Biology

Every time you go to sleep, you pass through a phase known as hypnagogia. This mental state straddles the line between “sleeping” and “awake.” Sometimes sleep scientists can’t even agree on whether it should be classified as a phase of sleep. Hypnagogia has a reputation for promoting creativity and freedom …

A team of scientists from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Universities of New South Wales and Sydney has identified a new DNA structure — called the intercalated motif (i-motif) — inside living human cells. A twisted ‘knot’ of DNA, the i-motif has never before been directly seen …

Entomologists are claiming they have discovered a new species of so-called ‘exploding ant’ living in the remote rainforests of Borneo, Thailand, and Malaysia. When their colony is threatened by an intruder, minor workers of the new species — named Colobopsis explodens — can tear their own body apart, in order …

Earth is completely overrun with humans. There are billions of us living and dying on this planet, leaving signs of our existence in the soil, atmosphere, and even in space. Are we the first, though? Researchers from the University of Rochester and NASA have produced a paper that details how …

An international team of researchers from the United States, UK and Brazil has engineered an enzyme which can digest polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the primary material used in the manufacture of single-use plastic beverage bottles, in some clothing, and in carpets. Electron microscope image of enzyme degrading PET plastic. Image credit: …

A team of scientists from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has identified three new species of bacteria — Lactobacillus micheneri, L. timberlakei and L. quenuiae — that live on both wild flowers and bees. These bacterial species may play a role in preserving the nectar and pollen that female …

One of New Guinea’s dancing birds-of-paradise — the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise (Lophorina niedda) — was finally confirmed to be an entirely new species, thanks to its distinctive dance. The Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise (Lophorina niedda). Image credit: Tim Laman. The Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise is found only in New Guinea’s far-western Bird’s …

The Costa’s hummingbird (Calypte costae) is a small species of hummingbird endemic to the far west region of the United States and Mexico. During breeding season, male Costa’s hummingbirds perform a high-speed dive during which they ‘sing’ to potential mates using their tail feathers. Unlike related species, male Costa’s perform their …

A team of marine biologists from the University of Kansas and the Field Museum, Chicago has discovered a remarkable defensive system — ‘lachrymal saber’ — in a group of fish called stonefish. Their work is published in the journal Copeia. Stonefish are packing switchblades in their faces. Image credit: Frank …

In a groundbreaking genetic kinship study, a research team led by the Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is the first to reveal that just like human societies, beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) appear to value culture and their ancestral roots and family ties. The researchers have demonstrated that related …