Biology

A guide to life, on Earth and beyond, including the top news about plants, animals, and physiology.

Latest in Biology

two birds with black and white plumage with dots of yellow or blue feathers neat their beaks sit near a nest

Male hornbills are at their mates’ every beck and call Male hornbills are at their mates’ every beck and call

By Margherita Bassi

an illustration showing the various sizes of extinct giant sloths

8,000-pound sloths once roamed North America. Where’d they go? 8,000-pound sloths once roamed North America. Where’d they go?

By Laura Baisas

Adélie penguins walking along the Antarctic coastline.

How pungent poop could help Antarctica’s penguins How pungent poop could help Antarctica’s penguins

By Laura Baisas

a pink and yellow flower with delicate petals

Plants can hear tiny wing flaps of pollinators Plants can hear tiny wing flaps of pollinators

By Laura Baisas

a clear marine worm with many appendages branching out of its torso and some dots of colors

Sea worm’s reproductive bits grow their own eyes before mating Sea worm’s reproductive bits grow their own eyes before mating

By Laura Baisas

Sargassum algae piles up along the shore at a beach in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

31 million tons of seaweed ready to stink up Florida’s beaches 31 million tons of seaweed ready to stink up Florida’s beaches

By Laura Baisas

a humpback whale calf swims in front of its mother

Humpback whales can give birth while migrating thousands of miles Humpback whales can give birth while migrating thousands of miles

By Laura Baisas

a baby howler monkey on the back of a juvenile capuchin

Capuchin monkeys kidnap baby howler monkeys, shocking scientists Capuchin monkeys kidnap baby howler monkeys, shocking scientists

By Lauren Leffer

Fossil fragments on black background

These human ancestors weren’t as lonely as experts thought These human ancestors weren’t as lonely as experts thought

a black and white snake with two heads

Rare two-headed snake is surprisingly thriving Rare two-headed snake is surprisingly thriving

By Margherita Bassi

thousands of birds take to the sky

Weather radar picks up over 1 million migrating birds Weather radar picks up over 1 million migrating birds

By Margherita Bassi

an illustration of a human brain with a lightbulb over it, simulating an idea

Your ‘Eureka!’ moments can be seen in brain scans Your ‘Eureka!’ moments can be seen in brain scans

By Laura Baisas

four puffins with white and black plumage and bright orange bills stand on a rock overlooking the north sea

Puffin-counting season begins with two new livestreams Puffin-counting season begins with two new livestreams

By Laura Baisas

The Chicago Archaeopteryx, under UV light to expose soft tissues.

Feathered fossil shows famed dinosaur could fly (like a chicken) Feathered fossil shows famed dinosaur could fly (like a chicken)

a split image of two newly discovered poison dart frogs. the one on the left has yellow legs with brown spots and green-ish stripes. the frog on the right has a brown body with light blue stripes

It’s raining tiny toxic frogs It’s raining tiny toxic frogs

By Lauren Leffer

An illustration of what the Amniote (early reptile) would look like from 350 million years ago.

Amateur paleontologists uncover earliest known ‘reptile’ footprints Amateur paleontologists uncover earliest known ‘reptile’ footprints

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of an extinct arthropod, with three large black eyes, antennae, and 16 body segments

Ancient three-eyed ‘sea moth’ used its butt to breathe Ancient three-eyed ‘sea moth’ used its butt to breathe

By Laura Baisas

two eaglets with black feathers sitting in nest

Bittersweet fledge watch begins for bald eagles Sunny and Gizmo Bittersweet fledge watch begins for bald eagles Sunny and Gizmo

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a pink flamingo feeding in a shallow pool. a swirling vortex of water is near its beak

Flamingos conjure ‘water tornadoes’ to trap their prey Flamingos conjure ‘water tornadoes’ to trap their prey

By Laura Baisas

Entamoeba histolytica (green) attacking human T cells.

This parasite rips apart human cells and wears them as disguises This parasite rips apart human cells and wears them as disguises