Evolution
This Mouse Has Evolved An Immunity to Toxic Scorpion Venom
The bark scorpion's sting can be deadly—but one of its predators, the grasshopper mouse, is impervious to both the pain and paralyzing effects of its venom
Weather Prevents Different Giraffe Species From Interbreeding
In zoos, different giraffe species will readily mate, but if the species cross paths in Kenya, their rain-driven mating cycles won't be in sync
Chimpanzees Intentionally Warn Their Friends About Danger
A new study shows that the apes make specific warning calls when near other chimps, and they keep sounding the alarm until their friends are safe
Ancient Skeletons Reveal Genetic History of Central Europe
The skeletons, between 7,500 and 3,500 years old, house DNA that trace waves of migrations from regions across Europe
Scientists Just Discovered Water Near a Star 170 Light Years Away
The water was once bound as ice in a small, rocky planet or asteroid that was destroyed 200 million years ago
Insects Are Less Randy in the Rain
Beetles, moths and aphids are markedly turned off by the hint of impending rain, likely an evolutionary adaptation to prevent them from getting washed away
This 419-Million-Year-Old Fish Has the World’s Oldest Known Face
The ancient fossil, just discovered in China, could upend our understanding of how all vertebrates evolved over time
Parasitic Cuckoo Finches Use an Egg Overload to Evade Host Defenses
The more eggs a parasitic cuckoo finch lays in its host's nest, the more likely a discerning foster parent will accept the finch's young as its own
How One Moth Species Can Jam Bats’ Sonar Systems
Bertholdia trigona, a moth native to the Arizona desert, emits ultrasonic clicks at a rate of 4,500 times per second to blur bats' acoustic vision
This Insect Has The Only Mechanical Gears Ever Found in Nature
The small hopping insect <i>Issus coleoptratus</i> uses toothed gears on its joints to precisely synchronize the kicks of its hind legs as it jumps forward
A Minimum of 320,000 Mammalian Viruses Await Discovery
If we invested just $1.4 billion, we could discover 85 percent of all mammalian viruses, potentially lessening the impact of the next emerging disease
Humans Would Be Better Off If They Monkeyed Around Like the Muriquis
Biologist Karen Strier has been studying these peace-loving Brazilian primates and their egalitarian lifestyle for decades
Did Life Come to Earth From Mars?
Mineralogical clues point to the idea that the early Earth, starved of oxygen and submerged by a vast ocean, needed molecules from Mars to kick start life
Scientists Investigate Whether the City Mouse Is Smarter Than the Country Mouse
Contrary to biologists' expectations, critters living in cities don't always have an adaptive edge over their rural counterparts
Why Do We Yawn and Why Is It Contagious?
Pinpointing exactly why we yawn is a tough task, but the latest research suggests that our sleepy sighs help to regulate the temperature of our brains
How the Human Body Evolved to Throw Fastballs
Our shoulder flexibility allows us to hurl things at high speeds compared to other primates—a trait we likely evolved for hunting two million years ago
Why We Should Study Cancer Like We Study Ecosystems
Like pine beetles sickening a forest as they spread, cancer can be seen as a disruption in the balance of a complex microenvironment in the human body
Scientists Use Snails to Trace Stone Age Trade Routes in Europe
Why is a snail variety found only in Ireland and the Pyrenees? DNA analysis suggests that it hitched a boat ride with early travelers
Do Geography and Altitude Shape the Sounds of a Language?
Languages that evolve at high elevations are more likely to include a sound that's easier to make when the air is thinner, new research shows
Gestures of Human and Ape Infants Are More Similar Than You Might Expect
Comparing the body language of baby chimps, bonobos and humans suggests that gesticulation came first in the evolution of speaking
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