In fish, parents' stressful experiences influence offspring behavior via epigenetic changes

A parent's or grandparent's stressful experiences change how their offspring behave. And it turns out that moms' experiences produce different changes in kids than dads'.

Jennifer Hellmann, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Dayton • conversation
March 30, 2021 • ~5 min

Billions of cicadas may be coming soon to trees near you

One of the largest groups of 17-year cicadas, Brood X, last emerged from underground in 2004. The next generation will arrive starting in April.

Chris Simon, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut • conversation
March 12, 2021 • ~9 min

A year into the pandemic, the coronavirus is messing with our minds as well as our bodies

SARS-CoV-2 is much like a zombie virus. It interferes with normal sickness behavior and blocks pain, turning its victims into unsick spreaders of the virus.

Joe Alcock, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico • conversation
March 8, 2021 • ~7 min

This frog's lungs act like noise cancelling headphones

The noise from the lungs drowns out other species' calls, letting the females hear potential mates.

Jakob Christensen-Dalsgaard, associate professor in bioacoustics, University of Southern Denmark • conversation
March 4, 2021 • ~5 min

Clever cuttlefish show advanced self-control, like chimps and crows

A marine version of the Stanford marshmallow experiment helped show cuttlefish can delay gratification.

Alexandra Schnell, Research Fellow, Darwin College, University of Cambridge • conversation
March 3, 2021 • ~7 min

Evolution: lab-grown 'mini brains' suggest one mutation might have rewired the human mind

Neanderthal-human hybrid brains grown in the lab give fascinating insights into evolution.

Per Brattås, Postgraduate Researcher in Clinical Genomics, Lund University • conversation
Feb. 26, 2021 • ~8 min

We sequenced the oldest ever DNA, from million-year-old mammoths

Our results have revolutionised the previously held view of the evolution of mammoths.

Love Dalén, Professor in Evolutionary Genetics, Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm University • conversation
Feb. 17, 2021 • ~7 min

Male butterflies mark their mates with a stench to 'turn off' rival suitors

The stench was once thought to originate from plants, but scientists have now pin-pointed its true origin.

Kathleen Darragh, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of California, Davis • conversation
Jan. 28, 2021 • ~5 min

Dinosaurs may have 'flashed' each other with their bottoms, newly discovered fossil shows

A reconstruction of a dinosaur's back passage reveals it may have been used for visual communication.

Diane A. Kelly, Senior Research Fellow, University of Massachusetts Amherst • conversation
Jan. 22, 2021 • ~6 min

Spitting cobras may have evolved unique venom to defend from ancient humans

A toxin unique to spitting cobras means their venom causes more pain than other snakes.

Wolfgang Wüster, Reader in Zoology, Bangor University • conversation
Jan. 21, 2021 • ~7 min

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