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Categories: Anthropology: Early Humans, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published The fascinating relationship between mice and a plant that flowers once a century in terms of seed dispersal
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered several factors that affect field mouse behavior using seeds from dwarf bamboo plants, a plant that flowers once in a century. Their findings not only suggest the previously underappreciated role of mice in the forest ecosystem, but also show that they store small sasa seeds for later use. These challenge a previously held model of mouse behavior.
Published Two fins are better than one: Fish synchronize tail fins to save energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source They say two heads are better than one. But in the world of fish, it appears two fins are better than one. Researchers have produced a theoretical model that demonstrates the underlying mechanisms behind how fish will synchronize their fin movements to ride each other's vortices, thereby saving energy.
Published Fossils tell tale of last primate to inhabit North America before humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Paleontologists have shed light on the long-standing saga of Ekgmowechashala, based on fossil teeth and jaws found in both Nebraska and China. Ekgmowechashala is the last primate found in the fossil record before humans.
Published Rats have an imagination, new research suggests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a novel system to probe a rat's thoughts, finding that animals can control their brain activity to imagine remote locations.
Published Chimpanzees use hilltops to conduct reconnaissance on rival groups, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research on neighboring chimpanzee communities in the forests of West Africa suggests a warfare tactic not previously seen beyond humans is regularly used by our closest evolutionary relatives.
Published Researchers engineer colloidal quasicrystals using DNA-modified building blocks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study unveils a novel methodology to engineer colloidal quasicrystals using DNA-modified building blocks. The implications of this breakthrough are far-reaching, offering a potential blueprint for the controlled synthesis of other complex structures previously considered beyond reach.
Published Giant dinosaur carcasses might have been important food sources for Jurassic predators
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Carnivorous dinosaurs might have evolved to take advantage of giant carcasses, according to a new study.
Published Where is a sea star's head? Maybe just about everywhere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study that combines genetic and molecular techniques helps solve the riddle of sea star (commonly called starfish) body plans, and how sea stars start life with bilateral body symmetry -- just like humans -- but grow up to be adults with fivefold 'pentaradial' symmetry.
Published How sunflowers see the sun
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sunflowers famously turn their faces to follow the sun as it crosses the sky. But how do sunflowers 'see' the sun to follow it? Plant biologists show that they use a different, novel mechanism from that previously thought.
Published Study uncovers hundred-year lifespans for three freshwater fish species in the Arizona desert
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New study finds some of the oldest animals in the world living in a place you wouldn't expect: fishes in the Arizona desert.
Published New species of mosasaur named for Norse sea serpent
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered a new species of mosasaur, large, carnivorous aquatic lizards that lived during the late Cretaceous. With 'transitional' traits that place it between two well-known mosasaurs, the new species is named after a sea serpent in Norse mythology, Jormungandr, and the small North Dakota city Walhalla near to where the fossil was found.
Published The genetic heritage of the Denisovans may have left its mark on our mental health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has identified the most widespread genetic contribution by Denisovans to date. The study reveals that the genetic variant observed, which affects zinc regulation, could have signified an evolutionary advantage in our ancestors' adaptation to the cold. The study also reveals that this genetic adaptation may have predisposed modern humans to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Published Roosters might recognize themselves in the mirror
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scrape, cluck, lay eggs -- that's it? Anyone involved in chicken farming knows that the animals are capable of much more. Researchers have found evidence that roosters could recognize themselves in a mirror. Whether this is successful, however, depends on the experimental conditions -- a finding that points beyond the experiment with roosters and could also be of importance for other animal species.
Published Rider on the storm: Shearwater seabird catches an 11 hour ride over 1,000 miles in a typhoon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research suggests that increasingly severe weather driven by climate change may push oceangoing seabirds to their limits.
Published Climate change likely impacted human populations in the Neolithic and Bronze Age
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human populations in Neolithic Europe fluctuated with changing climates, according to a new study.
Published 'Dim-witted' pigeons use the same principles as AI to solve tasks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study provides evidence that pigeons tackle some problems just as artificial intelligence would -- allowing them to solve difficult tasks that would vex humans.
Published Bizarre new fossils shed light on ancient plankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recently discovered microfossils date back half a billion years. Resembling modern-day algae, they provide insight into early life in our oceans.
Published Raining cats and dogs: Global precipitation patterns a driver for animal diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has identified several factors to help answer a fundamental ecological question: why is there a ridiculous abundance of species some places on earth and a scarcity in others? What factors, exactly, drive animal diversity? They discovered that what an animal eats (and how that interacts with climate) shapes Earth's diversity.
Published Finding the genes that help kingfishers dive without hurting their brains
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists studied the genomes of 30 kingfisher species to try to identify the genes that allow kingfishers to dive headfirst into water without huring their brains. The researchers found that the diving birds have unusual mutations to the genes that produce tau: a protein that helps stabilize tiny structures in the brain, but which can build up in humans with traumatic brain injuries or Alzheimer's disease. The researchers suspect that these variations in the kingfishers' tau proteins might protect their brains when they dive.
Published Origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Primatologists are using genetic analysis to determine the geographic origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt. The team finds evidence that the two legendary trading regions of Punt and Adulis may have been the same place separated by a thousand years of history.