Barred Owls Invade the Sierra Nevada
By listening to the sounds of the forest, biologists were able to identify an invasion of barred owls in spotted owl habitat. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Biology12347 articles archived since 1845
Sweet Potato Sends Secret Signals
One variety alerts neighbors to keep pests at bay
Curiosity Killed the ... Mouse?
The cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii boosts curiosity in mice—which makes them more likely to be caught by cats, thus continuing the parasite’s life cycle. Karen Hopkin reports...
Snakes Could Be the Original Source of the New Coronavirus Outbreak in China
A study of the virus’s genetic sequence suggests similarities to that seen in snakes, but the origin must still be verified
Survival of the Fittest Cells
Cells in the body don’t always play nicely together. Could co-opting their competitive nature help to unlock cutting-edge therapies?
Fish-Eating Rat Discovered in Peru
Originally published in July 1893
How Gut Microbes Shape Our Response to Drugs
The human microbiome activates some medicines, inactivates others and provokes side effects
This Fish Knows How to Stick Around
The remora clings to other fish—and appears to use an unusual sense of touch to do so. Christopher Intagliata reports.
“Birdbrain” Turns from Insult to Praise
Some avian species use tools and can recognize themselves in the mirror. How do tiny brains pull off such big feats?
Bacteria-Filled Bricks Build Themselves
The microorganisms transform sand and gelatin into a living construction material
Diving Beetles Dramatically Take Down Tadpoles
Insects have an outsize impact on their vertebrate prey
Bacteria Helped Plants Evolve to Live on Land
Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algal species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. Annie Sneed reports.
Unexpected Clues Emerge About Why Diets Fail
The physiology of weight regain still baffles scientists, but surprising insights have emerged
Loss of Large Mammals Stamps Out Invertebrates, Too
Hunted areas of Gabon have fewer large mammals and a thicker forest understory—but they also have fewer termites. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Teaching Rats to Drive: A New Model for Learning
Rats learned to drive tiny cars as a model for acquiring new skills
Gene Therapy Arrives
After false starts, drugs that manipulate the code of life are finally changing lives
Whale Food Could Feed the World
Originally published in January 1958
Brittle Stars Can “See” without Eyes
The starfish relatives can recognize patterns using photoreceptors on their arms—and their color-changing abilities could have something to do with it. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Bacteria “Tolerant” of One Antibiotic Are More Likely to Develop Resistance
Even combination therapies do not prevent such pathogens from becoming resistant
