🧬 Latest in Biology

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Number of articles fetched: 44

• Too many rats? Birth control is one city's answer
  Rats aren't just a nuisance. They can carry diseases and are a leading causes of property damage. One community in Massachusetts is trying a novel approach to rat reduction: Birth control.
  
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• How a great-grandmother helped researchers unravel a dinosaur mummy mystery
  A paleontologist was trying to locate the site of a famous 1908 discovery when a rancher in Wyoming shared an important clue.
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• Fewer students are missing school. These state policies may have helped
  A new study says several states are doing the right things to get students to show up to school regularly.
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• Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited
  The comet could be older than our solar system. The comet is also distinct because nickel vapor was detected in the gas surrounding it.
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• This week's Short Wave news roundup
  Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave talk about spider web architecture, storytelling and memory, and why more TV pixels may not translate to a better viewing experience.
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• Scientists thought this fossil was a teen T. rex. Turns out it's a new tyrannosaur
  A new look at the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex was not the only tyrannosaur roaming the land.
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• An Alzheimer's pill appears to protect some in a high-risk population
  A new study is reviving hope that a twice-daily pill can slow down Alzheimer's in people whose genes put them at high risk for the disease.
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• A spider scientist makes the case for why we should love arachnids
  NPR's Ailsa Chang goes on a nighttime hike in search of spiders, with Lisa Gonzalez of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
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• Sheep, soldiers, and grains: Studying the physics of crowds
  In Pamplona, where the bulls run, a scientist studies the physics of crowds.
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• California euthanizes 4 gray wolves after 'unprecedented' surge in livestock kills
  California wildlife officials have been working to mitigate the impact of the state's rebounding wolf population on its ranchers. The Northern California wolves that were euthanized had become dependent on cattle for food.
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• We sharpened the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away. Here's how.
  A small piece of metal engineered in Australia helped sharpen the James Webb telescope's vision from a million miles away.
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• A toxicologist explains when you can safely cut the moldy part off food, and when it's best to toss it
  Molds and bacteria can produce dangerous toxins — and they don’t taste very good, either.
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• Chimps 'think about thinking' in order to weigh evidence and plan their actions, new research suggests
  Chimpanzees use a variation of the "scientific method" — discarding prior beliefs if convincing new evidence comes along to change their minds, research shows.
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• Science news this week: Solar revelations as irradiated Comet 3I/ATLAS rapidly brightens, a tiny tyrannosaur prompts T. rex rethink, and the unexpected perks of cussing out your chatbot
  Nov. 1, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
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• Crimean Stone Age 'crayons' were used by Neanderthals for symbolic drawings, study claims
  Scientists have discovered Stone Age "crayons" in Crimea, hinting that Neanderthals may have used them for symbolic drawings or markings. But not everyone agrees.
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• Do people dream in color or black and white?
  Whether we report having dreams in color or in black and white may be influenced by the media we watch, or perhaps that simply influences the way we remember them.
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• Science history: Astronomers spot first known planet around a sunlike star, raising hopes for extraterrestrial life — Nov. 1, 1995
  About 50 light-years from Earth, a gas giant about half the mass of Jupiter orbits a sunlike star. The discovery of Pegasi 51 b ushered in a new era of exoplanet research.
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• Comet 3I/ATLAS has been transformed by billions of years of space radiation, James Webb Space Telescope observations reveal
  The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has a thick irradiated crust that no longer resembles its home star system, simulations and James Webb Space Telescope observations have found.
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• 900-year-old burials of Denmark's early Christians discovered in medieval cemetery
  Archaeologists excavating at a medieval cemetery in Denmark have found the burials of 77 people who were early Christians in the area but still likely harbored pagan beliefs.
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• AI models refuse to shut themselves down when prompted — they might be developing a new 'survival drive,' study claims
  Some AI models appear to show a resistance to being shut off. Are they developing a survival drive? Or is it all in how they prioritize tasks?
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• James Webb telescope celebrates Halloween with eerie image of a dying sun — it's what our own might look like one day
  This Halloween, the James Webb Space Telescope has served us up a stunning image of the Red Spider Nebula. It could be a glimpse of our solar system will in the distant future.
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• Interstellar object comet 3I/ATLAS
  Find out everything there is to know about the interstellar object comet 3I/ATLAS.
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• 2 million-year-old teeth reveal secrets from the dawn of humanity
  For decades, Paranthropus robustus has intrigued scientists as a powerful, big-jawed cousin of early humans. Now, thanks to ancient protein analysis, researchers have cracked open new secrets hidden in 2-million-year-old tooth enamel. These proteins revealed both sex and subtle genetic differences among fossils, suggesting Paranthropus might not have been one species but a more complex evolutionary mix.
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• This tiny bat hunts like a lion, but better
  Fringe-lipped bats from Panama hunt like miniature lions, using a “hang-and-wait” strategy to capture large, energy-rich prey. High-tech biologging revealed they spend most of their time conserving energy and strike with remarkable accuracy. With success rates around 50%, they outperform even apex predators like lions and polar bears. Older bats become even more efficient, showing that experience sharpens their deadly precision.
