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Science Daily
Articles from Science Daily
sciencedaily.comWhy do crabs walk sideways? Scientists trace it back 200 million years
Scientists have uncovered new clues about how crabs developed their distinctive sideways movement. A new study, released as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, brings together the largest dataset yet on how crabs move.
Aggressive “hulk” lizards are wiping out millions of years of evolution
For ages, wall lizards coexisted in three distinct color types, each with its own strategy for survival. Now, a powerful green variant is taking over. These dominant “Hulk” lizards are outcompeting the others, causing yellow and orange morphs to vanish. It’s a dramatic reminder that evolution can flip the script much faster than expected.
Warming waters are supercharging an invasive salmon predator in Alaska
Rising temperatures in a Southcentral Alaska river are driving a noticeable change in the behavior of invasive northern pike. As the water warms, these predators are eating more, raising concerns about the future of native fish such as salmon.
“Baffling” new snake species in Myanmar looks like multiple species at once
Scientists have uncovered a fascinating new species of pit viper in Myanmar that seems to blur the very definition of what a species is.
Scientists just debunked a 50-year myth about Hawaii’s birds
A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is reshaping a decades-old belief about the disappearance of Hawaiʻi's native waterbirds. Researchers report that there is no scientific evidence showing Indigenous People hunted these species to extinction.
Gray whales are entering San Francisco Bay and many aren’t surviving
Gray whales are beginning to break their long-established migration patterns, venturing into risky new territory like San Francisco Bay as climate change disrupts their Arctic food supply. But this unexpected detour is proving deadly: nearly one in five whales that enter the Bay don’t survive, with many struck by ships in the crowded, foggy waters.
Freshwater fish populations plunge 81% as river migrations collapse
A sweeping global report finds that migratory freshwater fish are in steep decline, with populations down roughly 81% since 1970. These species depend on long, connected rivers, but dams and human pressures are cutting off their routes.
Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks
Beavers may play an unexpected role in tackling climate change by transforming rivers into effective carbon dioxide sinks, according to a new international study led by researchers at the University of Birmingham.
Scared of spiders? Scientists say the real nightmare is losing them
Members of the arachnid class -- think spiders, scorpions and harvestmen (daddy long legs) -- often trigger feelings of fear or disgust. Despite this reaction, these animals play an essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Extreme weather is hitting baby birds hard in a 60-year study
Decades of data from over 80,000 great tits reveal that extreme weather can shape the fate of baby birds. Cold snaps soon after hatching and heavy rain later in development shrink nestling body mass and reduce survival odds.
Scientists discover hedgehogs can hear ultrasound and it could save them from cars
Scientists at the University of Oxford say ultrasonic sound devices might one day help reduce the number of hedgehogs killed by cars. Their idea stems from new research published March 11 in Biology Letters showing for the first time that hedgehogs are capable of hearing high-frequency ultrasound.
Koalas survived a devastating population crash and their DNA is bouncing back
Koalas suffered a massive population decline that left them with dangerously low genetic diversity. However, new genomic research suggests their rapid rebound may be helping reverse some of that genetic damage.
Half of Amazon insects could face dangerous heat stress
A sweeping new study of more than 2,000 insect species reveals a troubling reality: many insects may be far less capable of coping with rising temperatures than scientists once hoped.
Humpback whale recovery is changing who fathers the calves
A new study shows that as humpback whale populations recover from past whaling, older males are gaining a major advantage in reproduction.
Wolves are stealing cougar kills in Yellowstone, study finds
A new study sheds light on the tense relationship between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park. Researchers found that many of their encounters begin when wolves take over prey that cougars have already killed.
Flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may be harming wildlife
A study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry by Oxford University Press reports that widely used flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may pose a serious threat to insects in the natural environment.
Microplastics have reached Antarctica’s only native insect
An international team led by researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has found that Antarctica's only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated places on Earth.
Yellowstone wolves may not have transformed the national park after all
A new scientific review challenges the headline-grabbing claim that Yellowstone’s returning wolves triggered one of the strongest trophic cascades on Earth.
Pumas are back in Patagonia and Penguins are paying the price
Pumas returning to Patagonia have begun hunting mainland penguins that evolved without land predators. Scientists estimate that more than 7,000 adult penguins were killed in just four years, many of them left uneaten.
Endangered sea turtles hear ship noise loud and clear
Kemp's ridley sea turtles rank among the most endangered sea turtle species on the planet. They live along the East Coast and Gulf Coast of North America, sharing these waters with some of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
Even remote Pacific fish are full of microplastics
A new scientific analysis finds that plastic pollution has reached even the most isolated Pacific coastal waters. According to the research, about one-third of fish living near Pacific Island Countries and Territories contain microplastics.
A hidden bat virus is infecting humans
Researchers studying infectious diseases have discovered Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV), a bat-borne virus, in stored throat swab samples and virus cultures from five patients in Bangladesh. These individuals were originally suspected of having Nipah virus infection but later tested negative.
Extreme heat is breaking honey bees’ natural cooling system
Honey bees can normally keep their hives perfectly climate-controlled, but extreme heat can overwhelm their defenses. During a scorching Arizona summer, researchers found that high temperatures caused damaging temperature fluctuations inside hives, leading to population declines.
Coral reefs could feed millions if we let them rebuild
The world is now home to about 8.3 billion people, and millions still do not have enough nutritious food. As concerns about food security grow, scientists are looking beyond land for solutions. New research suggests the ocean could play a much larger role than previously thought.
We are living in a golden age of species discovery
The search for life on Earth is speeding up, not slowing down. Scientists are now identifying more than 16,000 new species each year, revealing far more biodiversity than expected across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond. Many species remain undiscovered, especially insects and microbes, and future advances could unlock millions more. Each new find also opens doors to conservation and medical breakthroughs.
