Biology

DNA sequencing, GPS tracking and tailored diets are slowly restoring New Zealand's endangered kākāpō

From new uses for weight-loss drugs to the first CRISPR gene editing therapy, these were some of the most impactful health stories of the year

“Woolly dogs” that were kept by the Coast Salish peoples are now extinct, but researchers were able to see their importance written in the genome of the only known pelt

The stories we tell about orcas might say more about us than about them

Retrieving isn’t just for dogs, but the emerging science of cat play can’t fully explain the feline phenomenon

A subset of exceptional pooches can identify by name more than 100 different objects, mostly toys

These froglets disguise themselves as feces to gross out potential predators until they’re old enough to glide through jungle canopies

Birds might sing in the morning because they need a vocal workout

The genes of microbes living as deep as 1.5 kilometers below the surface reveal a split between minimalist and maximalist lifestyles

The fossilized stomach contents of a tyrannosaur have been found for the first time, revealing what the fearsome predator ate

Most people with sickle cell disease who received a new gene editing treatment saw their pain resolve for at least one year, but longer follow up is needed

Machine-learning software gets behind the inscrutable feline face and may improve pet care