Biology (Page 29)

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

Latest in Biology

Adult mouse with two mothers

Scientists just created healthy mice with same-sex parents

This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry ‘rewards a revolution based on evolution’

This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry ‘rewards a revolution based on evolution’

By Jillian Mock

Octopuses trip on ecstasy the same way we do

Octopuses trip on ecstasy the same way we do

By Charlie Wood

Humans are natural runners—and this ancient gene mutation might have helped

Humans are natural runners—and this ancient gene mutation might have helped

By Jillian Mock

Why do we think tiny things are cute?

Why do we think tiny things are cute?

By Dana G. Smith

Researchers found proof of Neanderthals reproducing with other species

Researchers found proof of Neanderthals reproducing with other species

By Neel V. Patel

“Survival of the laziest” may help some species avoid extinction

“Survival of the laziest” may help some species avoid extinction

By Luke Strotz/The Conversation

Wasps, oak trees, and a creepy vine are involved in a parasitic Florida love triangle

Wasps, oak trees, and a creepy vine are involved in a parasitic Florida love triangle

By Sara Chodosh

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos

By Ben Garrod/The Conversation

three domesticated foxes

The genes that turn wild animals into pets

By Neel V. Patel

How jumping genes hijack their way into the next generation of babies

How jumping genes hijack their way into the next generation of babies

Hurricanes may have made these lizards better huggers

Hurricanes may have made these lizards better huggers

Dogs spread across the Americas alongside humans. Then they got eaten.

Dogs spread across the Americas alongside humans. Then they got eaten.

How whale corpses feed ocean floors

How whale corpses feed ocean floors

By Eleanor Cummins

Earth from space

Earth’s first animals probably triggered a change in climate

By Neel V. Patel

Descended testicles: DNA study drops new hints on secrets of low hanging glands

Descended testicles: DNA study drops new hints on secrets of low hanging glands

By Neil Adams/The Conversation

We’re really bad at making babies

We’re really bad at making babies

By Amy Schellenbaum

We haven’t been giving Neanderthals enough credit

We haven’t been giving Neanderthals enough credit

By Annemieke Milks/The Conversation

A Tyrannosaurus rex

Why it would have been impossible for a T. rex to stick out its tongue

corpse pose study group

Meet the yogis who hang out in cadaver labs

By Erin Blakemore

The genes of many marine creatures are patented—and one company owns half of them

The genes of many marine creatures are patented—and one company owns half of them

You are disgusting in so many ways. Scientists just outlined six of them.

You are disgusting in so many ways. Scientists just outlined six of them.

By Neel V. Patel

Octopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos

Octopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos

By Sara Chodosh

green blooded lizard

Green bones, green hearts, can’t lose: these lizards survive with toxic green blood

These animals spend their whole lives waiting to have sex, and then they die

By Sara Chodosh

If you grow a brain in a lab, will it have a mind of its own?

If you grow a brain in a lab, will it have a mind of its own?

By Sara Chodosh

A man raises his eyebrows

Humans may have a surprising evolutionary advantage: Expressive eyebrows

By Mary Beth Griggs

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

atlantic puffin

Puffins are donning sexy little sunglasses in the name of science

By Sara Chodosh

Hunting regulations are forcing animals to change in all sorts of ways

Hunting regulations are forcing animals to change in all sorts of ways

By Sara Chodosh

Otters are too small, whales are too big, and seals are just right

By Sara Chodosh

Platypus milk might save us from bacterial infections, and that’s not even the best thing about them

Platypus milk might save us from bacterial infections, and that’s not even the best thing about them

By Sara Chodosh

hispaniola solenodon

These animals have nipples on their butts and that is not the most fascinating thing about them

By Sara Chodosh

A primer on the primal origins of humans on Earth

A primer on the primal origins of humans on Earth

By Mary Beth Griggs

Let’s talk about Charles Darwin’s sexy theory of selection

Let’s talk about Charles Darwin’s sexy theory of selection

By Eleanor Cummins

Watch beetles shoot hot chemicals from their butts to escape toad bellies

Watch beetles shoot hot chemicals from their butts to escape toad bellies

By Jessica Boddy

Google wants to use naked mole rats to conquer death

Google wants to use naked mole rats to conquer death

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

By Rachel Feltman

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

By Sara Chodosh

offering daisies

From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice?

By Eva M. Krockow, Andrew M. Colman, and Briony Pulford for The Conversation

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

By Sara Chodosh

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

By Sara Chodosh

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

By Sara Chodosh

Yes, your dog is making puppy eyes at you

Yes, your dog is making puppy eyes at you

By Sara Chodosh

Genetically engineered bacteria—spread by mosquito sex—could spell the end of malaria

Genetically engineered bacteria—spread by mosquito sex—could spell the end of malaria

By Ellen Airhart

A frog couple has sex. The male is yellow.

These frogs might change color to avoid confusion during orgies

By Ellen Airhart

A brief history of origin theories

By Mary Beth Griggs

The biological proof that humans are still evolving

The biological proof that humans are still evolving

By Sara Chodosh

Look at the mysterious ‘dragon booger’ found in Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon

Look at the mysterious ‘dragon booger’ found in Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon

By Sara Chodosh

The terrifying way fire ants take advantage of hurricane floods

The terrifying way fire ants take advantage of hurricane floods

By Ellen Airhart

The gut microbes of modern hunter-gatherers reveal one big problem with your diet

The gut microbes of modern hunter-gatherers reveal one big problem with your diet

By Claire Maldarelli

How goldfish use booze to get through a hard winter

By Rachel Feltman

The earliest airborne mammals may have glided among the dinosaurs 160 million years ago

The earliest airborne mammals may have glided among the dinosaurs 160 million years ago

By Aparna Nathan

Ancient infant ape skull Nyanzapithecus alesi

A 13 million year old skull could show us what our ancestors looked like

By Sara Kiley Watson

Sorry, but New Zealand really needs to kill these adorable rabbits

Sorry, but New Zealand really needs to kill these adorable rabbits

By Sara Chodosh

You have a lot to teach your grandkids, and that might explain menopause

You have a lot to teach your grandkids, and that might explain menopause

By Aparna Nathan

Derpy pug in blanket

We still don’t really know where dogs came from

By Sara Chodosh

Tardigrades could probably survive the otherwise complete annihilation of life on Earth

Tardigrades could probably survive the otherwise complete annihilation of life on Earth

By Rachel Feltman

Grandma’s insomnia might be a product of evolution

Grandma’s insomnia might be a product of evolution

By Aparna Nathan

Baby squirrels are less likely to die if they’re born early

Baby squirrels are less likely to die if they’re born early

Bonobo ladies get to choose their mates and boy oh boy are they picky

Bonobo ladies get to choose their mates and boy oh boy are they picky

By Sara Chodosh

DNA may finally find a family for strange creatures that stumped Darwin

DNA may finally find a family for strange creatures that stumped Darwin

By Rachel Feltman

The oldest fossils of our species just got older

By Rachel Feltman