Life
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Animals
Lazy sunfish are actually active predators
Ocean sunfish were once thought to be drifting eaters of jellyfish. But they’re not, new research shows.
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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.
By Beth Mole -
Genetics
DNA disorganization linked to aging
Changes in the way that DNA is tightly packed in cells leads to mayhem that promotes the aging process.
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Animals
Climate change revs up extinction risks
One in six species on the planet may face extinction if the global temperatures continue to rise.
By Beth Mole -
Animals
Rock-wielding monkeys make adjustments when cracking nuts
Videos show that monkeys carefully pound open nuts to avoid smashing kernels inside.
By Bruce Bower -
Plants
Medfly control methods were ready for pest’s influx
50 years ago, researchers prepared to greet Mediterranean fruit flies with sterile males.
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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.
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Paleontology
This dinosaur’s ride may have been a glide
A new dino called Yi qi may have taken to the skies with wings akin to those of pterosaurs and flying squirrels.
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Plants
A protein battle underlies the beauty of orchids
The petal-and-lip shape that draws pollinators to orchids results from a competition between two protein complexes, a new study finds.
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Ecosystems
Just 1 percent of Amazon’s trees hold half of its carbon
Roughly 1 percent of tree species in the Amazon rainforest account for half of the jungle’s carbon storage.
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Earth
Hidden water found deep beneath Antarctica desert valley
New imaging reveals liquid water network beneath Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys that could support microbial life.
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Neuroscience
For the blind, hearing the way forward can be a tradeoff
Many blind people have enhanced hearing. A new study shows that the ability to hear your way forward might come at the cost of hearing up and down.