Biology(Page 13)

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

Latest in Biology

A bartender pours a light beer into a large glass.

Inventing lager was a huge mistake Inventing lager was a huge mistake

By Laura Baisas

An adult male and adult female California sea lion sit on a beach surrounded by pups.

Male California sea lions have gotten bigger and better at fighting Male California sea lions have gotten bigger and better at fighting

By Laura Baisas

Balto's taxidermy on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

How different is Balto, the heroic sled dog, from today’s Siberian huskies? How different is Balto, the heroic sled dog, from today’s Siberian huskies?

By Laura Baisas

Evolution of human brain size shown with brass sculptures at a kids science museum in China

We probably have big brains because we got lucky We probably have big brains because we got lucky

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A mushroom called coprophilous grows in woods.

What prehistoric poop reveals about extinct giant animals What prehistoric poop reveals about extinct giant animals

By Laura Baisas

Two mudskippers fighting in the mud, with eyes and pectoral fins exposed.

Mudskippers blink—and that’s a huge evolutionary clue Mudskippers blink—and that’s a huge evolutionary clue

By Laura Baisas

A male chimpanzee named Frodo frowns.

Nice chimps finish last—so why aren’t all of them mean? Nice chimps finish last—so why aren’t all of them mean?

By Laura Baisas

A carnivorous Sarracenia plant growing in the wild.

Carnivorous pitcher plants may use tempting aromas to lure prey to their death Carnivorous pitcher plants may use tempting aromas to lure prey to their death

By Laura Baisas

Giving drones inflatable suits could help them survive crash landings

Giving drones inflatable suits could help them survive crash landings Giving drones inflatable suits could help them survive crash landings

By Sara Kiley Watson

A forest elephant with a raised trunk surrounded by greenery. Forest elephants are much smaller in size compared to savanna elephants, and their ears are an oval shape.

Elephants and humans share surprising similarities. A new docuseries dives deep into that relationship. Elephants and humans share surprising similarities. A new docuseries dives deep into that relationship.

By Laura Baisas

Gray hair growing on a male's head.

What’s at the root of gray hairs? What’s at the root of gray hairs?

By Laura Baisas

African penguins standing on a sandy beach.

How African penguins continue to survive changes in climate How African penguins continue to survive changes in climate

By Laura Baisas

Cannabis plant under purple weed grow light

On 420, learn more about weed with these carefully cultivated science stories On 420, learn more about weed with these carefully cultivated science stories

By Jamie Dickman

Brown garden snail eating a strawberry on a white table

Experience the uncomfortable weirdness of a snail eating fruit Experience the uncomfortable weirdness of a snail eating fruit

By Laura Baisas

A polar bear standing on ice.

Why the biggest animals move so slowly Why the biggest animals move so slowly

By Laura Baisas

An orb weaver spider spins a web in a forest.

Spider glue might evolve faster than the spiders themselves Spider glue might evolve faster than the spiders themselves

By Laura Baisas

Examples of floating plastics collected in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre during The Ocean Cleanup’s 2018 expedition.

Some coastal critters are thriving in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Some coastal critters are thriving in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

By Laura Baisas

Person in a dark room watering a houseplant with a beam of light. Illustrated.

How to grow plants in the dark How to grow plants in the dark

By Ellen Airhart

The mysterious ‘Tully monster’ didn’t have a spine after all

The mysterious ‘Tully monster’ didn’t have a spine after all The mysterious ‘Tully monster’ didn’t have a spine after all

By Jamie Dickman

People walk in a field with blooming poppy flowers near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve following an unusually wet winter on April 14, 2023 near Lancaster, California. Historic levels of rainfall fell in some parts of California, amid a barrage of atmospheric river winter storms, which has led to a 'super bloom' of wildflowers in certain parts of the state this spring.

California’s eye-popping super bloom is one for the books California’s eye-popping super bloom is one for the books

By Laura Baisas

A xenobot, or a living robot, in culture, under a microscope.

Meet xenobots, tiny machines made out of living parts Meet xenobots, tiny machines made out of living parts

By Charlotte Hu

What happens when a tree dies?

What happens when a tree dies? What happens when a tree dies?

By Camille Stevens-Rumann/The Conversation

An artistic rendering of the open woodland habitat reconstruction at Moroto II with Morotopithecus bishopi vertically climbing with infant on back and Mount Moroto, an active, in background.

