Showing 20 articles starting at article 581
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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Stranger than friction: A force initiating life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their interior to undergo developmental changes after conception.
Published Nine new snail species discovered in Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hot spot at risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study describes nine new species of carnivorous land snails, all of which are so small they could fit together on a U.S. nickel. They present a rare opportunity to study a group that in many other places is disappearing fast. Worldwide, mollusks account for more than 50% of all recorded extinctions since the year 1500, and many of these were land snails from Pacific islands.
Published Rallying for a better badminton birdie
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Shuttlecocks, also known as birdies or birds, are traditionally made from duck feathers, but nylon shuttlecocks have become more widely used because of their superior durability. Their flight behavior, however, is far different from that of traditional feather birdies. Scientists have now explored the aerodynamic performance of nylon shuttlecocks at various flight speeds. Through computational analyses based on two-way fluid-structure interactions, the team coupled equations governing air flow with equations determining skirt deformation of a shuttlecock in flight.
Published Spanish butterflies better at regulating their body temperature than their British cousins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Butterfly populations in Catalonia in northern Spain are better than their UK counterparts at regulating their body temperature by basking in the sunshine, but rising global temperatures due to climate change may put Spanish butterflies at greater risk of extinction.
Published How did the bushpig cross the strait? A great puzzle in African mammal biogeography solved by genomics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Africa has a huge diversity of large mammals, but their evolutionary relationships and movement across the continent over time often remain a mystery. A new scientific study sheds light on longstanding questions about the interplay between evolution and geography in one of these mammals, namely the iconic African bushpig, and helps settle a major question regarding prehistoric human activities shaping biodiversity patterns in Africa.
Published Evolution is not as random as previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A groundbreaking study has found that evolution is not as unpredictable as previously thought, which could allow scientists to explore which genes could be useful to tackle real-world issues such as antibiotic resistance, disease and climate change. The study challenges the long-standing belief about the unpredictability of evolution, and has found that the evolutionary trajectory of a genome may be influenced by its evolutionary history, rather than determined by numerous factors and historical accidents.
Published Captive-bred birds able to improve their flight and migration performance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two types of experiences affect the behavioral skills of animals: the animal's environment during its early development and acquired experience. Researchers followed Egyptian vultures during migration, a critical and challenging period for them, and investigated how their flying skills developed by examining their performance using high resolution tracking.
Published Feathers from deceased birds help scientists understand new threat to avian populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animal ecologists developed an analytical approach to better understand one of the latest threats to feathered creatures: the rise of wind and solar energy facilities.
Published Protected areas for elephants work best if they are connected
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The largest analysis yet of African savannah elephant populations shows that conservationists have successfully protected elephants in southern Africa for the last 25 years. However, the pattern varies regionally, with some elephant populations soaring and others still facing large declines. The key to long-term stability appears to be connecting large core areas with neighboring buffer zones, as opposed to well-protected but isolated protected areas known as 'fortress conservation.'
Published The snail or the egg?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animals reproduce in one of two distinct ways: egg-laying or live birth. By studying an evolutionarily recent transition from egg-laying to live-bearing in a marine snail, collaborative research has shed new light on the genetic changes that allow organisms to make the switch.
Published Male southern elephant seals are picky eaters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research suggests these large marine mammals are extremely fussy and only eat their favorite foods.
Published Researchers rely on Earth's magnetic field to verify an event mentioned in the Old Testament
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study scientifically corroborates an event described in the Second Book of Kings -- the conquest of the Philistine city of Gath by Hazael King of Aram. The method is based on measuring the magnetic field recorded in burnt bricks. The researchers say that the findings are important for determining the intensity of the fire and the scope of destruction in Gath, and also for understanding construction practices in the region.
Published Conflict in full swing: Forest bats avoid large areas around fast-moving wind turbines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Not only do many bats die at wind turbines, the turbines also displace some species from their habitats over large areas. When the turbines are in operation at relatively high wind speeds, the activity of bat species that hunt in structurally dense habitats such as forests drops by almost 80 per cent within a radius of 80 to 450 meters around the turbine.
Published The choreography connecting kelp forests to the beach
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study uncovers a symphony of synchrony between the kelp forest and beach, with broader implications for the beach food web as the climate changes.
Published 'Giant' predator worms more than half a billion years old discovered in North Greenland
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils of a new group of animal predators have been located in the Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality in North Greenland. These large worms may be some of the earliest carnivorous animals to have colonized the water column more than 518 million years ago, revealing a past dynasty of predators that scientists didn't know existed.
Published Study reveals clues to how Eastern equine encephalitis virus invades brain cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have determined how Eastern equine encephalitis virus attaches to a receptor it uses to enter and infect cells. The findings laid the groundwork for a receptor decoy molecule that protects mice from encephalitis caused by the virus.
Published Midbrain awakens gift of gab in chatty midshipman fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For talkative midshipman fish -- sometimes called the 'California singing fish' -- the midbrain plays a robust role in initiating and patterning of sounds used in vocal communication.
Published 'Juvenile T. rex' fossils are a distinct species of small tyrannosaur
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis of fossils believed to be juveniles of T. rex now shows they were adults of a small tyrannosaur, with narrower jaws, longer legs, and bigger arms than T. rex. The species, Nanotyrannus lancensis, was first named decades ago but later reinterpreted as a young T. rex. The new study shows Nanotyrannus was a smaller, longer-armed relative of T. rex, with a narrower snout.
Published 'Nutritional quality must be at the heart of climate smart agriculture' -- researchers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa need to diversify away from growing maize and switch to crops that are resilient to climate change and supply enough key micronutrients for the population, according to a major research study. Maize is a staple crop across the region -- where it is grown and consumed in vast quantities.
Published Low-carbohydrate diets emphasizing healthy, plant-based sources associated with slower long-term weight gain
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Low-carbohydrate diets comprised mostly of plant-based proteins and fats with healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains were associated with slower long-term weight gain than low-carbohydrate diets comprised mostly of animal proteins and fats with unhealthy carbohydrates like refined starches, according to a new study.