Fatty layer covering snakeskin protects animal’s underside against scrapes and wear. Snakes can slither smoothly over almost any surface, from jungle branches to desert sands, without damaging their skin – an ability that has fascinated researchers. “How can snakes move across very harsh and abrasive environments and still have belly skin that is shiny and […]
biology
Fungi borrowed bacterial gene again and again
Multiple independent gene transfers gave fungi ability to colonize plant roots. A single gene from bacteria has been donated to fungi on at least 15 occasions. The discovery shows that an evolutionary shortcut once thought to be restricted to bacteria is surprisingly common in more complex, eukaryotic life. Bacteria frequently trade genes back and forth […]
Profile of W. Ford Doolittle
“If you come up with a hypothesis, what’s your next job? Not to prove it. To try and disprove it.” Read more on Science.ca.
Male scent stimulates female goats’ fertility
Single pheromone found to induce ovulation. The distinctive aroma of goats does more than just make barnyards extra fragrant. Male goats can use their heady scent to make female goats ovulate simply by being near them. Researchers had ascribed this ‘male effect’ to chemicals known as primer pheromones — a chemical signal that can cause […]
Why fruitflies know their beer
Competing neuronal pathways help adults to choose locations with just the right amount of alcohol for their offspring to thrive. Fruitflies know exactly how much alcohol will be good for their young. Larvae living on a food source with the right concentration of ethanol will grow into heavy, healthy adults and will be protected against […]
Pesticide makes invading ants suicidally aggressive
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Silver makes antibiotics thousands of times more effective
Ancient antimicrobial treatment could help to solve modern bacterial resistance. Like werewolves and vampires, bacteria have a weakness: silver. The precious metal has been used to fight infection for thousands of years — Hippocrates first described its antimicrobial properties in 400 bc — but how it works has been a mystery. Now, a team led by James […]