Biology
From the smallest microbe to the largest dinosaurs and from the tiniest spore to the biggest giant sequoia, biological research continues to shed new light on the weird and wonderful world of living organisms.
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For four years, orcas have been ramming and sinking luxury yachts, and scientists finally have an idea why. No, it's not their anticapitalist 'eat the rich' agenda, nor is it to do with territory and aggression. The truth is, well, it's child's play. -
Scientists have discovered that a once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event is underway, as two lifeforms have merged into one organism that boasts abilities its peers would envy. Last time this happened, Earth got plants. -
In the 1800s, a conflict between the founding fathers of evolution divided the community. Charles Darwin said sexual selection drove male butterfly looks, while rival Alfred Russel Wallace believed it was just natural selection. Now we have an answer.
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Latest News
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November 02, 2024Despite observations of "wasps getting drunk" and "beetles consuming beer," it has been thought that alcohol in the non-human animal world hasn't been deliberate. Ecologists challenge this theory, saying it's far more commonplace and strategic. -
November 01, 2024Most of us do it, in one form or another, but how and when humans began to kiss is still hotly debated among researchers. Now, a new evolutionary theory has been put forward, which says the origins of the kiss may date back millions of years. -
November 01, 2024Pythons have famously cartoonish eating habits, and they might be even better at it than we thought. A new study has found that Burmese pythons can eat even larger prey than was thought mathematically possible. -
October 30, 2024Scientists in Japan have created hybrid plant-animal cells, essentially making animal cells that can gain energy from sunlight like plants. The breakthrough could have major benefits for growing organs and tissues for transplant, or lab-grown meat. -
October 17, 2024Microscopic battles rage around and in us at all times, involving surprisingly exciting weapons. Scientists have now observed a bacterium that attacks like a pirate ship, ensnaring its prey with grappling hooks and firing “cannons” that blow it open. -
October 17, 2024If you were a flowering plant, wouldn't you want your pollen to be received by a plant of your own kind? According to a new study, at least one plant may ensure that happens, by blasting "rival" pollen off of pollinating animals' bodies. -
October 17, 2024Everybody from NASA to David Bowie has wondered if there’s life on Mars – and now we might have a precise place to look for it. A new Caltech study has shown that photosynthetic microbes could thrive in a small habitable zone beneath the ice. -
October 14, 2024A surprise discovery in the Australian outback has delivered exciting insight into the origins of complex animal life. The animal fossil, dating back half a billion years, shows when bilateral symmetry emerged – a hallmark of most life on Earth now. -
October 13, 2024You might not hear it, but rodents are known to speak to each other in voices so high-pitched that human ears can’t pick them up. Now scientists have found that these vocalizations might have a second purpose – they help them smell better. -
October 09, 2024Imagine being horribly maimed and the only way to survive was to merge your damaged flesh with another injured human. Scientists have discovered this startling ability in comb jellies, which can fuse together to share a nervous and digestive system. -
October 03, 2024In a move akin to puncturing an egg yolk without breaking the shell or egg white, researchers have figured out how to pierce the nucleus of a cell without hurting the rest of the structure. The breakthrough could be big news for medical treatments. -
October 03, 2024Scientists have discovered a kind of “pause button” in early human development. This biological mechanism has long been known in other mammals, but its discovery in humans could aid IVF procedures. -
September 24, 2024Move over, Moo Deng, there's a new superstar baby animal that's become an overnight viral sensation – a nine-month-old king penguin chick named Pesto whose species-defying growth spurt has made this big boy a worldwide celebrity. -
September 22, 2024A humble little lizard has developed a clever escape route from predators – it blows a bubble over its nostrils and scuba dives to safety for 20 minutes or more. Now, a biologist has explored exactly how it works. -
September 15, 2024Last year, it was discovered the bluestreak cleaner wrasse could pass the "mirror test", showing that it can recognize its own face in a mirror. Now researchers have found it can actually size itself up against a potential competitor before a fight.
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