Biology(Page 17)

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

Latest in Biology

A new finding raises an old question: Where and when did life begin?

A new finding raises an old question: Where and when did life begin? A new finding raises an old question: Where and when did life begin?

The Mars Jezero crater

Life could be hiding deep under Mars Life could be hiding deep under Mars

By Leto Sapunar

Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises

Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises

By Lindsey Kratochwill

A Garibaldi fish swims through a California kelp forest.

These newly discovered sea sponges were hiding in plain sight in California’s kelp forests These newly discovered sea sponges were hiding in plain sight in California’s kelp forests

Highlights from the Biodesign Challenge Summit

Highlights from the Biodesign Challenge Summit Highlights from the Biodesign Challenge Summit

By Daniel Grushkin

A tangle of macaque monkeys.

Laughter is a key part of play for many animals Laughter is a key part of play for many animals

A trio of giraffes from the necks up against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Ask Us Anything: Why do humans stop growing? Ask Us Anything: Why do humans stop growing?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

Scientists Rank World’s Most ‘Evolutionarily Distinct’ Birds Scientists Rank World’s Most ‘Evolutionarily Distinct’ Birds

Millennium- old poop reveals the surprising diversity of our ancestors’ microbiomes Millennium- old poop reveals the surprising diversity of our ancestors’ microbiomes

Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas

Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas

By Ellie Shechet

an illustrated man with a magnifying glass held up to his eye

Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we see more colors? Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we see more colors?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

Wheat farm and blue sky

Understanding plant biological clocks could boost future agriculture Understanding plant biological clocks could boost future agriculture

By Sara Kiley Watson

wasp eating bug

Wasps are the bee’s knees Wasps are the bee’s knees

By Philip Kiefer

High temperatures can cause embryonic bearded dragons to change sex High temperatures can cause embryonic bearded dragons to change sex

An ant on a bright green leaf.

In the battle for the crown, Indian jumping ants shrink and regrow their brains In the battle for the crown, Indian jumping ants shrink and regrow their brains

An updating list of science jokes to make you laugh, groan, and Google

An updating list of science jokes to make you laugh, groan, and Google An updating list of science jokes to make you laugh, groan, and Google

By Popular Science Team

A primer to the primal origins of humans on Earth

A primer to the primal origins of humans on Earth A primer to the primal origins of humans on Earth

By Mary Beth Griggs

Why Can Humans See In Color?

Why Can Humans See In Color? Why Can Humans See In Color?

By Alexandra Ossola

illustration of hatchling lamprey

These fossilized lamprey hatchlings disprove an age-old evolutionary theory These fossilized lamprey hatchlings disprove an age-old evolutionary theory

By Philip Kiefer

Treefrogs have noise-cancelling headphones built into their ears Treefrogs have noise-cancelling headphones built into their ears

PXLR, Perseverance Mars rover camera instrument

Perseverance’s giant ‘hand lens’ will scour Mars for signs of ancient life Perseverance’s giant ‘hand lens’ will scour Mars for signs of ancient life

By Charlie Wood

Conservation and ecology research tackles global issues without global input Conservation and ecology research tackles global issues without global input

By Ellie Shechet

a man and woman sit close to each other and share a plate of pancakes

Your favorite brunch foods are thousands of years old Your favorite brunch foods are thousands of years old

By Popular Science Team

The MOXIE instrument before it was lowered into NASA's Perseverance Rover, which is currently settled on the surface of Mars.

With MOXIE, Perseverance will try to make oxygen on Mars With MOXIE, Perseverance will try to make oxygen on Mars

By Charlie Wood

What underwater sounds can tell us about the state of coral reefs What underwater sounds can tell us about the state of coral reefs

By Ellie Shechet

microbes being sent into Earth's atmosphere.

Some of Earth’s tiniest living things could survive on Mars Some of Earth’s tiniest living things could survive on Mars

By Ellie Shechet

Aurora sky over icy winter forest at night

A geomagnetic curveball 42,000 years ago changed our planet forever A geomagnetic curveball 42,000 years ago changed our planet forever

By Sara Kiley Watson

Mars' surface, in high-resolution and color, as captured by the Hazcams on NASA's Perseverance rover.

See Mars through Perseverance’s eyes See Mars through Perseverance’s eyes

An artist's interpretation of Perseverance, NASA's newest Mars rover, parachuting down from orbit.

Watch the Perseverance rover complete its dramatic landing on Mars Watch the Perseverance rover complete its dramatic landing on Mars

By Charlie Wood

Masha Krasnova-Shavaeva illustration

Neanderthal genes are still helping humans today Neanderthal genes are still helping humans today

By Claire Maldarelli

a lone wolf walking around the forest

Wolves use ambush tactics to hunt unsuspecting beavers Wolves use ambush tactics to hunt unsuspecting beavers

By Kate Baggaley

The Jezero Crater as captured from orbit.

Your ancestors might have been Martians Your ancestors might have been Martians

By Charlie Wood

An overhead view of Mars featuring peculiar dark streaks.

