Ecology & Zoology

Wound Signals In Plants- Feeding Caterpillars Make Leaves Shine

When a plant is attacked by herbivores, this triggers a number of physiological responses in the plant and calcium ions are important messengers for the processing of wound signals in plant cells. They regulate signal transduction and indirectly control p ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 10 2015 - 4:00pm

Unattractive Males Try Harder

Life isn’t always fair. Some individuals are simply born more attractive than others. In most cases the females are the choosy ones, whereas males will try to mate as much as possible. So being unattractive poses the largest problems for males. In many sp ...

Blog Post - Chris Jacobs - Sep 1 2015 - 7:21am

Why I Love Surrounding Myself With Venomous Critters

Life is chemistry. You, me and every living thing – we’re all just spectacularly complex chemistry sets. Inside you, every second of the day, thousands of tiny chemical reactions are taking place. Chemical reactions powered your transformation from a sing ...

Article - The Conversation - Jun 10 2015 - 4:00pm

First Species Of Yeti Crab Found In Antarctica

The first species of Yeti Crab from hydrothermal vent systems of the East Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean, Antarctica, has been described in a study by Sven Thatje from University of Southampton, and colleagues. The species of Yeti crab Kiwa tyleri bel ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 2 2015 - 7:51am

The Region In The Brain That Gives Parrots Their Chat

Many animals – including seals, dolphins and bats – are able to communicate vocally. However, parrots are among a select few that can spontaneously imitate members of another species. A study has now pinpointed the region in the brain that may be allowing ...

Article - The Conversation - Jun 26 2015 - 11:30am

Attractive Females Harmed By Male Sexual Harassment

Too much male sexual attention harms attractive females, according to a new Australian and Canadian study on fruit flies. Associate Professor Steve Chenoweth from The University of Queensland's School of Biological Sciences said the study showed that ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 2 2015 - 9:00am

Acidification Stunts Growth Of Developing Pink Salmon

Pink salmon that begin life in freshwater with high concentrations of carbon dioxide, which causes acidification, are smaller and may be less likely to survive, according to a new study. The risks of ocean acidification on marine species have been studied ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 3 2015 - 8:00am

Hibernating Bears Protect Bones By Reducing Resorption- And That May Help Astronauts

Even a short period of inactivity can be extremely bad for our bones, and for astronauts facing months in zero gravity, the risks are serious. But there is an animal that has already solved all of the problems faced by immobile humans- black bears who hib ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 14 2015 - 9:00am

Fat Cavefish Feast And Famine May Illuminate Human Obesity

Blind cavefish that have adapted to annual cycles of starvation and binge-eating have mutations in the gene MC4R, the same gene that is mutated in certain obese people with insatiable appetites, according to a new study in PNAS which reveals more about ho ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 14 2015 - 8:00am

Even Black Panthers Have Leopard Spots

From the frozen forests of Russia to the scorching sands of the Kalahari Desert, leopards are the most widely distributed large cat on earth. Their iconic spotted coat has been admired and coveted by humans for millennia. But in one part in their vast rang ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 18 2015 - 7:27am