Biology News

May 8, 2020 by News Staff

A protein-coding gene called GB45239 is responsible for thelytokous parthenogenesis — the ability to produce daughters asexually — in the Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis), a subspecies of honeybee found in the two southern provinces of South Africa, according to a new paper published in the journal Current Biology. A ‘super’ Cape honeybee worker (black in center) is nearly as big as a queen (with white disc). Image credit: Benjamin...

May 7, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers from the University of Exeter has studied potential drivers of ‘rock juggling’ in two species of otters in zoo environments. Asian...

May 6, 2020 by News Staff

A team of Australian scientists and wildlife ecologists has captured koala drinking behavior in the wild for the first time. Old female koala showing natural...

Apr 29, 2020 by News Staff

Collectives of bacteria, or biofilms, stimulated with light remembered the exposure hours after the initial stimulus, according to new research. Reported...

Apr 28, 2020 by Sergio Prostak

A team of researchers from South Africa has discovered that the Indo-Pacific undulated moray eel (Gymnothorax undulatus), first described by the French...

Apr 27, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

An international team of scientists has genetically engineered tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) with a fungal bioluminescence system. This biological...

Apr 24, 2020 by News Staff

The common view of heredity is that all information passed down from one generation to the next is stored in DNA. But University of Maryland’s Dr. Antony...

Apr 23, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers at Pennsylvania State University has directly observed functional metabolons — long-hypothesized clusters of enzymes —...

Apr 22, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

A team of scientists in India has discovered a new species of the viper genus Trimeresurus living in the lowlands of western Arunachal Pradesh state and...

Apr 15, 2020 by News Staff

Chemical compounds that coat cicada wings also contribute to their ability to repel water and kill microbes, says a new study published in the journal...

Apr 15, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

A gene called AHL15 (AT-hook motif nuclear-localized protein 15) promotes longevity in annual flowering plants, according to a new study published in the...

Apr 14, 2020 by News Staff

Flamingos are well known for their gregarious habits and aggregations in large flocks, but evaluation of the mechanisms behind social grouping remain poorly...

Apr 9, 2020 by News Staff

As ‘superbug’ bacteria resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics have become a global threat to public health in recent years, noble metals, such...

Apr 1, 2020 by News Staff

A team of U.S. researchers has discovered a genetic mutation that improves cognitive flexibility in mice. Hu et al reveal a novel mechanism regulating...

Mar 26, 2020 by Sergio Prostak

A research team led by Harvard University scientist Julie McGeoch has found a never-before-seen protein inside a meteorite called Acfer 086. A sample of...

Mar 26, 2020 by News Staff

Snake venom did not evolve as self-defense, according to a paper published in the journal Toxins. The study by Ward-Smith et al doesn’t support the hypothesis...

Mar 20, 2020 by News Staff

A team of marine biologists has discovered two new species of six-gilled sawsharks living in the waters of the West Indian Ocean. Pliotrema kajae, adult...

Mar 16, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

An international team of archaeologists and entomologists has discovered and examined an ancient arthropod-like petroglyph at the Teymareh rock art site...

Mar 13, 2020 by News Staff

Groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) recognize ownership of specific regions; they are also more likely to avoid contact with other...

Mar 12, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers from Louisiana State University, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Museums Victoria and the University of Melbourne has discovered...