Credit: Elianne Dipp from PexelsEven biologists only get a fleeting look at the lives of whales. Many species, especially deep-diving whales, remain largely unknown.Scientists are gaining a deeper understanding of the vital role whales play in marine ecosystems and the services they provide. Recent studies indicate that even whale urine is crucial for Earth.The...
Credit: PixabayIn many animals, skin color and patterns play crucial roles in camouflage, communication, and temperature regulation. Corn snakes, for example, exhibit various morphs with bright colors like red, yellow, or pink, and their dorsal spots may merge or form stripes. But what genetic and cellular processes drive these striking patterns? A team from...
Marsupials, like kangaroos, give birth to premature offspring that then develop in the mother's pouchDepositphotosFor the first time, scientists have successfully created kangaroo embryos using in-vitro fertilization (IVF), marking a significant breakthrough in efforts to replicate this process across hundreds of marsupial species increasingly at risk of extinction.A research team from the University of...
"I am your pillbug, Luke" – Bathynomus vaderi is named for the fact that its distinctive head resembles Darth Vader's flared helmetNguyen Thanh SonWhat has 14 legs, dwells on the ocean floor, and resembles Darth Vader? A newly discovered supergiant isopod species, which you can even try as a dish if you visit Vietnam.What...
Morphological features of "Sheba" at different ages. Credit: Communications Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06721-5An international team of botanists, agriculturists, and historians has successfully cultivated a mature tree from an ancient seed discovered in an Israeli cave.In fact, in their study published in Communications Biology, the researchers detail the seed’s origin, the process of tracing its history,...
A Serianthes seedling that was part of the study, surrounded by a 7.5-cm (3-inch)-wide ring of mirrorsThomas MarlerIndoor plant enthusiasts are familiar with using mirrors to direct sunlight onto plants. Now, scientists have adapted this idea to help endangered tree seedlings struggling to grow in shaded forests. The Serianthes nelsonii, a large tree native...
A live recreation of the Ngamugawi wirngarri coelacanth in its natural habitat. P3D graphic credit: Katrina Kenny. Credit: Illustration Katrina Kenny (courtesy Flinders University)"Groundbreaking" new fossil research reveals that climate change, asteroids, and plate tectonics are interconnected with the origins and extinction of animals, highlighting the significant evolutionary role of these factors.A recent study...
Credit: BETH ZAIKENFour thousand years ago, the last woolly mammoth on an island off the coast of modern-day Siberia died. This isolation could have led to fatal inbreeding and population declines, contributing to the species' extinction.However, a new study reveals that while the Wrangel Island mammoths were indeed inbred, this alone did not...
Credit: CanvasToday, let's talk about a part of the body that doesn't get much attention but is incredibly important: the anus. This little opening at the end of our digestive tract is essential for our survival and the survival of many animals on Earth.The Journey of DigestionInside your body, the digestive system is a...
We still wouldn't call a T. rex not that clever to their face. Credit: PixabayAlthough we prefer not to speak negatively about extinct creatures, recent physiological analysis suggests that the Tyrannosaurus rex, once thought to be highly intelligent, may not have been as clever as previously believed. This challenges earlier research from last year that compared...
