Biology

Material from asteroid Ryugu riddled with earthly microbes provides a cautionary tale for scientists seeking signs of alien life

The burps, barks and snorts humpback whales make when asking their mother for milk are the first recorded instances of begginglike behavior in a baleen whale

Studies of great apes hint at why and when clowning behavior evolved

Earth’s deadliest mass extinctions have important commonalities—and significant differences

Scientific racism today must be seen and rejected for what it truly is—a hollow attempt to dress discrimination in the garb of science and reason

From periods of rapid aging in our 40s and 60s to ancient brains that don’t decompose, here are some of the year’s most intriguing stories about human biology

Evolution is often depicted as a steady forward march from simple to complex forms. But new research shows that certain ferns can evolve “backward”

From a comb jelly with two butts to wing-slapping ants, this animal research made us laugh this year

Breakthroughs in synthetic biology could create mirror versions of natural molecules, with devastating consequences for life on Earth

The way scientists recognize one another’s work overlooks the seminal contributions of Black scientists. The Nobel Committees need to recognize how this excludes Black scientists from awards

Animals were able to see colors long before species developed the riot of colors that enlivens our world today

Why do some Labrador retrievers overeat? Do cats and dogs dream like humans do? Is your cat actually obsessed with you? In 2024 we got answers to these and other questions about our beloved furry friends