Biology(Page 5)

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

Latest in Biology

Illustration of Sasayamagnomus saegusai

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Laura Baisas

an infrared image of a human head, showing warm areas in shades of orange and yellow, and cooler areas in blue and green

Mosquitoes can sense our body heat Mosquitoes can sense our body heat

By Laura Baisas

stages of a plant's development

Yes, plants go through ‘puberty’ Yes, plants go through ‘puberty’

By Laura Baisas

an insect lays on its back with its abdomen and legs in the air. it is playing dead to trick predators

Antlion larvae can ‘play dead’ for more than an hour–then, things get random Antlion larvae can ‘play dead’ for more than an hour–then, things get random

By Laura Baisas

a green parrot with an open beak and orange and black eye

These parrots have accents These parrots have accents

By Laura Baisas

several white circles surround a humpback whale with an open mouth

Humpback whales use bubble-nets as ‘tools’ Humpback whales use bubble-nets as ‘tools’

By Laura Baisas

A freshly-collected batch of venomous cone snails.

Precise, lethal sea snail toxin could one day lead to better medicines Precise, lethal sea snail toxin could one day lead to better medicines

By Laura Baisas

a python with a wide open mouth swallows a white rat whole

How pythons can eat such giant meals How pythons can eat such giant meals

By Laura Baisas

Anatomically accurate sculpture of a dodo

The dodo was faster and smarter than you think The dodo was faster and smarter than you think

a spider traps a glowing firefly in its web

Spiders may be hacking firefly signals to trap dinner Spiders may be hacking firefly signals to trap dinner

By Laura Baisas

This eyeless cavefish grows extra taste buds on its head This eyeless cavefish grows extra taste buds on its head

a bunch of yellow bananas

Bananas are at risk of extinction, but scientists have a plan Bananas are at risk of extinction, but scientists have a plan

By Laura Baisas

a group of earthworms in rich, dark soil

Hear the ‘rave’-like sounds of a healthy soil Hear the ‘rave’-like sounds of a healthy soil

By Laura Baisas

a large, domed rock formation

Geologists find solid evidence of ancient ‘snowball Earth’ Geologists find solid evidence of ancient ‘snowball Earth’

By Laura Baisas

Port Jackson sharks sleeping on the seafloor at Beagle Marine Park.

Watch a huge ‘No Boys Allowed’ shark slumber party Watch a huge ‘No Boys Allowed’ shark slumber party

By Laura Baisas

A transparent zebrafish in a tank in a laboratory at the Pasteur Institute in Paris on June 20, 2023.

Zebrafish regenerate their spinal cords in a surprising way Zebrafish regenerate their spinal cords in a surprising way

By Laura Baisas

Specimen photographed with autofluorescence under confocal microscope at 639 nm; different colors indicate z-depth, with violet to red gradient representing the shallowest to deepest planes, respectively.

Extremely rare tardigrade fossils seen in unprecedented detail Extremely rare tardigrade fossils seen in unprecedented detail

a close up of a burmese python.

The 2024 Florida Python Challenge begins The 2024 Florida Python Challenge begins

By Laura Baisas

a lemur in an enclosure stares into a takeout container

Lemurs use smell, social cues, and superior memories to find treats Lemurs use smell, social cues, and superior memories to find treats

By Laura Baisas

four different types of corn. one is long and yellow, the other is shorter and yellow. the other two are shorter and black

Love corn? Thank interbreeding Love corn? Thank interbreeding

By Laura Baisas

two sea lions swim in blue water, with their heads above the water

Sea lion camera crews help scientists map unexplored seabeds Sea lion camera crews help scientists map unexplored seabeds

By Laura Baisas

human bones belonging to an small, extinct, early human secies

New ‘Hobbit’ fossils discovered on Indonesia’s Flores island New ‘Hobbit’ fossils discovered on Indonesia’s Flores island

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a small penguin with light black, yellow, and white feathers on a new zealand beach

Tiny fossil reveals when penguins evolved their surprisingly useful wings Tiny fossil reveals when penguins evolved their surprisingly useful wings

By Laura Baisas

An artist’s reconstruction of Shishania aculeata as it would have appeared in life as viewed from the top, side and bottom (left to right). This early mollusk lived about 514 million years ago.

A ‘rotting little plastic bag’ was actually a 514 million-year-old fossil A ‘rotting little plastic bag’ was actually a 514 million-year-old fossil

By Laura Baisas

a fruit fly intestine. it is a long and narrow coiled tube with green coloration from dye

Swapping genes can help fruit flies regenerate cells Swapping genes can help fruit flies regenerate cells

By Laura Baisas

a lobster with blue, pink, and purple coloring on a white tray

One in 100 million cotton candy lobster caught in New Hampshire One in 100 million cotton candy lobster caught in New Hampshire

By Laura Baisas

an orange, black, and white monarch butterfly on a pink milkweed flower

How everyone can help monarch butterflies How everyone can help monarch butterflies

By Laura Baisas

Toxoplasma gondii oocyst under the microscope, isolated

Bioengineered parasites may one day deliver meds into your brain Bioengineered parasites may one day deliver meds into your brain

Artist’s impression of the lobate macrofossils living 2.1 billion years ago in a shallow marine inland sea created by the collision of two continents.

