Biology

Asian stars enlisted to fight African rhino poaching

Increasingly desperate South African conversationists are turning to a multi-national team of "rhino ambassadors" to try to end the scourge of poaching—and Vietnamese pop diva Hong Nhung has been recruited for a good reason. It…

For legume plants, a new route from shoot to root

A new study shows that legume plants regulate their symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria by using cytokinins—signaling molecules— that are transmitted through the plant structure from leaves into the roots to control the number of…

Human sense of fairness evolved to favor long-term cooperation

The human response to unfairness evolved in order to support long-term cooperation, according to a research team from Georgia State University and Emory University. Fairness is a social ideal that cannot be measured, so to…

Tropical fish a threat to Mediterranean Sea ecosystems

The tropical rabbitfish which have devastated algal forests in the eastern Mediterranean Sea pose a major threat to the entire Mediterranean basin if their distribution continues to expand as the climate warms, a new study…

Enhancing European biodiversity by connecting conservation areas

While conservation areas have helped European biodiversity to flourish, there needs to be more connection between protected areas, along with greater attention to the needs of individual species. These are some of the key findings…

Giant jellyfish pops up in the north-west

An unusually huge toxic jellyfish has been found off the north-west coast of Western Australia. The Keesingia gigas is one of two new species[1] of Irukandji jellyfish[2] recently discovered by scientist and Marine Stinger Advisory…

Controlling the transition between generations

Rafal Ciosk and his group at the FMI have identified an important regulator of the transition from germ cell to embryonic cell. LIN-41 prevents the premature onset of embryonic transcription in oocytes poised for embryonic…

A step into the unmown creates a 'win-win' for wildlife and humans

Creating unmown areas in an urban park can significantly increase flowers and pollinating insects while also leading to a greater enjoyment of the space by people, according to a University of Sussex study. Researchers at…

New VertLife project will sprout a forest of family trees

A Yale-led effort to bring "big data" to the study of biodiversity has received a $2.5 million boost, courtesy of the National Science Foundation. The grant is part of a new, Genealogy of Life program…