Ichthyosaurs are a successful group of Mesozoic marine reptiles with a global distribution, but their evolutionary origin is still unknown. Many new marine reptiles related to ichthyosaurs, known as early ichthyosauromorphs, have been discovered in Early Triassic rocks in recent years, shedding i.....
The first large-scale study of its sort has found nearly 4,000 years of unique foraging behavior in a species that was once on the verge of extinction. By studying isotopes found in archaeological and museum-archived samples of the bird dating back to 2300 BCE, an international team of researcher.....
Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that body size is more important than body shape in determining the energy economy of swimming for aquatic animals. This work, which was published today in Communications Biology, demonstrates that large bodies can help overcome the excess d.....
Spring has arrived; Birds have begun to sing and build their nests. Like clockwork, it happens every year. However, according to a new study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, several bird species are nesting and laying eggs nearly a month sooner than they were a century ago. Scientists .....
Coral reefs are massive underwater constructions made up of the bones of colonial marine invertebrates. Because they extract calcium carbonate from saltwater to construct a hard, resilient exoskeleton that covers their soft, sac-like bodies, coral species that build reefs are known as hermatypic,.....
Tel Aviv University researchers discovered alterations in the morphology of several birds in Israel during the last 70 years, which they believe are a result of climate change. Some species’ body mass declined, while others’ body length rose, increasing the ratio of surface area to vo.....
Costs of conservation programs are rarely revealed, according to a new study, making it difficult for others to make decisions on the most cost-effective interventions at a time when financing for biodiversity conservation is severely restricted. Only 8.8% of the 1,987 published papers on conserv.....
The road is a risky site for animals since they can easily be run over, which can have long-term consequences for wildlife diversity and populations. There is also a human economic cost, as well as the risk of injury or death, when colliding with heavier animals or attempting to avoid them on the.....
Scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that, unlike fruit flies, mosquito odor sensing neuron cells shut down when induced to create odor-related proteins or receptors, on the cell surface. The bugs appear to be able to ignore typical insect repellents thanks to this “expression” p.....
In the face of climate change, a series of studies on endangered species that live on the Vietnam-China border highlight the growing necessity of transboundary conservation efforts. Many plant and animal species are migrating away from their usual habitats as the world warms, raising the risk of .....
Scientists have long puzzled over how cells interact with one another, but Rutgers researchers have cracked the code using a tiny roundworm. The research, published in Current Biology, could aid in the development of medicines for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative illnesses. Cells com.....
Geosmin has a distinct odor that pervades the air after a summer rainstorm or fills your nose when gardening. It’s the earthy, almost comfortable scent of moist soil. However, as a recent study in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology reminds out, that odor has a specific purpo.....