Biology

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

Latest in Biology

A Syntretus perlmani wasp larva bursts from a fruit fly’s abdomen.

Environment

Gnarly wasp gruesomely rips apart fruit flies from the inside out with its larvae Gnarly wasp gruesomely rips apart fruit flies from the inside out with its larvae

By Laura Baisas

a reservoir in colombia with very low water levels due to drought

Environment

Mega El Niños helped kill 90 percent of life on Earth Mega El Niños helped kill 90 percent of life on Earth

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a long gray coelacanth swimming in its native habitat

Science

The ‘living fossil’ that thrived during a mass extinction The ‘living fossil’ that thrived during a mass extinction

By Laura Baisas

neanderthal teeth in a cave

Science

Neanderthals’ social isolation may have sped up their extinction Neanderthals’ social isolation may have sped up their extinction

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a small bird with light brown, black, and white plummage. it has a long beak with sharp teeth

Environment

‘Weird’ prehistoric bird had a weaponized beak with teeth ‘Weird’ prehistoric bird had a weaponized beak with teeth

By Laura Baisas

Mini mum is one of the smallest frogs in the world, described by Mark D. Scherz and his colleagues in 2019. These tiny frogs from southeastern Madagascar live in amongst the leaf litter and feed on tiny mites. They are amongst the target species of the GEMINI project, because their closest relatives are ten times larger.

Science

Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals

Electrostatic hydraulic robot leg

Technology

Oil-filled ‘muscles’ give this robot leg a spring in its step Oil-filled ‘muscles’ give this robot leg a spring in its step

an x-ray image of an eel escaping from a fish's stomach

Environment

Watch an eel escape a fish’s stomach through its gills Watch an eel escape a fish’s stomach through its gills

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a striped tasmanian tiger with sharp teeth eating the body of a wombat-like creature

Environment

New bone-crushing Tasmanian tiger species dug up by paleontologists New bone-crushing Tasmanian tiger species dug up by paleontologists

By Laura Baisas

a pterosaur speices flaps its wings to fly, while another uses them to soar

Science

‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question ‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question

By Laura Baisas

several loaves of golden rustic looking bread on a table

Environment

How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of Sasayamagnomus saegusai

Science

Tiny triceratops ancestor named after gnomes Tiny triceratops ancestor named after gnomes

a northern elephant seal with wide eyes looks into a camera next to an underwater acoustic monitoring device

Environment

Northern elephant seals know a ‘dinner bell’ when they hear one Northern elephant seals know a ‘dinner bell’ when they hear one

By Laura Baisas

a pregnant porbeagle shark swims under water with two tags. one is on her dorsal fin and the other is on her back

Environment

Who ate the pregnant porbeagle shark? Who ate the pregnant porbeagle shark?

By Laura Baisas

Histones, best known for acting as scaffolding support for DNA and for regulating gene activity, turn out to also play critical metabolic roles in the cell.

Science

These proteins have been secretly managing your cells These proteins have been secretly managing your cells

By Viviane Callier / Knowable Magazine

a huge swarm of thousands of mosquitoes

Environment

Mosquitoes can barely see–but a male’s vision perks up when they hear a female Mosquitoes can barely see–but a male’s vision perks up when they hear a female

By Laura Baisas

an orange starfish with four arms of similar size and one shorter arm sits on some rocks

Environment

How starfish lose limbs (on purpose) and survive How starfish lose limbs (on purpose) and survive

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a crocodile biting an ancient seacow with a shark lurking behind it

Science

Crocodile attacks sea cow. Tiger Shark picks apart sea cow. Crocodile attacks sea cow. Tiger Shark picks apart sea cow.

By Laura Baisas

a small white and red squid

Environment

New images of deep sea wonders are surprisingly adorable New images of deep sea wonders are surprisingly adorable

By Laura Baisas

a moth with a yellow body, pink legs, and pink and yellow wings sits on a green leaf

Environment

The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time

By Laura Baisas