Odd Creatures: Plants & Animals
January 26, 2025
Top Headlines
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 neuroscience researchers have teamed up to explore a new approach to ...
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. 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 and electrical engineers, is the first step in ...
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 time scales. This new approach is poised to unlock ...
Latest Headlines
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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 ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — A research team has uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the remarkable underwater adhesion of hairy mussels. Their findings reveal an ...
Jan. 23, 2025 — Scientists have developed a theoretical model that uncovers the dual role of polyploidy -- organisms carrying extra genome copies -- in evolution. ...
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 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 — 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. 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 — Wild baboons failed to demonstrate visual self-recognition in a test carried out 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 ...
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 ...
Earlier Headlines
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 ...
Jan. 16, 2025 — When a bird drapes its nest with snake skin, it isn't just making an interesting decor choice. Researchers find that for some birds, it keeps predators at ...
Jan. 16, 2025 — A new study sheds light on how a species of foraminifera, single-celled organisms found in almost all marine habitats, thrives in a dark, oxygen-free ...
Jan. 15, 2025 — New insect-scale microrobots can fly more than 100 times longer than previous versions. The new bots, also significantly faster and more agile, could someday be used to pollinate fruits and ...
Jan. 15, 2025 — New research has revealed that the nervous system circuitry that controls arm movement in octopuses is segmented, giving these extraordinary creatures precise control across all eight arms and ...
Jan. 15, 2025 — Evidence from over 18,300 hours of recorded flight calls suggests songbirds may 'talk' to other species as they migrate, forming social connections and -- just maybe -- exchanging ...
Jan. 15, 2025 — Researchers have identified the behavioral strategies that parasitic cricket species employ to infiltrate and inhabit host ant colonies. Their research demonstrates that these crickets use ...
Jan. 14, 2025 — Pine cones as a model: Researchers have developed a new, energy-autonomous facade system that adapts passively to the ...
Jan. 13, 2025 — Scientists have succeeded in controlling the structure and function of biological membranes with the help of 'DNA origami'. The system they developed may facilitate the transportation of ...
Jan. 13, 2025 — Radiation-induced mutation is unlikely to have induced genetic differences between dog populations in Chornobyl City and the nearby Chornobyl Nuclear Power ...
Jan. 10, 2025 — An international team of scientists has uncovered a fascinating piece of the evolutionary puzzle: how the ventral nerve cord, a key component of the central nervous system, evolved in ecdysozoan ...
Jan. 10, 2025 — The way cricket frogs move across the surface of water has long been thought to resemble walking on water, but researchers have now discovered a different ...
Jan. 9, 2025 — Prehistoric kangaroos in southern Australia had a more general diet than previously assumed, giving rise to new ideas about their survival and resilience to climate change, and the final extinction ...
Jan. 9, 2025 — A battery that needs feeding instead of charging? This is exactly what researchers have achieved with their 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery. The living battery could supply power to sensors ...
Jan. 9, 2025 — A recent study has uncovered the surprising evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear, linking it to the gills of ancient fish and marine invertebrates. The research reveals that both structures ...
Jan. 9, 2025 — Sabre-toothed predators -- best know from the infamous Smilodon -- evolved multiple times across different mammal groups. A new study reveals why: these teeth were 'functionally optimal' ...
Jan. 8, 2025 — Until now, contraception has been the method of choice for zoos to avoid surplus animals. Researchers are now calling for a paradigm shift: zoos could preserve their breeding populations, raise ...
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
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
Thursday, November 14, 2024
- 'Cool' White Car Headlights More Likely to Dazzle Moths
- Living Microbes Discovered in Earth's Driest Desert
- How Conflicting Memories of Sex and Starvation Compete to Drive Behavior, Study in Worms Shows
- NeuroMechFly V2: Simulating How Fruit Flies See, Smell, and Navigate
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
- On the Origin of Life: How the First Cell Membranes Came to Exist
- Anti-Fatberg Invention Could Help Unclog City Sewers
- Robot Identifies Plants by 'touching' Their Leaves
- Bird Brain from the Age of Dinosaurs Reveals Roots of Avian Intelligence
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
- Young Coral Use Metabolic Tricks to Resist Bleaching
- Synthetic Cells Emulate Natural Cellular Communication
- First Amber Find on the Antarctic Continent
- Remarkable New Swimming Sea Slug in the Deep Sea
Monday, November 11, 2024
- A New Wrinkle in Turtles: Their Genomes Fold in a Unique Way, Researchers Find
- A Milestone in the Study of Octopus Arms
- The Shellowship of the Ring: Two New Snail Species Named After Tolkien Characters
- Secret Behind the Corpse Flower's Famous Stench