Why do crabs walk sideways? Scientists trace it back 200 million years
Scientists have uncovered new clues about how crabs developed their distinctive sideways movement. A new study, released as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, brings together the largest dataset yet on how crabs move.
Aggressive “hulk” lizards are wiping out millions of years of evolution
For ages, wall lizards coexisted in three distinct color types, each with its own strategy for survival. Now, a powerful green variant is taking over. These dominant “Hulk” lizards are outcompeting the others, causing yellow and orange morphs to vanish. It’s a dramatic reminder that evolution can flip the script much faster than expected.
Warming waters are supercharging an invasive salmon predator in Alaska
Rising temperatures in a Southcentral Alaska river are driving a noticeable change in the behavior of invasive northern pike. As the water warms, these predators are eating more, raising concerns about the future of native fish such as salmon.
“Baffling” new snake species in Myanmar looks like multiple species at once
Scientists have uncovered a fascinating new species of pit viper in Myanmar that seems to blur the very definition of what a species is.
Scientists just debunked a 50-year myth about Hawaii’s birds
A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is reshaping a decades-old belief about the disappearance of Hawaiʻi's native waterbirds. Researchers report that there is no scientific evidence showing Indigenous People hunted these species to extinction.
Gray whales are entering San Francisco Bay and many aren’t surviving
Gray whales are beginning to break their long-established migration patterns, venturing into risky new territory like San Francisco Bay as climate change disrupts their Arctic food supply. But this unexpected detour is proving deadly: nearly one in five whales that enter the Bay don’t survive, with many struck by ships in the crowded, foggy waters.
Freshwater fish populations plunge 81% as river migrations collapse
A sweeping global report finds that migratory freshwater fish are in steep decline, with populations down roughly 81% since 1970. These species depend on long, connected rivers, but dams and human pressures are cutting off their routes.
Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks
Beavers may play an unexpected role in tackling climate change by transforming rivers into effective carbon dioxide sinks, according to a new international study led by researchers at the University of Birmingham.
Scared of spiders? Scientists say the real nightmare is losing them
Members of the arachnid class -- think spiders, scorpions and harvestmen (daddy long legs) -- often trigger feelings of fear or disgust. Despite this reaction, these animals play an essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Extreme weather is hitting baby birds hard in a 60-year study
Decades of data from over 80,000 great tits reveal that extreme weather can shape the fate of baby birds. Cold snaps soon after hatching and heavy rain later in development shrink nestling body mass and reduce survival odds.
Scientists discover hedgehogs can hear ultrasound and it could save them from cars
Scientists at the University of Oxford say ultrasonic sound devices might one day help reduce the number of hedgehogs killed by cars. Their idea stems from new research published March 11 in Biology Letters showing for the first time that hedgehogs are capable of hearing high-frequency ultrasound.
Koalas survived a devastating population crash and their DNA is bouncing back
Koalas suffered a massive population decline that left them with dangerously low genetic diversity. However, new genomic research suggests their rapid rebound may be helping reverse some of that genetic damage.
Half of Amazon insects could face dangerous heat stress
A sweeping new study of more than 2,000 insect species reveals a troubling reality: many insects may be far less capable of coping with rising temperatures than scientists once hoped.
Humpback whale recovery is changing who fathers the calves
A new study shows that as humpback whale populations recover from past whaling, older males are gaining a major advantage in reproduction.
Wolves are stealing cougar kills in Yellowstone, study finds
A new study sheds light on the tense relationship between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park. Researchers found that many of their encounters begin when wolves take over prey that cougars have already killed.
Flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may be harming wildlife
A study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry by Oxford University Press reports that widely used flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may pose a serious threat to insects in the natural environment.
Microplastics have reached Antarctica’s only native insect
An international team led by researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has found that Antarctica's only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated places on Earth.
Yellowstone wolves may not have transformed the national park after all
A new scientific review challenges the headline-grabbing claim that Yellowstone’s returning wolves triggered one of the strongest trophic cascades on Earth.
Pumas are back in Patagonia and Penguins are paying the price
Pumas returning to Patagonia have begun hunting mainland penguins that evolved without land predators. Scientists estimate that more than 7,000 adult penguins were killed in just four years, many of them left uneaten.
Endangered sea turtles hear ship noise loud and clear
Kemp's ridley sea turtles rank among the most endangered sea turtle species on the planet. They live along the East Coast and Gulf Coast of North America, sharing these waters with some of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
Even remote Pacific fish are full of microplastics
A new scientific analysis finds that plastic pollution has reached even the most isolated Pacific coastal waters. According to the research, about one-third of fish living near Pacific Island Countries and Territories contain microplastics.
A hidden bat virus is infecting humans
Researchers studying infectious diseases have discovered Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV), a bat-borne virus, in stored throat swab samples and virus cultures from five patients in Bangladesh. These individuals were originally suspected of having Nipah virus infection but later tested negative.
Extreme heat is breaking honey bees’ natural cooling system
Honey bees can normally keep their hives perfectly climate-controlled, but extreme heat can overwhelm their defenses. During a scorching Arizona summer, researchers found that high temperatures caused damaging temperature fluctuations inside hives, leading to population declines.
Coral reefs could feed millions if we let them rebuild
The world is now home to about 8.3 billion people, and millions still do not have enough nutritious food. As concerns about food security grow, scientists are looking beyond land for solutions. New research suggests the ocean could play a much larger role than previously thought.
We are living in a golden age of species discovery
The search for life on Earth is speeding up, not slowing down. Scientists are now identifying more than 16,000 new species each year, revealing far more biodiversity than expected across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond. Many species remain undiscovered, especially insects and microbes, and future advances could unlock millions more. Each new find also opens doors to conservation and medical breakthroughs.
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