Ecology & Zoology

Researchers at the University of Maryland and the U.S. Agriculture Department recently found that several parasites and the diseases they vector into honey bee colonies are the source of most of the bee health problems and supposed ‘die-offs’ observed in ...

Article - News Staff - May 5 2016 - 12:31pm

#VultureLivesMatter

Vultures are often cartoon-ish characters in parched deserts. No one wants them around because in western films it means they are just waiting for you to die. Cultural jokes aside, vultures in some parts of the world are in danger of disappearing. And acc ...

Article - News Staff - May 5 2016 - 2:19pm

Varroa Mites Get A Free Pass In Honeybee Surveys

The Bee Informed Partnership conducts an annual survey of commercial and backyard beekeepers so that they can try and track health and survival rates of honey bee colonies. Though honey bees are just one bee species out of about 27,000, estimates of their ...

Article - Hank Campbell - May 11 2016 - 9:39am

Not Aliens After All: Mysterious Mounds In South America Created By Earthworms

Mysterious spectacular mounds found in the earth in tropical wetlands in South America are created by earthworms, researchers have found. The densely packed, regularly spaced mounds cover large areas of the Orinoco Llanos in Columbia and Venezuela. Until ...

Article - News Staff - May 12 2016 - 6:56am

How Birds Turn Red

In the bird world, the color red has special significance. Many species use red signals to attract mates or deter rivals, adding the color to their beaks, feathers, or bare skin. Generally speaking, as far as many birds are concerned, redder is better. No ...

Article - News Staff - May 20 2016 - 9:14am

Why Can Some Fish Recognize Human Faces?

A species of tropical fish has been shown to be able to distinguish between human faces. It is the first time fish have demonstrated this ability. ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 13 2016 - 10:49am

Dance Of The Dirty Frog: New Mating Position In Indicator Species Discovered

Six mating positions (amplexus modes) are known among the almost 7,000 species of frogs and toads found worldwide. However, the Bombay night frog (Nyctibatrachus humayuni), which is endemic to the Western Ghats Biodiversity hotspot of India, mates differe ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 15 2016 - 6:31am

First Harvest Of Ancient Southern Wheat Exceeds Expectations

Whole Foods shoppers and other anti-science groups may not like it, but scientists have taken the first step of an ongoing-process designed to bring a valuable heirloom wheat back from the brink of extinction. ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 21 2016 - 7:01am

Dear California: Why Is Farming Science A Bad Thing Again?

For decades we have been told that salmon is good for us, for everything from heart health to brain function. And we should eat more of it. But if more people actually listened to those dietary recommendations, they would run squarely up against environme ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Jul 8 2016 - 7:12pm

How Beetles Have Sex With Such A Long Penis

Beetles and some other male insects can possess a penis several times longer than their entire body length. So how do they have sex with it? A recent study has found that male beetles keep their penis tip soft for faster sex, when they 'shoot' th ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 6 2016 - 6:13am