Male Bats Up Mating Odds with Mouth Morsels
Males that allow females to take food right out of their mouths are more likely to sire offspring with their dining companions.
Stories by Karen Hopkin
Elite Runners' Microbes Make Mice Mightier
Mice that were fed bacteria isolated from elite athletes logged more treadmill time than other mice that got bacteria found in yogurt.
Monkey Cousins Use Similar Calls
Two monkey species who last shared a common ancestor 3 million years ago have "eerily similar" alarm calls.
Bonobo Mothers Supervise Their Sons' Monkey Business
Some wild female bonobos introduce their sons to desirable females—then make sure their relations won’t be interrupted by competing males. Karen Hopkin reports.
Unread Books at Home Still Spark Literacy Habits
Growing up in a home filled with books enhances enhances intellectual capacity in later life, even if you don't read them all.
Chemists Investigate Casanova's Clap
In his memoirs, the womanizing writer Giacomo Casanova described suffering several bouts of gonorrhea—but researchers found no trace of the microbe on his handwritten journals. Karen Hopkin reports...
Weekday–Weekend Sleep Imbalance Bad for Blood Sugar Regulation
Weekday sleep deprivation with weekend make-up sleeping seems to be worse for blood sugar control than even chronic sleep deprivation alone.
Grandma's Influence Is Good for Grandkids
Grandmothers can enhance the survival of grandchildren. That is, unless grandma’s too old or lives too far away. Karen Hopkin reports.
Human Diet Drugs Kill Mosquitoes' Appetite, Too
When researchers fed mosquitoes a drug used to treat people for obesity, the insects were less interested in hunting for their next human meal ticket. Karen Hopkin reports.
Elephant Weight Cycles with New Teeth
Elephants have six sets of teeth over their lives, sometimes two sets at once. At those times, they can extract more nutrition from food and put on weight.
Rocking Helps Adults Sleep Too
Adult humans, as well as mice, slept better when gently rocked.
Targeting Certain Brain Cells Can Switch Off Pain
By turning off certain brain cells, researchers were able to make mice sense painful stimuli—but not the associated discomfort. Karen Hopkin reports.
Intimate Hermit Crab Keeps Shell On
A species of hermit crab appears to have evolved a large penis to enable intercourse without leaving, and thus possibly losing, its adopted shell.
Monogamy May Be Written in Our Genes
In animal studies, a set of 24 genes involved in neural development, learning and memory, and cognition, seem to be associated with monogamy. Karen Hopkin reports.
Simple Sugars Wipe Out Beneficial Gut Bugs
Fructose and sucrose can make it all the way to the colon, where they spell a sugary death sentence for beneficial bacteria. Karen Hopkin reports.
"Hunger Hormone" Ghrelin Aids Overindulgence
Ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry, also makes food, and food smells, irresistibly appealing. Karen Hopkin reports.
Measuring the Strength of a Person's Gaze
A new study suggests that, unconsciously, we actually do believe that looking exerts a slight force on the things being looked at. Karen Hopkin reports.
Bone Building Needs Bit of Breakdown First
The hormone irisin encourages bone remodeling, in part by first triggering another substance that encourages some bone breakdown.
You Gotta Scratch That Itch
A particular set of brain neurons may be behind registering itch and inducing us to scratch.
Survey the Wildlife of the "Great Indoors"
Biologists are enlisting citizen scientists to poke around under the sink and behind the curtains, for wildlife living in the "great indoors." Karen Hopkin reports.
