A fungus named after Sir David Attenborough zombifies cave spiders

The new fungus species Gibellula attenboroughii forces reclusive cave spiders to exposed areas, likely to benefit spore dispersal.

Trump’s Ideological corruption of science: Political appointees censor formerly independent CDC report documenting soaring bird flu cases

Trump administration political appointees have taken steps in recent weeks to exert unprecedented influence over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s flagship medical research publication, the Morbidity and Mortality…

Mitochondria’s Role in Social Memory May Offer Clues to Brain Disorder

Summary: Researchers have identified a unique mitochondrial process in CA2 neurons that supports learning, memory, and social recognition. Mitochondria in different parts of these neurons vary in structure and function,…

Ketogenic Diet May Stabilize Mood in Young People with Bipolar

Summary: Researchers are launching a multi-site pilot study to assess whether a ketogenic diet, alongside standard medications, can stabilize mood symptoms in young people with bipolar disorder. The 16-week trial…

Cuttlefish ink may overwhelm sharks’ sense of smell

The main component of common cuttlefish ink — melanin — strongly sticks to shark smell sensors, possibly explaining why the predators avoid ink.

This bird’s eye view of a shark hunt won a photo contest

A school of hardyhead silverside fish (Atherinomorus lacunosus) flees from four blacktip reef sharks near the shore of the Maldives in this aerial photo. Behavioral biologists Angela Albi and August…

Viewpoint: The ‘post genomic era’ reveals nothing less than a new biology. We just don’t know how to talk about it

You could be forgiven for thinking that the turn of the millennium was a golden age for the life sciences. After the halcyon days of the 1950s and ’60s when…

How CBD Modulates THC’s Impact on the Brain

Summary: Researchers have identified how CBD interacts with cannabinoid receptors to mitigate the negative effects of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. Unlike THC, which fully activates the receptor and…

How the Brain Overcomes Instinctive Fear and Adapts to New Threats

Summary: Researchers have identified brain mechanisms that help animals suppress instinctive fear responses when threats prove harmless over time. Using a visual threat model in mice, they found that specific…

A second version of bird flu is infecting cows. What does that mean?

While the risk to humans of exposure from cows or milk remains low, this new flu spillover from birds into cows raises the need for continued surveillance.