Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Winged robots may shed light on fly aerobatics
After years of trying, researchers create flapping machines that can hover and perform rudimentary flight maneuvers.
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- Animals
Deep-sea worms drop acid to get dinner
Bone-eating worms produce chemicals to dissolve and feed on skeletons.
- Animals
Fossil illuminates ancestry of swifts and hummingbirds
Spectacularly preserved remains suggest that the two avian groups' predecessors got small before splitting and developing their flying chops.
- Life
Genetic fossils betray hepatitis B’s ancient roots
Modern bird genomes reveal evidence that virus is at least 82 million years old.
- Life
Bees need honey’s natural pharmaceuticals
Ingredients trigger insects' genes for detoxification and immune defenses against bacteria.
- Life
Signs of culture in whales and monkeys
Mammals learn feeding behaviors from their friends and family members.
- Life
So far, the great tit has coped with climate change
Earlier arrival of birds’ food due to warming temperatures hasn’t yet reduced bird population.
- Life
Birds may have had to crouch before they could fly
Digital reconstructions of avian ancestors show a progressive redistribution of weight toward the front of the body.
- Life
Mutation makes H5N1 flu lose its grip
Laboratory-added genetic change makes avian influenza unable to bind to bird cells.
- Life
Why corals do calisthenics
Pulsating motion appears to flush water to improve photosynthetic efficiency in symbiotic algae.
- Paleontology
My Beloved Brontosaurus
On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs by Brian Switek.
