The idea that male mammals tend to be larger than females has been scientific dogma since Darwin. Bigger bodies, the thinking goes, are better in the battle to win the…
Category: Life
Functional Ecology’s Award for Early Career Researchers – Functional Ecologists
The Haldane Prize is awarded by the British Ecological Society each year for the best paper in Functional Ecology written by an early career author. With entries spanning the 37th volume of…
Happiness Takes Practice – Neuroscience News
Summary: Happiness can indeed be learned through courses like their ‘Science of Happiness’, which educates students on evidence-informed habits for well-being. However, a follow-up study indicates that the initial boost…
Newfound bee species help solve a decades-old mystery
In 1965, renowned bee biologist Charles Michener described a new species of masked bee from “an entirely unexpected region,” the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. Michener named the bee Hylaeus…
Intelligence and Focus: How the Brain Tunes Out Distractions
Summary: Researchers made a breakthrough in understanding how the brain manages to focus in noisy environments, distinguishing between enhancing relevant information and tuning out distractions. Their study explores the intricate…
Older monarch caterpillars binge on toxic milkweed goo
Maybe science has misunderstood the dining style of big monarch butterfly caterpillars. What insect watchers have called defense against the toxic latex a milkweed plant oozes may not be avoidance…
Decoding Emotions: Beyond Senses in the Human Brain
Summary: A new study explores how the human brain constructs emotions, regardless of sensory input. By analyzing brain activity in individuals with and without sensory deprivations while they experienced the…
Unlocking Synaptic Mysteries: The Role of FAM81A Protein
Summary: Researchers have identified a critical protein, FAM81A, that plays a pivotal role in forming postsynaptic protein agglomerations, essential for synaptic function in the brain. By analyzing 35 previous studies,…
International Women’s Day 2024 – Functional Ecologists
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, we are excited to share a collection of blog posts showcasing the work of some of our new Associate Editors. In each post, our…
