Biology

New research published in the journal Scientific Reports shows the Niata cow, a now-extinct animal with a short face like a bulldog that fascinated Charles Darwin when he first saw it in Argentina 180 years ago, was a unique breed and — unlike some bulldogs — did not suffer breathing …

An international team of researchers has discovered five new species of snail-eaters (tribe Dipsadini) living in the forests of Ecuador and Peru. The five newfound species of snail-eating snakes, from top left to bottom right: the Bev Ridgely’s snail-eater (Sibon bevridgelyi), male; the Bob Ridgely’s snail-eater (Dipsas bobridgelyi), male; the …

The vast majority of life on our planet uses red light (680 to 700 nm) in the process of photosynthesis, but the new type uses near-infrared light (750 nm) instead: it was detected in a wide range of cyanobacteria, one of the largest groups of bacteria on Earth, where they …

A team of scientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has created the first artificial human prion. Thioflavin S positive amyloid plaques in the hippocampus (left) and cortex of lab mice inoculated with the artificial human prion, rhuPrion. Image credit: Kim et al, doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04584-z. Human prions — …

The honeybee (Apis mellifera) has joined the ranks of dolphins, parrots, and primates, in demonstrating the ability to understand the concept of zero numerosity. The study appears in the journal Science. A honeybee (Apis mellifera). Image credit: Vijaya Narasimha. While intuitive to modern humans, the full understanding of zero is …

Dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) provide more grooming to those groupmates who contribute more to sentinel behavior — acting as a raised guard to look out for danger, according to new research from the University of Bristol, UK. Group of dwarf mongooses in which different cooperative acts are exchanged even with …

Although using flashy colors as camouflage may seem counterintuitive, iridescence obstructs the bumblebee’s ability to identify shape, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. This is a bumblebee landing on an iridescent target. Image credit: Karin Kjernsmo. Iridescence is a taxonomically widespread and striking form of …

Biologist Jean-Lou Justine, amateur biologist Pierre Gros, and three other associates performed a five-year study of over 700 sightings of giant worms throughout French area since 1999, and published their findings in the journal PeerJ on Tuesday. 5 years back, Gros started sending Justine images of 3 different and extremely …

Somewhere in the wetlands of South Carolina, a ringing fly alights on a rosy-pink surface. As the fly explores the odd landscapes, it unknowingly brushes a small hair sticking up like a slim sword. Walking along, the fly accidentally grazes another hair. All of a sudden, the pink surface closes …

An international team of researchers led by Dr. Jean-Lou Justine of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, has identified at least five species of invasive hammerhead flatworms living in metropolitan France, a few European countries, and overseas French territories in three continents. Justine et al report new findings obtained mainly …