Mars’s mascara-like streaks may be caused by slush and landslides Mars’s mascara-like streaks may be caused by slush and landslides

By Charlie Wood

This ancient fish-crocodile mashup snared its prey using a key adaptation This ancient fish-crocodile mashup snared its prey using a key adaptation

By Kate Baggaley

Masha Krasnova-Shavaeva illustration

How humans have adapted to the harshest environments How humans have adapted to the harshest environments

By Marion Renault

A shooting star in a night scene over the Arabian Desert

It’s a cosmic miracle that life on Earth’s lasted this long It’s a cosmic miracle that life on Earth’s lasted this long

By ToTyrrell/The Conversation

older woman facing a happy lamp

Can a happy lamp help cure your winter blues? Can a happy lamp help cure your winter blues?

By Erin Fennessy

two people looking bored

There’s a right and wrong way to be bored There’s a right and wrong way to be bored

By Sara Chodosh

Dire wolves attacking prey and fighting off gray wolves.

Dire wolves are actually ice age mega-foxes Dire wolves are actually ice age mega-foxes

By Sara Kiley Watson

corpse flower from above

Corpse flowers across the country are swapping pollen to stay stinky Corpse flowers across the country are swapping pollen to stay stinky

By Doug Johnson/Undark

Tim Enthoven illustration

The world’s most diverse group of bacteria lives inside your mouth The world’s most diverse group of bacteria lives inside your mouth

By Claire Maldarelli

Fossilized lizard

How fossil preservation and public health are intertwined How fossil preservation and public health are intertwined

By Colella & McLean/The Conversation

Red crab on water.

Why everything eventually becomes a crab Why everything eventually becomes a crab

By Sara Kiley Watson

Tim Enthoven illustration

Why do cats purr? Why do cats purr?

By Marion Renault

Expedition 46 Flight Engineer Tim Kopra on a Dec. 21, 2015 spacewalk.

Spaceflight affects the human body in two major, peculiar ways Spaceflight affects the human body in two major, peculiar ways

By Paola Rosa-Aquino

infected human cell

How the COVID-19 pandemic might end How the COVID-19 pandemic might end

By Wendy Orent/Undark

Jezero Crater, the destination of the Perseverance rover, is one of many sites on Mars where ancient water flowed, suggesting that the planet once had a thicker atmosphere.

Mars died billions of years ago, and its guts are still spilling into space Mars died billions of years ago, and its guts are still spilling into space

By Charlie Wood

This image of the Moon was created with images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The moon is (slightly) wet, NASA confirms. Now what? The moon is (slightly) wet, NASA confirms. Now what?

By Charlie Wood

A reconstruction of Ambopteryx in a glide.

Dinosaurs may have evolved into birds, but early flights didn’t go so well Dinosaurs may have evolved into birds, but early flights didn’t go so well

By Kate Baggaley

A yellow fever mosquito discretely sinks its labrum into its prey

Evolution made mosquitos into stealthy, sensitive vampires Evolution made mosquitos into stealthy, sensitive vampires

By Erica McAlister

Artist's conception of NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collecting a sample from the asteroid Bennu.

Local asteroid Bennu used to be filled with tiny rivers Local asteroid Bennu used to be filled with tiny rivers

By Charlie Wood

A green frog from Madascagar sits on a leaf.

What hundreds of pickled frog carcasses can tell us about their enormous eyes What hundreds of pickled frog carcasses can tell us about their enormous eyes

By María Paula Rubiano A.

Myobatrachus gouldii live, in situ, Kalbarri National Park, WA.

These buff frogs never skip arm day These buff frogs never skip arm day

By Sara Kiley Watson

Highland wild dog.

New Guinea singing dogs still roam the wilderness New Guinea singing dogs still roam the wilderness

By Sara Kiley Watson

Watch Elon Musk unveil the next version of his AI-powered brain implant, Neuralink Watch Elon Musk unveil the next version of his AI-powered brain implant, Neuralink

By Stan Horaczek

The bacterial exposure experiment took place from 2015 to 2018 using the Exposed Facility located on the exterior of Kibo, the Japanese Experimental Module of the International Space Station.

Clumps of bacteria could spread life between planets Clumps of bacteria could spread life between planets

By Paola Rosa-Aquino

south island new zealand

Mummified leaves offer a glimpse of Earth’s ancient climate—and our future Mummified leaves offer a glimpse of Earth’s ancient climate—and our future

By Kate Baggaley

pappy lane shipwreck

This WWII shipwreck hosts an underwater kingdom of bacteria This WWII shipwreck hosts an underwater kingdom of bacteria

By Kate Baggaley

Devon Island in the Canadian arctic Archipelago.

Ancient valleys may hold clues to past life on Mars Ancient valleys may hold clues to past life on Mars

By Kate Baggaley

Humans owe our evolutionary success to friendship Humans owe our evolutionary success to friendship

By Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods

Sled pulled by dogs.

Humans have partnered with sled dogs for 9,500 years Humans have partnered with sled dogs for 9,500 years

By Sara Kiley Watson

Medical physicist Joanna Harper

The science behind sex, gender, and athletic competition is still pretty shaky The science behind sex, gender, and athletic competition is still pretty shaky

By Britni de la Cretaz

Big Q body parts

Why your body looks so weird Why your body looks so weird

By Ellen Airhart

Glacier mice have no feet, but they still move in herds Glacier mice have no feet, but they still move in herds

By Candice Wang