Toad Tadpoles Turn Homegrown Poisons on One Another
Young amphibians are the first animals thought to use toxins against rivals of their own species
Stories by Christie Wilcox
Moonlighting Genes Evolve for a Venomous Job
An unexpected mechanism allows wasps to rapidly co-opt genes for new toxic functions
How a Wasp Turns Cockroaches into Zombies
A special chemical blend injected into the brains of cockroaches makes them pawns in the jewel wasp’s control—and perfect live food for its offspring
How a Wasp Turns Cockroaches into Zombies
A special chemical blend injected into the brains of cockroaches makes them pawns in the jewel wasp’s control—and perfect live food for its offspring
"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."
A year and a half ago, the decision to pack up shop at ScienceBlogs and begin blogging at Scientific American was an easy one. The inimitable Bora Zivkovic had assembled a blogging dream team, a group of people I respected and admired and couldn't wait to call networkmates.
Small Guts May Be a Tradeoff for Big Brains
Big brains may mean small guts
Gingrey is a bad doctor, says science
"I’ve delivered lots of babies, and I know about these things" — apparently, Phil, you don't. Photo by CQ Roll Call. It seems like every time a male republican tries to talk about women, he somehow says something stupid and misogynistic.
Fake Feces To Treat Deadly Disease: Scientists Find They Can Just Make Sh*t Up
Though childish songs make crude jokes, there's nothing funny about diarrhea. Aside from the painful, twisting feeling in your guts, there's just something psychologically upsetting about losing control of your bowels.
People With Brown Eyes Appear More Trustworthy, But That's Not The Whole Story
Take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror. I want you to really examine your features—the curves, lines and shapes that make up your face. How broad is your chin?
Parasitic Wasps Master Microbiology In Addition To Neurochemistry
"Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death, and I'm addicted to the sweet pitch of its siren." - Johnny Quid, RocknRolla Female of the Emerald cockroach wasp Ampulex compressa manipulating an American cockroach, Periplaneta americana , which has been made docile by wasp venom and that will serve as food for the wasp larva.
Expensive Organs: Guppies Reveal The Cost Of Big Brains
There's a lot to be said for smarts—at least we humans, with some of the biggest brains in relation to our bodies in the animal kingdom, certainly seem to think so.
Science Sushi: 2012 in Review
Tonight, we usher in a brand new year and say farewell to 2012. The first full year here at Scientific American Blogs. The year of the Higgs Boson. The year Curiosity landed on Mars.
Happy Holidays, from my tank to yours!
Stumpy (devil scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis diabolus ) and Ginny (Hawaiian green lionfish, Dendrochirus barberi ) wishing you the best this holiday season!
The Best Gangnam Parody I've Seen Yet
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to do a great parody video, but if you have some to include, it's even more brilliant:
Don't Pee On It: Zinc Emerges As New Jellyfish Sting Treatment
Biochemist and venom expert Angel Yanagihara Nothing can turn a fun day at the beach into a nightmare faster than a jellyfish sting, as Angel Yanagihara, researcher at the University of Hawaii, learned firsthand when she was swimming off Kaimana beach in 1997.
Corals Recruit Fish Bodyguards To Protect Them From Seaweed
Reefs recruit fish as bodyguards
