The Secret of the Crazy-Tough Water Bear, Finally Revealed
The Secret of the Crazy-Tough Water Bear, Finally Revealed
Luminous frog is the first known naturally fluorescent amphibian
Fluorescent compounds make a South American tree frog much brighter at night, and the trait may be more widespread in nature than we realise
Metabolism may be older than life itself and start spontaneously
The discovery that the Krebs cycle, which is essential for life, can occur in the absence of enzymes suggests that life’s origins were surprisingly humble
Want to Make It as a Biologist? Better Learn to Code
Sneaky beetles evolved disguise to look like ants, then eat them
At least a dozen species of rove beetles have independently evolved almost identical disguises to dupe their army ant prey into accepting them as one of their own
A New Lab-Built Fungus Eats Sugar and Burps Out Drugs
Ebola vaccine promising in chimps but may never be used
A promising oral vaccine could help protect Africa’s big apes from the deadly Ebola virus, but a ban on captive ape research means it may never see the light of day
Sociable woodpeckers that cooperate have evolved smaller brains
It’s long been thought that living in a group leads to bigger brains – including in humans. But a surprising finding in woodpeckers shows this isn’t always the case
Raindrops make soil bacteria take off and fly through air
When raindrops hit the ground, they throw microbes into the air in aerosols – with possible implications for the climate, agriculture and diseases