetle bifocals CHICAGO — Sunburst diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus) larvae possess a grand total of 12 eyes, four of which are naturally bifocal, researchers reported October 17 at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting. These marine beetle larvae are voracious predators, tracking and eating mosquito larvae. The 12 eyes span the head, giving the beetle larvae a panoramic view of the world. Annette Stowasser and her colleagues at the University of Cincinnati found that the four most prominent eyes on these aquatic hunters hold several retinas apiece, allowing the eyes to clea... (p. 9)

The signature of positrons has been found for the first time in gamma rays associated with storms on Earth.

Equines join cucumbers and pigs as the most recent additions to the roster of organisms to have their complete DNA code spelled out. The new work on horses also helps answer a key question about chromosome structures called centromeres.

Scorpionflies with long-reaching mouthparts may have helped plants procreate long before blossoms evolved.

Gamma-ray emissions are providing a guide to finding the compact, rapidly rotating remnants of massive stars known as pulsars.

The largest known galactic congregation is bigger than astronomers thought—and its inhabitants are all dead or dying.

Female crab spiders switch colors to match flowers but may not fool their prey

Volcanic activity is more recent than expected, MESSENGER shows on its third flyby of the planet. Also, surface iron occurs as oxides.

A new technique to make shuttle launches safer combines tricks from particle colliders, moon landings and vulture tracking.