A plant-based diet full of leaves may have helped apes stand upright A plant-based diet full of leaves may have helped apes stand upright

By Laura Baisas

An adult Pygmy Zebra Octopus

Pygmy zebra octopus stripe patterns are as unique as human fingerprints Pygmy zebra octopus stripe patterns are as unique as human fingerprints

By Jamie Dickman

Skeleton of paratype of Icaronycteris gunnelli, the oldest bat skeletons ever found.

Oldest bat skeleton ever found by paleontologists finally has a name Oldest bat skeleton ever found by paleontologists finally has a name

By Laura Baisas

Luna moth resting on a tree.

The alluring tail of the Luna moth is surprisingly useless for finding a mate The alluring tail of the Luna moth is surprisingly useless for finding a mate

By Jamie Dickman

A black sea cucumber on the floor of the Indian Ocean.

Sea cucumbers have a Spiderman-esque superpower—and it involves their butts Sea cucumbers have a Spiderman-esque superpower—and it involves their butts

By Laura Baisas

A bird called an American Redstart sits on the branch of a tree.

Delaying departure may help birds migrate around climate change Delaying departure may help birds migrate around climate change

By Laura Baisas

A juvenile elephant named Ko Raya (left) with Pang Pha (right) at the Berlin Zoo. Scientists believe that Pang Pha taught herself how to peel bananas.

Pang Pha the elephant learned to peel bananas by mimicking humans Pang Pha the elephant learned to peel bananas by mimicking humans

By Laura Baisas

Woolly mammoths evolved tiny ears over 700,000 years in Siberia

Woolly mammoths evolved tiny ears over 700,000 years in Siberia Woolly mammoths evolved tiny ears over 700,000 years in Siberia

By Laura Baisas

A close-up of extended polyps of an apparently healthy great star coral colony on a reef near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The tentacles surrounding the mouth of each polyp help trap food particles for the coral to eat.

Caribbean coral is getting sick and dying. A probiotic could help. Caribbean coral is getting sick and dying. A probiotic could help.

By Laura Baisas

A purple hand reaching to touch a green tongue of an orange person with their mouth open frowning because they're tasting something digsuting

Why food tastes wildly different to different people Why food tastes wildly different to different people

By Julia Craven

A snailfish that lives over 20,000 feet deep in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench in the northern Pacific Ocean.

Say hello to the deepest-dwelling fish ever caught on camera Say hello to the deepest-dwelling fish ever caught on camera

By Laura Baisas

An adult elephant walks with two juvenile elephants.

Scientists may have figured out why elephants exhibit complex emotions Scientists may have figured out why elephants exhibit complex emotions

By Laura Baisas

A capuchin monkey in a tree looking at the camera.

Do magic tricks work on monkeys? Only if they have opposable thumbs like us. Do magic tricks work on monkeys? Only if they have opposable thumbs like us.

By Laura Baisas

A woman holds an ultrasound photo of a baby.

Nearly 18 percent of the global population struggles with infertility Nearly 18 percent of the global population struggles with infertility

By Laura Baisas

An ostrich inspects eggs in a nest.

Troodons laid eggs in communal nests just like modern ostriches Troodons laid eggs in communal nests just like modern ostriches

By Laura Baisas

Scientists are finally getting into the rhythm of sea creatures’ lunar cycle

Scientists are finally getting into the rhythm of sea creatures’ lunar cycle Scientists are finally getting into the rhythm of sea creatures’ lunar cycle

By Virat Markandeya/Knowable Magazine

Otters are back, but that doesn’t mean our rivers are safe

Otters are back, but that doesn’t mean our rivers are safe Otters are back, but that doesn’t mean our rivers are safe

By Carin Leong/Hakai Magazine

A juvenile Edmontosaurus disappears into the enormous, lipped mouth of Tyrannosaurus.

Scaly lips may have hidden the T-rex’s fearsome teeth Scaly lips may have hidden the T-rex’s fearsome teeth

By Laura Baisas

Pincushion cactus with pink flowers on a sunny windowsill

Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you

Lab mouse on table in front of lab flasks and beakers in blue lighting

What video game-playing mice taught neuroscientists about memory-making What video game-playing mice taught neuroscientists about memory-making

Polycirrus onibi, a newly discovered marine worm that glows in the dark, was named after a creature from Japanese folklore.

These newly discovered bioluminescent sea worms are named after Japanese folklore These newly discovered bioluminescent sea worms are named after Japanese folklore

By Laura Baisas

A baby song thrush bird looks up from the forest floor.

