Two new genera and four new species of giant, single-celled xenophyophores (protozoans belonging to a group called the foraminifera) were discovered in the deep Pacific Ocean during a joint project between scientists at the National Oceanography Centre, UK (NOC),...
The whimsical, wafting flight of butterflies may not give the impression of top aerodynamic performance, but research published on Wednesday suggests their large flexible wings could be perfectly designed to give them a burst of jet propulsion.
Scientists at Lund...
Global changes in temperature due to human-induced climate change have already impacted every aspect of life on Earth including Arctic species like this bearded seal. Credit: KIT M. KOVACS - CHRISTIAN LYDERSEN NPI
Study in journal Science says every aspect...
A database of 10,000 bird species shows how measurements of wings, beaks and tails can predict a species' role in an ecosystem.
Given that many bird species perform important ecological functions, such as pollinating plants, spreading seeds, or controlling pests, the database...
Pet owners are increasingly treating their "fur-babies" like members of the family. In response, some pet food companies are developing diets that more closely resemble human food, incorporating human-grade meat and vegetable ingredients that pass USDA quality inspections. Until...
Gentoo penguins should be reclassified as four separate species, say scientists at the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, after analysing the genetic and physical differences between populations around the southern hemisphere.
The researchers say that counting...
With the help of Inuit hunters, geophysicists recently recorded the various calls, buzzes, clicks and whistles of narwhals as they summered in a Greenland fjord. The recordings help scientists better understand the soundscape of Arctic glacial fjords and provide...
This graph represents the history and domestication of yeast used for making beer and other types of alcohol are revealed through genomic and phenotypic analyses. Credit: Gallone and Steensels et al./Cell 2016
Today's industrial yeast strains are used to make...
Plants are factories that manufacture yield from light and carbon dioxide—but parts of this complex process, called photosynthesis, are hindered by a lack of raw materials and machinery. To optimize production, scientists from the University of Essex have resolved...
Dr Christos Ioannou and his colleagues from the School of Biological Sciences tested three-spined sticklebacks (the UK's smallest freshwater fish) alone and in groups of ten.
They found that just like in humans, braver individuals led the groups, and that...
A member of the Ngogo community of chimpanzees in Uganda's Kibale National Park. A new study shows that the Ngogo chimps have surprisingly long life expectancies.
Credit: Brian Wood/Yale University
A 20-year demographic study of a large chimpanzee community in Uganda's...
