Life
- Life
These fish have truly flashing eyes
A reef fish can send flashes of light from its eyes. This trick might help the fish track its prey.
- Animals
Nature shows how dragons might breathe fire
Fire-breathing dragons can’t live anywhere outside of a book or TV. But nature provides some guidance as to how they might get their flames. If they existed, anyway.
- Life
Scientists Say: Kelp
Kelp is a kind of seaweed that forms huge forests under the ocean. But it isn’t a plant; it’s a type of algae.
- Animals
Can anything stop the big pig invasion?
Millions of wild pigs roam North America, causing billions of dollars in damage every year. Scientists are looking for new ways to stop the swine.
- Environment
Light at night lengthens how long birds can spread West Nile virus
Light at night prolongs the time it takes these birds to knock out a West Nile infection. Mosquitoes that bite them during this time can pick up and spread their virus to others — even people.
- Animals
The secrets of super-slurper bat tongues
Tiny hair-like structures greatly boost the ability of some bats to slurp up nectar from flowers.
- Animals
Compared to other primates, humans get little sleep
Short bouts of a sleep, called REM, separate humans from other primates, scientists find. Sleeping on the ground may have a lot to do with it.
- Psychology
Bullying alters ‘bugs’ in the gut, hamster data show
A new study found that the microbes in a hamster’s gut changed in response to social stress.
- Animals
Living Mysteries: Meet Earth’s simplest animal
Trichoplax is the simplest animal on Earth. It has no mouth, stomach or brain. Yet it can teach how these and other organs evolved.
- Climate
Analyze This: Climate change could make food less healthy
Levels of important nutrients are lower in crops exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. How high? Try levels expected to be typical 30 years from now.
- Health & Medicine
E-cigarettes don’t need nicotine to be toxic
E-cigarettes without nicotine can still be toxic. New studies find the flavorings in e-cigarettes can harm cells of the human immune system.
- Brain
Explainer: What are opioids?
Opioid drugs can kill pain, but they can also kill people. Here’s how.
