Life

More Stories in Life

  1. Health & Medicine

    Why finding bird flu in a U.S. pig for the first time is raising new worries

    Swine can act as so-called “mixing vessels” for human and bird flus, giving avian viruses an opportunity to adapt for spreading in people.

    By
  2. Animals

    A single enzyme can alter the vibrant colors in parrot plumage

    Tweaking the chemical composition of a parrot-specific pigment can shift feathers from red to yellow or green.

    By
  3. Life

    Backyard explorers discovered 15 new examples of glowing life 

    New finds in the Finding Fluorescence site include a Japanese beetle with a glowing blue mouth and a mushroom that gleamed bright red under its cap.

    By
  4. Animals

    This marine biologist discovered a unique blue whale population in Sri Lanka

    In addition to studying the world’s only nonmigratory blue whales, marine biologist Asha de Vos seeks to change her compatriots’ attitudes toward the ocean.

    By
  5. Paleontology

    ‘Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior’ unearths paleontology’s biases

    Paleontologist David Hone’s latest book fleshes out our understanding of dinosaur behavior.

    By
  6. Life

    The oldest known fossil tadpole was a big baby

    Fossils of the ancient frog Notobatrachus degiustoi push the known tadpole timeline back more than 30 million years.

    By
  7. Animals

    These hornets may be the alcohol-detox champs of the animal world

    Vespa orientalis fed an 80-percent-ethanol brew still did hornet tasks and had normal life spans. This trick may be an adaptation to gut-dwelling yeast.

    By
  8. Animals

    Giant rats could soon help sniff out illegally smuggled goods

    African giant pouched rats can detect landmines and diseases. Now some have been trained to sense elephant ivory, pangolin scales and more.

    By
  9. Animals

    A common kitchen tool could help koala conservation

    A simple device sucks koala DNA out of the air, making it easier for conservationists to detect the elusive marsupials.

    By