Postmortem poop can teach us a lot about the avian gut microbiome Postmortem poop can teach us a lot about the avian gut microbiome

By Laura Baisas

The parking lot outside a Buc-ee’s store in Temple, Texas.

A 15-million-year-old beaver was just named after an iconic convenience store A 15-million-year-old beaver was just named after an iconic convenience store

By Laura Baisas

Ilinizas Volcanoes under the Quilotoa lagoon in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. Scientists recently discovered two new carnivorous plant species in the rugged high Andes.

Two newly discovered Andes Mountain plant species have an appetite for insects Two newly discovered Andes Mountain plant species have an appetite for insects

By Laura Baisas

Desert daisy tricks male flies with sexy evolutionary deception

Desert daisy tricks male flies with sexy evolutionary deception Desert daisy tricks male flies with sexy evolutionary deception

By Laura Baisas

A white-tailed jackrabbit in it's winter white fur.

Jackrabbit’s color-changing fur may prepare them for climate change Jackrabbit’s color-changing fur may prepare them for climate change

By Laura Baisas

A curled lock of composer Ludwig van Beethoven's hair with an inscription from the hair's former owner, Ignaz Moscheles.

We now have a full composition of Beethoven’s DNA We now have a full composition of Beethoven’s DNA

By Laura Baisas

Ankylosaur in blue floatie and life vest riding the ocean waves. Prehistoric trees and a full moon are in the background. Illustrated.

Why dinosaurs were terrible swimmers Why dinosaurs were terrible swimmers

It’s still a mystery how snails ended up scattered around the globe

It’s still a mystery how snails ended up scattered around the globe It’s still a mystery how snails ended up scattered around the globe

By Thom van Dooren/MIT Press Reader

A bug on a green leaf feeding on a caterpillar.

Save caterpillars by turning off your outdoor lights Save caterpillars by turning off your outdoor lights

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of Thylacosmilus atrox, an extinct marsupial with giant canine teeth,

With bulging eyes and a killer smile, this sabertooth was an absolute nightmare With bulging eyes and a killer smile, this sabertooth was an absolute nightmare

By Laura Baisas

The sun shining on glaciers.

‘Humanity on thin ice’ says UN, but there is still time to act on climate change ‘Humanity on thin ice’ says UN, but there is still time to act on climate change

By Laura Baisas

Close up of a newly discovered orchid species named Spiranthes hachijoensis with pink petals,

This new species of pink orchid looks like delicate glasswork This new species of pink orchid looks like delicate glasswork

By Laura Baisas

A Wedge-tailed Eagle, a large vulture native to Australia.

An extinct 10-foot-long eagle could pick up kangaroos with its terrifying talons An extinct 10-foot-long eagle could pick up kangaroos with its terrifying talons

By Laura Baisas

A winning picture of mutated pollen grains, colorized, from the Koch Institute Image Awards.

Under a microscope, mouse colons and mutant pollen become art Under a microscope, mouse colons and mutant pollen become art

By Popular Science Team

Red and speckled blue and black poison dart frog looking up from a light green leaf

Poisonous animals probably took their sweet time developing unappetizing bright colors Poisonous animals probably took their sweet time developing unappetizing bright colors

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A French bulldog puppy running.

America has a favorite new dog breed, and it’s slightly problematic America has a favorite new dog breed, and it’s slightly problematic

By Laura Baisas

A mosquito biting a human arm.

How can we control mosquitos? Deactivate their sperm. How can we control mosquitos? Deactivate their sperm.

By Laura Baisas

This dinosaur’s record-breaking neck defies the laws of nature

This dinosaur’s record-breaking neck defies the laws of nature This dinosaur’s record-breaking neck defies the laws of nature

By Sara Kiley Watson

Four male common fruit flies in a chain trying to mate with each other after being exposed to ozone air pollution

Horny male fruit flies plunge into chaos when exposed to air pollution Horny male fruit flies plunge into chaos when exposed to air pollution

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Gorillas like to scramble their brains by spinning around really fast

Gorillas like to scramble their brains by spinning around really fast Gorillas like to scramble their brains by spinning around really fast

By Sara Kiley Watson

Atomic structure image of Mycobacterium smegmatis Huc enzyme

This common bacteria is teaching scientists how to turn air into energy This common bacteria is teaching scientists how to turn air into energy