The banana is under threat #shorts
The standard banana, the one found in nearly every lunch bag, smoothie, and cereal, could go…
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The most interesting fruit in the world could go extinct
Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. They’re a staple crop in Asia, Africa,…
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Rising CO₂ levels are reflected in human blood. Scientists don’t know what it means
Humans evolved in an atmosphere containing roughly 200–300 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO₂)….
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These platypuses are helping heal an iconic Australian ecosystem #shorts
Platypuses disappeared from Australia’s oldest national park decades ago. Now scientists are bringing them back, helping…
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Animals can talk over huge distances – but humans might be changing their range
Animals are noisy. And their noises can travel a long way. But making sounds can be…
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Hunting for elusive “ghost elephants”
[embedded content] Deep in the Angolan Highlands lurks a rumored new species of elephant. Conservationist and…
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Wasps and frogs keep evolving a crucial pain molecule in their venom. Now we know why
The next time you stub your toe, get pricked with a needle, or have your fingers…
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New fossil reveals the weird ‘tooth cushions’ of an apex predator from 425 million years ago
If correct, then Megamastax is the closest known form to the common ancestor of the ray-finned…
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The strange animals that control their body heat
Similarly, in response to an accidental flooding event in the lab, researchers observed a highly unusual…
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Delving into ‘deep time’: what NZ’s ancient past reveals about its present
We know Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many geographically and biologically special features. Yet few…
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Study shows how rocket launches pollute the atmosphere
Atmospheric scientist Laura Revell, with the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, presented research showing that…
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Some companies claim they can ‘resurrect’ species. Does that make people more comfortable with extinction?
Less than a year ago, United States company Colossal Biosciences announced it had “resurrected” the dire…
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Research roundup: 6 cool stories we almost missed
The team lightly swabbed samples from the artifacts’ surfaces and were able to recover human Y-chromosome…
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Great white sharks grow a whole new kind of tooth for slicing bone as they age
A great white shark is a masterwork of evolutionary engineering. These beautiful predators glide effortlessly through…
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Yes, feral cats and foxes really have driven many Australian mammals to extinction
Where cats and foxes are abundant, there should be fewer native mammals. Lethal control is, unfortunately,…
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Why are human penises so large? New evolutionary study finds two main reasons
“Size matters” sounds like a tabloid cliché, but for evolutionary biologists the size of the human…
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4 shark bites in 48 hours: how what we do on land may shape shark behaviour
Beachgoers in Australia are on high alert following four shark incidents in New South Wales in…
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Deep sea mining is the next geopolitical frontline – and the Pacific is in the crosshairs
The process remains exploratory, but it shows how seabed plans can collide with livelihoods even before…
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Social lives of whales and dolphins shape the spread of infectious diseases
Dolphins, whales and seals are highly social animals. Many live in groups, form long-term relationships, and…
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Native pollinators need more support than honeybees in Australia – here’s why
Late last year, the New South Wales government announced an additional A$9.5 million in funding to…
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A ‘cosmic clock’ in tiny crystals has revealed the rise and fall of Australia’s ancient landscapes
Australia’s iconic red landscapes have been home to Aboriginal culture and recorded in songlines for tens…
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A centuries-old debate on how reptiles keep evolving skin bones is finally settled
Our bones did not begin deep inside the body. They started in the skin, not long…
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Clouds are vital to life – but many are becoming wispy ghosts. Here’s how to see the changes above us
As a scholar researching clouds, I have spent much of my time trying to understand the…
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The evolution of expendability: Why some ants traded armor for numbers
“Ants reduce per-worker investment in one of the most nutritionally expensive tissues for the good of…
