Neonicotinoids change behaviour in ways that could affect spread of invasive species. Neonicotinoid insecticides have developed a bad reputation for their unintended and potentially harmful effects on pollinating insects such as bees. A study in New Zealand now shows that the chemical can also change how native and invasive ants interact. New Zealand is facing […]
Nature
Cultured follicles offer hope for beating baldness
Old cell-growth method moves hair restoration technique from mice to humans. Life seemed to be unfair to balding people. More than four decades ago, scientists found a way grow hair follicles in hairless rodents by cultivating skin cells in a dish and implanting them under the skin. But when they tried the same thing in […]
Judgement day
Many governments are assessing the quality of university research, much to the dismay of some researchers. Two years ago, academics at Lancaster University, UK, found themselves in the uncomfortable position of being graded. They each had to submit the four best pieces of research that they had published in the previous few years, and then […]
Bats use ear trumpets for social calls
Mammals roost in megaphone-shaped leaves that amplify calls from friends. Bats that nest inside curled-up leaves may be getting an extra benefit from their homes: the tubular roosts act as acoustic horns, amplifying the social calls that the mammals use to keep their close-knit family groups together. South American Spix’s disc-winged bats (Thyroptera tricolor) roost […]
Amorous insects predict the weather
Changes in atmospheric pressure reduce mating in beetles, moths and aphids. People have long claimed that animals can predict the weather, for examply by curtailing their activity when rain threatens. Such theories have had little evidence to support them, but now, a team of scientists has found a concrete example: insects shy away from sex […]
Bacteria from lean mice prevents obesity in peers
But microbes are only part of the story — the effect also depends on a healthy diet. Gut bacteria from lean mice can invade the guts of obesity-prone cage-mates and help their new hosts to fight weight gain. Researchers led by Jeffrey Gordon, a biologist at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, set out to […]
Last-minute reprieve for Canada’s research lakes
Government strikes temporary deal with independent institute to keep freshwater experimental site open. Canada’s world-renowned Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) has been saved from imminent closure after the federal government signed a makeshift 11th-hour deal with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to take over the running of the facility. Effective from 1 September to […]
Pitch-drop custodian dies without witnessing a drop fall
John Mainstone, who for 52 years tended to one of the world’s longest-running laboratory experiments but never saw it bear fruit with his own eyes, died on 23 August after suffering a stroke. He was 78. Mainstone had been looking after the pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia since he arrived at the university […]
Predictors of suicidal behaviour found in blood
Changes in gene expression can indicate heightened risk for self-harm. People who are intent on taking their own life may not seek counsel or discuss their thoughts with others. Having some ways of predicting the rise of suicidal thoughts could help save at least some of the 1 million people worldwide who die that way […]
‘Safe’ levels of sugar harmful to mice
Diet comparable to that of many Americans left animals struggling to reproduce and to compete for territory. Too much sugar is bad for you, but how much, exactly, is too much? A study in mice has found that the animals’ health and ability to compete can be harmed by a diet that has sugar levels […]