For humans, running across an open field is usually a faster way to cross it than crawling through an underground tunnel. But things are different for tiny worms. They squeeze…
Category: Life
Your skin chemistry may affect which mosquitoes most want to bite you
Some people seem to get eaten alive by mosquitoes each summer, while others sail through the season with nary a bite. Certain mosquito species are attracted to, or repelled by,…
Bálint Üveges | No gain from pain: European viper venoms did not evolve for self-defence – Functional Ecologists
In this blog post, author Bálint Üveges discusses the paper “No gain from pain: Lack of nociceptor activation suggests no adaptation for defence in the evolution of European viper venoms“,…
Viewpoint: No, regenerative agriculture—whatever that means—is no better for the planet or your health than conventional farming that uses pesticides judiciously
Americans have been subjected to a decades-long misinformation campaign about agriculture. Instead of the truth—conventional farmers grow ever-increasing amounts of food with relatively fewer pesticides—the public is told that regenerative…
Monkeys hunt small animals when fruit is scarce
When the fruit runs low, some monkeys’ appetite for meat gets a boost. Bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) hunt and eat small vertebrates more often when fruits are less abundant.…
Once upon a time, insects had 24 legs
Insects are famous for their six-legged body plan, but that wasn’t always the rule. A 324-million-year-old fossil dug up from a shale bed in West Texas had a markedly different…
Edith Singini | Grasses are key to building hidden carbon stores in savannas – Functional Ecologists
In this ‘Behind the Paper’ post, author Edith Singini – a plant ecophysiologist in the Department of Botany at Rhodes University, South Africa – discusses the paper “Savanna soil carbon…
U.S. badly trails China in lowering barriers to biotech innovation
America’s lead in biotechnology is eroding, and one Florida company’s three-year wait for a routine government stamp shows why, as The Hill’s David Mansdoerfer writes. China already runs more clinical…
Heat therapy for sick frogs lowers sperm levels
Bad news for frogs getting sauna therapy: The heat treatment for their fatal fungal infection may come at a cost. Exposing infected green and golden bell frogs (Ranoidea aurea) to…
Aging Brains Maintain Robust Language Networks Despite Cognitive Decline
Summary: While executive functions like memory and problem-solving naturally decline as we age, new brain imaging research reveals that the neural network responsible for language remains preserved and fully functional.…
