The Curious Case of Birds—How Evolution Has Led to Less Differences Than Charles Darwin Thought

Medicine & Technology Mar 28, 2015

It’s a well-known fact that in nature it’s often the boys that have the better looks. Without the task of investing their energy and resources into the next generation of children males are able to reallocate their resources into preening and looking pretty. But it’s a curious case that is far from what the original evolutionary biologists once thought.

‘Traffic Rules’ In Nature—Being a Little Batty

Mar 28, 2015

Sitting in traffic on the 210 Interstate Freeway can be quite a pain when you’re on your way to Los Angeles. In fact, in the stop and go traffic you may find yourself going a “little batty”—and you’d never guess just how right you are. When you’re behind the wheel, abiding by the rules of the road, you may just be revealing a bit more of your bat side than usual as a new study published this week in the journal PLOS Computational Biology reveals that humans aren't the only ones who follow “traffic rules” in nature.

Bringing Extinct Animals Back to Life No Longer Just Part of the Movies

Mar 27, 2015

Move over Jurassic Park, it seems the idea of bringing extinct animals back to life is now becoming more science rather than science fiction. The idea of reviving long extinct species has fascinated scientists for generations. Now, they have brought the idea one step closer to reality as scientists from Harvard University have managed to insert wooly mammoth DNA into the code of Asian elephants.

How the Neurons of A Sea Slug Could Change Neurobiology Forever

Mar 26, 2015

It’s a common belief that when you think of neurobiology you often imagine the brain and the central nervous system one neuron at a time. And for many years, that’s exactly how researchers had to approach the larger questions. By tagging in particular neurotransmitters, that would convey the passing of one signal from neuron to neuron, researchers were able to follow the path of a signal back and forth along an axon. But now, with new imaging technology and a new model organism in mind, researchers in neurobiology are seeking new ways in which we study the brain—mapping neural circuits and their functions in great detail, on the large scale.

Scientists Work to Uncover the Secret of Glowing Mushrooms

Mar 21, 2015

No you didn't take anything to make you hallucinate. Some mushrooms and other fungi just glow, and this phenomenon is a mystery dating back to ancient times. Now, scientists have created some fake, glowing mushrooms and scattered them in a Brazilian forest in the hopes of once and for all solving this mystery.

‘Water Man of India’ Takes Prize for Bringing Hope to A Dry Future

Mar 21, 2015

While the Nobel Peace Prize may applaud many great acts of human kindness and perseverance, not every year’s winners are designated as those that feed the masses or even bring essential components of life, such as water, to those in need. In order to applaud these efforts, the Stockholm Water Prize was created as the unofficial “Nobel Prize for water”, and each year it recognizes those fighting in the most impoverished nations for potable water to be brought to masses. This year’s laureate, however, is one for the record books as he alone has brought water to 1,000 villages across northern India.

Tide of the Decade Sweeps Across France’s Atlantic Coast, Turning Islets into Islands

Mar 21, 2015

How strong are the sun and the moon’s pull on the tides? A lot stronger than you may have ever believed. In what happened to be a perfect trifecta of cosmic events, this Friday’s alignment allowed for a supermoon, a total solar eclipse, and perhaps one of the greatest ocean surges our generation has seen since the turn of the 21st century. In fact, in what happened to be a tourist’s dream, the picturesque Mont Saint Michel Abbey on the coast of France was turned into a island for a brief while as the “tide of the century” submerged the path that leads to its fortified walls.

Ancient Croc Ruled North America Before Dinosaurs

Mar 20, 2015

Scientists have unearthed fossils in North Carolina of a large land-dwelling crocodile that lived about 231 million years ago, walked on its hind legs and was the top land predator before dinosaurs even appeared.

After Hopeful Solar Power News, Al Gore May Just Find Another Place in Office

Mar 17, 2015

For years now former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore has been the the man professing the end of the world as we know it. In fact, while his predictions and commentary on the matter of global climate change may have sent scientists and the rest of the American public into a frenzy, they also happened to win him an Academy Award for his film “An Inconvenient Truth”. But with a changing industry and a change in the global conversation, Gore’s recent tone has been a lot more hopeful than it once was. And with news this weekend of an even greater shift towards green energy, with a discovery made by researchers at Brown University, some are hopeful that Gore will once again reclaim an office in the White House with election campaigns starting right around the corner.

Champion Foodies—Chimpanzees Will Make the Trek for a Delicious Meal

Mar 17, 2015

Though researchers have come to understand that in comparison to the human palette, chimpanzees may not be as refined, it appears that these clever relatives are foodies at heart. In fact, when it comes to a meal of grapes over veggies, chimpanzees will even go out of their way for the chance to dine on something sweeter than the norm. In a new study published this week in the journal PeerJ researchers at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo investigated the food preferences of chimpanzees in captivity only to find that the animals are clever enough to find a way of getting the goodies they prefer.

Project Aimed at Restoring the Everglades Far Behind Schedule

Mar 16, 2015

The Everglades have taken a beating over the years. So much so that 15 years ago the state of Florida in partnership with federal officials from Washington issued a statement declaring their partnership in the goal of re-establishing the Everglades by 2030.

Conservation Efforts Bring Florida Manatees to Record Numbers

Mar 16, 2015

It seems that efforts to restore the manatee population is beginning to pay off as a record number of manatees have been tallied in Florida's annual survey of endangered marine mammals, state wildlife officials said on Monday.

Giant Tortoise Babies Born in the Wild for the First Time in 100 Years

Mar 15, 2015

The Pinzon giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands are breeding again. For the first time in a century, scientists have found baby giant tortoises that have been born in the wild.

What are ‘Iridophores’ and How Are They Keeping Chameleons Camouflaged?

Mar 11, 2015

In a new study published this week in journal Nature Communications, researchers with the University of Geneva in Switzerland revealed that crystals beneath the skin of chameleons are responsible for the species’ amazing ability to adapt its pigmentation to its surroundings. But many are left wondering—what exactly are “Iridophores” and how can chameleons use them to camouflage?

The Secret To a Chameleon’s Color Change—It’s Crystals

Mar 10, 2015

Ever wonder exactly how chameleons are able to change their spots and camouflage themselves under the bright forest canopy? Well you’re not likely to guess the intriguing method involved. It turns out that while the chameleons are docile and soft, for the most part, this interesting species has a lot more in common with diamonds than anyone ever thought.