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• Japan’s new “samurai jellyfish” is simply stunning
  Scientists in Japan have discovered Physalia mikazuki, a previously unknown species of Portuguese man-of-war, in northern waters for the first time. DNA and anatomical analysis confirmed it as distinct from tropical relatives. Ocean simulations suggest warming currents transported it northward, offering new clues about changing ecosystems. The find underscores both marine adaptation and safety concerns for beachgoers.
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• It sounds creepy, but these scientific breakthroughs could save lives
  From mini-brains to spider-inspired gloves and wolf apple coatings, scientists are turning eerie-sounding experiments into real innovations that could revolutionize health and sustainability. Lab-grown brain organoids may replace animal testing, spider-silk gloves could create instant wound dressings, wolf apple starch keeps veggies fresh, and researchers even found microplastics lurking in human retinas—offering both wonder and a warning about the modern world.
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• Scientists discover a stunning new golden-tongued lizard in China
  A new species of mountain lizard, Diploderma bifluviale, has been discovered in the upper Dadu River Valley of China. Its distinct traits and isolated habitat highlight the hidden biodiversity of the Hengduan Mountains.
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• Humans evolved faster than any other ape
  UCL scientists found that human skulls evolved much faster than those of other apes, reflecting the powerful forces driving our brain growth and facial flattening. By comparing 3D models of ape skulls, they showed that humans changed about twice as much as expected. The findings suggest that both cognitive and social factors, not just intelligence, influenced our evolutionary path.
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• Scientists just found out how corals rebuild themselves on the reef
  Researchers at QUT uncovered how corals reattach to reefs through a three-phase process involving tissue transformation, anchoring, and skeleton formation. Differences among species reveal why some corals grow and attach faster than others. Intriguingly, corals even digest their own tissue to heal and prepare for attachment. This insight could make coral restoration projects more precise and successful.
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• Antarctic robot ‘Lassie’ uncovers thousands of icefish nests beneath Antarctic ice
  Beneath the ice of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, scientists discovered a vast, organized city of fish nests revealed after the colossal A68 iceberg broke away. Using robotic explorers, they found over a thousand circular nests forming geometric patterns, each guarded by yellowfin noties. The expedition, initially aimed at studying the ice shelf and locating Shackleton’s Endurance, instead unveiled a thriving, structured ecosystem in one of the harshest places on Earth.
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• Why women live longer than men, explained by evolution
  An international team of researchers led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, working with 15 collaborators around the world, has conducted the most comprehensive study yet of lifespan differences between the sexes in mammals and birds. Their findings shed new light on one of biology’s enduring mysteries: why males and females age differently.
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• Scientists find “living fossil” fish hidden in museums for 150 years
  Researchers have uncovered dozens of long-misidentified coelacanth fossils in British museums, some overlooked for more than a century. The study reveals that these ancient “living fossils” thrived in tropical seas during the Triassic Period, around 200 million years ago. By re-examining mislabeled bones and using X-ray scans, scientists discovered a once-flourishing community of coelacanths that hunted smaller marine reptiles.
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• Before plants or animals, fungi conquered Earth’s surface
  Fungi’s evolutionary roots stretch far deeper than once believed — up to 1.4 billion years ago, long before plants or animals appeared. Using advanced molecular dating and gene transfer analysis, researchers reconstructed fungi’s ancient lineage, revealing they were crucial in shaping Earth’s first soils and ecosystems.
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• Scientists just found a surprising twist in Earth’s extinction story
  Extinction rates are not spiraling upward as many believe, according to a large-scale study analyzing 500 years of data. Researchers found that species losses peaked about a century ago and have decreased since, with different drivers shaping past and present threats. Whereas invasive species once caused most island extinctions, habitat destruction now looms largest on continents.
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• Life creeps in the haunted habitats of cemeteries
  Cemeteries focused on conservation are providing animals with a new resource in urban areas
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• LISTEN: The Colorado gray wolf reintroduction effort
  How does a voter mandate become a wolf reintroduction program?
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• TWS2025: Feral horses out-eat Alberta ungulates, cattle
  As an additional prey item for wolves, bears and cougars, equids may artificially boost predator numbers in the area
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• Are expanding armadillos a problem?
  Overland and underwater, Armadillos have expanded their range in the past ten years
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• Government shutdown prevents Alligator Alcatraz closing
  The Trump administration requests legal pause due to federal shutdown and the furlough of attorneys
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• Shocking northern pike research reveals resilience
  Common research tactic to stun fish using electric voltage has little effect on survival
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• Potential RIF during government shutdown
  TWS is monitoring and commenting on developing information related to RIFs and recent court documents
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• Food, cover and corn drive elk movement in Nebraska
  Elk have returned to Nebraska but we’re only now discovering how they move through its patchwork of prairie and corn
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• Artificial roosts may overheat bats
  Common conservation technique may be death trap for bats during heat waves
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• Wetland restoration boosts flatwoods salamander numbers
  Decades of historical fire suppression has led to unsuitable habitat and a contracted range
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