biology
In difficult situations between life and death, sometimes inaction is the same as making the wrong choice. Sometimes instead, using your brain less and doing more is the right answer. And it appears that for the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, slowing its thought process may just be the adaptation that it needs to feed in dark of night.
Artificial Photosynthesis Breakthrough
Genitalia can be considered one of nature's most important treasures - so vital we've taken to calling some of ours 'jewels.' Birds, however, seemed to have gotten screwed out of their share. Sure, some species like ducks are equipped with body-length corkscrews, but many birds lack a penis. A new study, however, may have figured out the mystery behind the Case of the Missing Bird Penis.
When and how life began forming on Earth is still a mystery, but scientists have no uncovered another piece of the puzzle. According to a new study, reactive phosphorous, which is a key component to the formation of life, was carried to Earth by meteorites around 3.5 billion years ago.
Turtle shells are some of the most unique armor platings in the natural world, and after a careful combing of the turtle fossil record, researchers have unearthed more clues about the shell's origins through the study of the 260-million-year-old ancestor, Eunotosaurus.
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University has published their annual list of the Top 10 New Species. Among them is a leaf shaped bug, monkey with human-like eyes, meat-eating sponge, penny-sized plant and a glowing cockroach.
After 168 years, scientists have finally figured out why the Irish potato famine occurred---a devastating blight that resulted in one million deaths.
A new study has revealed some very interesting facts regarding the tongues of nectar eating bats. In fact, researchers now think that these bats might have the most dynamic tongues in the entire mammal world.
Black widow spiders are named after the phenomenon in which the females of the species chase down and devour the males after mating. According to new research however, this isn't always the case, and in some scenarios, the roles are actually reversed.
If you ever manage to build a time machine, you might not want to visit ancient Earth. According to a new study, millions of years ago, the planet may have smelled like rotten eggs.
Scientists have found that two more Lemur species than previously thought hibernate during the winter. A team from Duke University has observed the pair of Lemur cousins in Madagascar, and hope that the new research reveals some clues on what exactly puts animals into hibernation.
Honey is a lot better for you than high fructose corn syrup, and it seems the same is true for bees. A new study is showing that feeding bees with honey significantly reduces the rate of "Colony Collapse Disorder."
Scientists think they may have finally figured out why shark embryos cannibalize their siblings in the womb. The shark pregnancy process used to be a great metaphor for just how scary those animals are, but now we actually have a bit of insight into why they do what they do.
According to a calculation by two noted biologists, life on Earth may not have come from Earth at all.
A gigantic egg laid by a now-extinct "elephant bird" has just sold at a London Auction for a staggering 66,675 pounds (approximately $101,813). The partly-fossilized object went for nearly double its estimated value.
