Microbes stranded in the International Space Station (ISS) are just trying to survive, man.
Evolution used same genetic formula to turn animals monogamous
Why are some animals committed to their mates and others are not? According to a new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin that looked at 10 species of vertebrates, evolution used a kind of universal formula for turning non-monogamous species into monogamous species—turning up the activity of some genes and turning down others in the brain.
Science races against tick-borne virus
Two groundbreaking discoveries by USC researchers could lead to medications and a vaccine to treat or prevent a hemorrhagic fever transmitted by a new tick species before it spreads across the United States.
Who’s tougher? Baby sharks or daddy sharks?
It’s not just their teeth and jaws that people find intriguing. It’s also their funky shapes and unique skeletal makeup that capture attention. Unlike humans and most land animals, sharks have mineralized cartilage skeletons instead of bones. This allows them to move at unbelievable speeds through the water. Since cartilage weighs less than bone and is less dense, sharks can bend, swim, and maneuver in the ocean much differently than their bony fish counterparts.
European wheat lacks climate resilience
The climate is not only warming, it is also becoming more variable and extreme. Such unpredictable weather can weaken global food security if major crops such as wheat are not sufficiently resilient—and if we are not properly prepared.
Princeton geneticist solves long-standing finch beak mystery
Bridgett vonHoldt is best known for her work with dogs and wolves, so she was surprised when a bird biologist pulled her aside and said, “I really think you can help me solve this problem.” So she turned to a mystery he’d been wrestling with for more than 20 years.
Press release: The inevitability of global warming. Single option is fixation on clean energy sources
12 years is before the world disaster. That’s how much time is left to stop global warming. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of the Special Report on Global Warming at 1.5° C of the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Eastern European Association of the Greens hold a round table on 15th of November in Vilnius, Lithuania in order to discuss the forecasts of the UN and express organization’s opinion how to get away from these scenarios.
Divining roots—revealing how plants branch out to access water
New research has discovered how plant roots sense the availability of moisture in soil and then adapt their shape to optimise acquisition of water.
The discovery could enable crops to be bred which are more adaptive to changes in climate conditions, such as water scarcity, and help ensure food security in the future.
Florida monarch butterfly populations have dropped 80 percent since 2005
A 37-year survey of monarch populations in North Central Florida shows that caterpillars and butterflies have been declining since 1985 and have dropped by 80 percent since 2005.
Social animals have more parasite infections but lower infection-related costs
Animals living in large groups tend to have more parasites than less social animals do, but according to a new study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, they may also be better protected from the negative effects of those parasites.