Odd Creatures: Plants & Animals
January 31, 2025
Top Headlines
Jan. 31, 2025 — Some biologists speculate that animals will get smaller with global warming to reduce heat stress. While this may be true of warm-blooded animals, what about exotherms like insects? Thanks to a ...
Jan. 31, 2025 — DNA evidence has confirmed killer whales in Australia hunted a white shark for its liver. Based on DNA analysis from the bite wounds on the carcass of a large white shark washed ashore near Portland in Victoria in 2023, the study identified that ...
Jan. 14, 2025 — Researchers find that rats create neurological maps of places to avoid after experiencing a threat and think about these locations when exhibiting worry-related behaviors. These findings may provide insight into the neuroscience of common ...
Jan. 30, 2025 — Researchers have discovered neurons in the fly larva mouth that allow the taste of food texture. The study found that the fly peripheral taste organ has neurons with texture-tasting mechanoreceptors that derive their ability from the painless ...
Latest Headlines
updated 10:59pm EST
Jan. 13, 2025 — Researchers have witnessed behavior in the wild which could reveal critical clues about how the endangered whale shark ...
Jan. 30, 2025 — A research group has developed new advanced light-controlled tools that enable precise control of proteins in real time in living cells. This groundbreaking research opens doors to new methods for ...
Jan. 30, 2025 — Sharks and rays have populated the world's oceans for around 450 million years, but more than a third of the species living today are severely threatened by overfishing and the loss of their habitat. ...
Jan. 30, 2025 — A green alga that grows in lakes and rivers could be the next 'superfood' -- helping scientists to tackle global food security challenges while promoting environmental ...
Jan. 29, 2025 — Why does coffee taste more bitter to some people than it does to others? Researchers have now come closer to answering this question. They have ...
Jan. 29, 2025 — Scientists have discovered the anti-icing secret of polar bear fur -- something that allows one of the planet's most iconic animals to survive and ...
Jan. 29, 2025 — Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take-off with ease remains something of a ...
Jan. 28, 2025 — Mites who hitchhike on the beaks of hummingbirds use a surprising method to help them on their journey: electricity. These hummingbird flower mites feed on nectar and live within specific flowers for ...
Jan. 28, 2025 — A team of stem cell scientists have successfully used embryonic stem cell engineering to create a bi-paternal mouse -- a mouse with two male parents -- that lived until adulthood. Their results ...
Jan. 27, 2025 — One would think that a volcano was not the most hospitable place for living organisms. However, the Borealis Mud Volcano, at 400 m water depth, acts as a sanctuary for a number of marine ...
Earlier Headlines
Jan. 29, 2025 — Working dogs take a day to adjust to the change in routine caused by Daylight Savings Time, whereas pet dogs and their owners seem to be unaffected, according to a new ...
Jan. 29, 2025 — A recent study investigated the identity of a fungus found on a spider during filming of the BBC Winterwatch series in Northern ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — Several hundred bees in rural Pennsylvania and rural New York are sporting tiny QR codes on their backs to track when they go in and out of their hives. The work, a collaboration among entomologists ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — Electrical engineers have developed a better way to perform the comparative analysis of entire genomes. This approach can be used to study relationships between different species across geological ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — A single gene that regulates testosterone levels in a 'crazy' species of shore bird controls the development of three wildly different types of males, a new study has found. Ruffs have long ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — Researchers have derived a formula for viral behavior in the Wild Cards, a science fiction series written by a collection of authors about an alien virus called the Wild Card that mutates human DNA. ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — The remains of the earliest dinosaurs may lie undiscovered in the Amazon and other equatorial regions of South America and Africa, suggests a new ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — The fossilized neck bone of a flying reptile unearthed in Canada shows tell-tale signs of being bitten by a crocodile-like creature 76 million years ago, according to a new ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — Scientists have developed a theoretical model that uncovers the dual role of polyploidy -- organisms carrying extra genome copies -- in evolution. Their findings reveal that polyploidy can stabilize ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — A research team has uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the remarkable underwater adhesion of hairy mussels. Their findings reveal an oxidation-independent adhesion process driven by ...
Jan. 22, 2025 — Around 45 million years ago, a 4.6 feet-tall (1.40 meters) flightless bird called Diatryma roamed the Geiseltal region in southern Saxony-Anhalt. An international team of researchers report on the ...