Study claims life tried to evolve 1.5 billion years earlier than we thought Study claims life tried to evolve 1.5 billion years earlier than we thought

a pair of brown frogs mating, with the male on the female's back

The upside-down sex lives of Charles Darwin’s frogs The upside-down sex lives of Charles Darwin’s frogs

By Laura Baisas

a firefly with its bottom half illuminated

A new theory on why fireflies glow—and why they need help A new theory on why fireflies glow—and why they need help

By Laura Baisas

dead bird specimens with blue and green plumage in museum storage

All living birds share an ‘iridescent’ ancestor All living birds share an ‘iridescent’ ancestor

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of an long cylindrical arthropod. it has big blue eyes, a body that looks like a taco shell, several short red legs, and a tail

This taco-shaped critter is a big (evolutionary) deal This taco-shaped critter is a big (evolutionary) deal

By Laura Baisas

four red hens in a line. two are looking straight ahead, one is looking right, and the other is looking left. they have an expression that reads as suprise

Not to ruffle feathers, but chickens blush Not to ruffle feathers, but chickens blush

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of two mouse-like animals in a forest, with a stegosaurus walking by and a mosquito flying over them

Baby teeth reveal surprisingly long lifespans of small Jurassic mammals Baby teeth reveal surprisingly long lifespans of small Jurassic mammals

By Laura Baisas

a peacock butterfly on a pink plant. its wings are primarily red, with black, yellow, and blue circles

Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity

By Laura Baisas

Plane cabin lighting simulating sunset

Simulated sunrises and sunsets in planes may reduce jet lag Simulated sunrises and sunsets in planes may reduce jet lag

five chimpanzeess sitting in tall, green grass

Chimp conversations can take on human-like chaos Chimp conversations can take on human-like chaos

By Laura Baisas

Polymetallic nodules scattered across bottom of the ocean floor

‘Dark oxygen’ on ocean floor may rewrite Earth’s origins of life ‘Dark oxygen’ on ocean floor may rewrite Earth’s origins of life

a brown dog looks up with a longing expression

Your dog can probably smell your stress Your dog can probably smell your stress

By Laura Baisas

a bee kicks away an ant

Ant gets bee-slapped, and other strange bug moments Ant gets bee-slapped, and other strange bug moments

By Laura Baisas

a baby crocodile hatches from an egg, surrounded by other eggs.

106 critically endangered Siamese crocodile eggs spotted in Cambodia 106 critically endangered Siamese crocodile eggs spotted in Cambodia

By Laura Baisas

a long, dark brown millipede crawling on brown and green leaves

Expedition finds a 10-inch long millipede lost to science for 126 years Expedition finds a 10-inch long millipede lost to science for 126 years

By Laura Baisas

several snakes entwined together on a rock

Ssssso many snakes: Watch a ‘mega-den’ of rattlesnakes in real time Ssssso many snakes: Watch a ‘mega-den’ of rattlesnakes in real time

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of newly discovered crocodile relative named Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis on the coast of an ancient ocean called Panthalassa.

Say hello to the surprising crocodile relative Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis Say hello to the surprising crocodile relative Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis

By Laura Baisas

a thick mammoth foot preserved in permafrost. it is round and dark brown

Woolly mammoth ‘jerky’ preserves 52,000-year-old fossil chromosomes Woolly mammoth ‘jerky’ preserves 52,000-year-old fossil chromosomes

By Laura Baisas

Located in the foothills of a rock emerging from a green field

Iron Age plant remains tell new agricultural story in east Africa Iron Age plant remains tell new agricultural story in east Africa

By Laura Baisas

circles of red, blue, and green bacteria

‘Bacterial glitter’ shimmers without pigments ‘Bacterial glitter’ shimmers without pigments

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a large shark jumping out of the water and eating a winged dinosaur

When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up

By Laura Baisas

a nearly complete skeleton of a salamander-like creature that lived 300 million years ago. it's head is round and shaped like a toilet seat

This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head

By Laura Baisas

Close up of human brain neuron

AI

Lab-grown human brain tissue used to control robot Lab-grown human brain tissue used to control robot

a small grey and black reef fish swims

Fish in Earth’s hottest water defy the odds Fish in Earth’s hottest water defy the odds

By Laura Baisas

green and red grapes

If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes

By Laura Baisas

Five of the comb jelly species featured in a new study on how their cells adapt to water pressures. Red coloration as seen in the two specimens at right is common among deep-sea animals.

Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life

By Laura Baisas

a marine biologist and an actor fist bump while sitting on a dive boat in the ocean

Actor Anthony Mackie and marine biologist Jasmin Graham talk sharks Actor Anthony Mackie and marine biologist Jasmin Graham talk sharks

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of woolly mammoth walking icy plain

The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them