Biology

Small but deadly: The chemical warfare of sea slugs

This is a photograph of the sea slug species in the UQ-led study, Chromodoris magnifica. Credit: Eva McClure Brightly coloured sea slugs are slurping deadly chemicals and stockpiling the most toxic compounds for use on…

Exercise helps young baleen whales develop ability to store oxygen for extended dives

Breaching baleen whale. Credit: The Keiki Kohola Project. NMFS permit 17845. Baleen whale calves develop oxygen-carrying myoglobin as they mature, and exercise may drive the key component of early development, according to a study published…

Flu virus hijacking tactics revealed by scientists, paving way for new treatments

Flu virus Scientists at Imperial College London have discovered how flu viruses 'hijack' cell machinery when they infect the body. The findings, published in the journal Nature, may pave the way for more effective antiviral…

The awesomeness of bats

Just how awesome are bats? It's easy to forget that one in five species of mammal on this planet have wings capable of delivering spectacularly acrobatic flying abilities. Equally incredibly, two-thirds of these 1,200 species…

Bigger is not better when it comes to lifespan

A study looking at how DNA changes with body size may help scientists to explain why taller individuals tend to have shorter lives. The new findings, based on wild house sparrows, and published today, show…

Changes in metabolites can regulate earliest stages of development

At the University of Washington, Hannele Ruohola-Baker, professor of biochemistry and associate director of the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Julie Mathieu, acting instructor and Henrik Sperber, graduate student, withdraw embryonic stem cell…

Formula to get rid of black spots in papaya developed

Credit: Marina Ismail Papaya, banana and mango planters often face the problem of post-harvest diseases – ringspot or Anthracnose – where black spots on the fruits will grow bigger, causing the fruits to turn bad.…

Breeding study could save endangered long–beaked echidna

An echidna puggle at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary An echidna-breeding partnership between The University of Queensland and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has proved so successful that researchers hope their model could help save endangered echidna species.…

Seafaring spiders depend on their 'sails' and 'anchors'

Enlarge[1] Tetragnathid spider sailing using legs is shown. Credit: Alex Hyde Spiders travel across water like ships, using their legs as sails and their silk as an anchor, according to research published in the open…