Jan. 22, 2025 — A new study has used a modelling approach to show that it is unlikely that plants would evolve to warn other plants of impending attack. Instead of using their communication networks to transmit ...
Jan. 22, 2025 — Like humans, mice will compete over territory and mates, and show increased confidence in their fighting skills the more they win. At first, a brain chemical called dopamine is essential for young ...
Jan. 22, 2025 — Scientists have completed construction of the final chromosome in the worlds' first synthetic yeast genome following more than a decade of work, opening new possibilities for creating resilient, ...
Jan. 21, 2025 — It's difficult to know what birds 'think' when they fly, but scientists in are getting some remarkable new insights by looking inside birds' heads. Evolutionary biologists and ...
Jan. 21, 2025 — Wild baboons failed to demonstrate visual self-recognition in a test carried out by ...
Jan. 21, 2025 — A new study has identified a group of neurons that, when activated, can induce a hypometabolic state, akin to hibernation. The discovery could have far-reaching implications for conditions like ...
Jan. 20, 2025 — A new study has described a phenomenon researchers refer to as 'contagious urinations.' The study in 20 captive chimpanzees living at the Kumamoto Sanctuary in Japan shows that, when one ...
Jan. 17, 2025 — Experiments and modeling reveal the unexpected structure that can be seen in bacteria grown in mucus samples and ...
Jan. 16, 2025 — Previous studies have posited that the mass extinction that wiped the dinosaurs off the face of the Earth was caused by the release of large volumes of sulfur from rocks within the Chicxulub impact ...
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
- Working Dogs Take a Day to Adjust to Daylight Savings Time, but Pets Are More Flexible
- New Fungal Species Named in Honor of Sir David Attenborough Making Zombies of Cave Spiders on the Island of Ireland
Thursday, January 23, 2025
- 'Buzz Me In:' Bees Wearing Itty Bitty QR Codes Reveal Hive Secrets
- New Tool Enables Phylogenomic Analyses of Entire Genomes
- Super Enzyme That Regulates Testosterone Levels in Males Discovered in 'crazy' Bird Species
- Imagining the Physics of George R.R. Martin's Fictional Universe
- New Twist in Mystery of Dinosaurs' Origin
- Rare Pterosaur Fossil Reveals Crocodilian Bite 76m Years Ago
- Solving the Evolutionary Puzzle of Polyploidy: How Genome Duplication Shapes Adaptation
- The Secret to Robust and Reversible Underwater Adhesion: The Answer Lies in Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Domain
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
- Fossil Discovery in the Geiseltal Collection: Researchers Identify Unique Bird Skull
- Plants More Likely to Be 'eavesdroppers' Than Altruists When Tapping Into Underground Networks
- Fighting Experience Plays Key Role in Brain Chemical's Control of Male Aggression
- Final Synthetic Yeast Chromosome Unlocks New Era in Biotechnology
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
- Empty Headed? Largest Study of Its Kind Proves 'bird Brain' Is a Misnomer
- Wild Baboons Not Capable of Visual Self-Awareness When Viewing Their Own Reflection
- Scientists Identify Neurons in Mice That, Once Activated, Can Change Body's Metabolic Rate, Induce Hibernation-Like State
Monday, January 20, 2025
Friday, January 17, 2025
Thursday, January 16, 2025
- Asteroid Impact Sulfur Release Less Lethal in Dinosaur Extinction
- Cavity-Nesting Birds Decorate With Snake Skin to Deter Predators
- New Study Provides Insight Into How Some Species Thrive in Dark, Oxygen-Free Environments
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
- This Fast and Agile Robotic Insect Could Someday Aid in Mechanical Pollination
- Octopus Arms Have Segmented Nervous Systems to Power Extraordinary Movements
- Songbirds Socialize on the Wing During Migration
- How Crickets Co-Exist With Hostile Ant Hosts
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Monday, January 13, 2025
Friday, January 10, 2025
- New Fossil Discovery Sheds Light on the Early Evolution of Animal Nervous Systems
- A Fast-Moving Belly Flop: Researchers Unveil the Unique Skills of Cricket Frogs
Thursday, January 9, 2025
- Did Prehistoric Kangaroos Run out of Food?
