Animals
- Animals
Beetle’s toxic, explosive vapor explained
From a two-chambered gland in their rears, bombardier beetles unleash a toxic, blazing hot spray to defend themselves.
- Animals
Climate change revs up extinction risks
One in six species on the planet may face extinction if the global temperatures continue to rise.
- Animals
Rock-wielding monkeys make adjustments when cracking nuts
Videos show that monkeys carefully pound open nuts to avoid smashing kernels inside.
- Plants
Medfly control methods were ready for pest’s influx
50 years ago, researchers prepared to greet Mediterranean fruit flies with sterile males.
- Animals
Rare fossils expand evolutionary history of sperm whales
A pygmy fossil unearthed in Panama reveals that the organ the whales use to produce sound and echolocate shrunk over time.
- Animals
Woolly mammoth DNA shows toll of low diversity
A new sequencing analysis of two woolly mammoth genomes reveals evidence of genetic decline due to isolation and inbreeding just prior to extinction.
- Genetics
Mosquito bites might be foretold in genes
Attractiveness to mosquitoes could be inherited, twin study suggests.
- Animals
Bees may like neonicotinoids, but some may be harmed
Two high-profile tests raise worries that bees can’t avoid neonicotinoid pesticides and that wild species are at special risk.
- Animals
Only three wolves left on Michigan island
Without an infusion of new wolves, the Isle Royale wolf population, and the famous study associated with it, will die off.
- Animals
Growth of mining on land may promote invasions at sea
Ballast water taken in to keep ships stable could, when discharged elsewhere, release species that become invasive in their new homes.
- Life
Bolder snails grow stronger shells
Bold snails have tougher shells than shy snails. Understanding what drives snails to develop such differences is a bit of a challenge.
- Animals
Finland’s brown bears on surprise fast track to recover diversity
Brown bears in southern Finland show surprisingly fast improvements in genetic diversity and connections with other bears.
