Life

  1. Life

    Mild winters may shift spread of mosquito-borne illness

    By pushing insects to start biting mammals earlier in the year, warmer cold months could increase the transmission of a brain virus affecting people and horses.

    By
  2. Life

    Carnivores can lose sweet genes

    A gene involved in taste detection has glitches in some, but not all, highly carnivorous mammals.

    By
  3. Life

    Microraptor’s true blue colors

    The birdlike dinosaur had black, iridescent feathers that may have helped it attract mates.

    By
  4. Paleontology

    Triceratops reigns alone again

    Fossil comparison fends off a challenge that holds the dinosaur is but the immature version of the Torosaurus.

    By
  5. Life

    Bee genes may drive them to adventure

    Scouting behavior linked to certain molecules in insect brains.

    By
  6. Life

    Exercise brings on DNA changes

    Workouts and caffeine can turn on genes that make energy-regulating proteins.

    By
  7. Life

    Sawfish don’t saw

    Spiked snouts whack prey to the bottom, helping the predator better get its mouth around dinner.

    By
  8. Life

    Fossil pushes back land-animal debut

    Creatures first squished mud through their five toes millions of years earlier than previously believed.

    By
  9. Physics

    Plants’ reproductive weaponry unfurled

    Botanical tricks include adhesion and bubbles to spread their spores into the environment.

    By
  10. Plants

    Tree rings’ lack of volcanic signature confuses climate calculations

    By
  11. Life

    After a breakup, coral embryos live on as clones

    Even modest waves can break apart embryonic corals, but the bits that survive can grow into separate clones.

    By
  12. Life

    When giant fleas roamed

    Fossils show ancient insects grew as long as 2 centimeters.

    By