- Electric Fungi: The Biobattery That Needs to Be Fed
- An Earful of Gill: Evolutionary Origin of the Mammalian Outer Ear
- The Extreme Teeth of Sabre-Toothed Predators Were 'optimal' For Biting Into Prey
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
- Rethinking Population Management in Zoos
- Evolutionary Biology: Ants Can Hold a Grudge
- Herbivore or Carnivore? A Toolbox for the Study of Extinct Reptiles
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Friday, January 3, 2025
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Friday, December 27, 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
- A Festive Flying Reptile Family Reunion 150 Million Years in the Making
- Researchers Identify a Mysterious Fossil Seed to Reveal New Chapters in Climate History of Los Angeles
- Chart of Life Extended by Nearly 1.5 Billion Years
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
- Massive Volcanic Eruptions Did Not Cause the Extinction of Dinosaurs
- Carnivorous Squirrels Documented in California
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Monday, December 16, 2024
Thursday, December 12, 2024
- How the Dirt Under Our Feet Could Affect Human Health
- Do Animals Get Jealous Like People? Researchers Say It's Complicated
- Unique Motor Control System of Anglerfish's Specialized 'fishing Rod' Discovered
- Botanists Name Beautiful New Species of 'lipstick Vine' From the Philippine Rainforest
- How 'Conan the Bacterium' Withstands Extreme Radiation
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
- Fast, Rewritable Computing With DNA Origami Registers
- Recycling Human, Animal Excreta Reduces Need for Fertilizers
- Scientists Transform Ubiquitous Skin Bacterium Into a Topical Vaccine
- Biological Diversity Is Not Just the Result of Genes
- Buffalo Besties: Feral Female Buffalo Build Friendships Based on Similar Personality Traits
- New Research Unlocks Jaw-Dropping Evolution of Lizards and Snakes
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Monday, December 9, 2024
Friday, December 6, 2024
- Bird-Inspired Drone Can Jump for Take-Off
- Desert Ants Use the Polarity of the Geomagnetic Field for Navigation
Thursday, December 5, 2024
- That's No Straw: Hummingbirds Evolved Surprisingly Flexible Bills to Help Them Drink Nectar
- Chimpanzees Perform the Same Complex Behaviors That Have Brought Humans Success
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
- Can Plastic-Eating Bugs Help With Our Microplastic Problem?
- Uncovered a Mystery of 'electron Carrier' Existing in All Living Organisms: Discovery of a 'nano-Switch Mechanism' Controlled by a Single Hydrogen Atom
- Tiny Dancers: Scientists Synchronize Bacterial Motion
- Scientists Identify Brain Cell Type as Master Controller of Urination
- Peat-Bog Fungi Produce Substances That Kill Tuberculosis-Causing Bacteria
Monday, December 2, 2024
- Insect Fossil Find 'extremely Rare'
- Deep-Sea Marvels: How Anglerfish Defy Evolutionary Expectations
- Feeding Grazing Cattle Seaweed Cuts Methane Emissions by Almost 40%
Friday, November 29, 2024
- Fossil Dung Reveals Clues to Dinosaur Success Story
- Inside the 'swat Team' -- How Insects React to Virtual Reality Gaming
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
- Early North Americans Made Needles from Fur-Bearers
- 'Genetic Time Machine' Reveals Complex Chimpanzee Cultures
Monday, November 25, 2024
- New Study Reveals the Explosive Secret of the Squirting Cucumber
- To Design Better Water Filters, Engineers Look to Manta Rays
- Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers Heard the Elks Painted on Rocks 'talking'
- Focaccia: A Neolithic Culinary Tradition Dating Back 9,000 Years Ago
- Bats' Amazing Plan B for When They Can't Hear
- The Next Evolution of AI Begins With Ours
- Cyanobacterial Circadian Clock Uses an AM Radio-Like Mechanism to Control Cellular Processes
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
- Friendly Social Behaviors Are Contagious for Chimpanzees
- Sweet Tooth Ethiopian Wolves Seen Feeding on Nectar
- Thanksgiving Special: Dinosaur Drumsticks and the Story of the Turkey Trot
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Monday, November 18, 2024
- Scientists Recreate Mouse from Gene Older Than Animal Life
- New Fossil Reveals the Evolution of Flying Reptiles
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Friday, November 15, 2024
- Generation of Rat Offspring from Ovarian Oocytes by Cross-Species Transplantation
- Biologists Reveal the Genetic 'switch' Behind Parrot Color Diversity