Animals

Animals

Volcanic sulfur may make barn owls grow redder feathers

Barn owls on volcanic islands tend to have redder plumage than those on nonvolcanic islands, possibly due to an influx of sulfur in the environment.

Animals

These transparent fish turn rainbow with white light. Now, we know why

Repeated structures in the ghost catfish’s muscles separate white light that passes through their bodies into different wavelengths.

Animals

Scientists have now recorded brain waves from freely moving octopuses

The data reveal some unexpected patterns, though it’s too early to know how octopus brains control the animals’ behavior, a new study finds.

Physics

Static electricity helps parasitic nematodes glom onto victims

The small electric charge generated by a moving insect is enough to affect the trajectory of a parasitic nematode’s leap so it lands right on its host.

Animals

A ‘fire wolf’ fish could expand what we know about one unusual deep-sea ecosystem

Unlike other known methane seeps, Jacó Scar is slightly warmer than the surrounding water and is a home for both cold-loving and heat-loving organisms.

Life

Honeybees waggle to communicate. But to do it well, they need dance lessons

Young honeybees can’t perfect waggling on their own after all. Without older sisters to practice with, youngsters fail to nail distances.

Neuroscience

Scientists have mapped an insect brain in greater detail than ever before

Researchers have built a nerve cell “connectivity map” of a larval fruit fly brain. It’s the most complex whole brain wiring diagram yet made.

Health & Medicine

Bird flu can jump to mammals. Should we worry?

Reports of bears and sea lions infected with H5N1 have sparked fears about the pandemic potential of bird flu. Experts are keeping a close eye on its spread.

Animals

What the first look at the genetics of Chernobyl’s dogs revealed

Dogs living in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant industrial area are genetically distinct from other dogs, but scientists don’t yet know if radiation is the reason.

Animals

The fastest claw in the sea belongs to young snapping shrimp

When juveniles snap their claws shut to create imploding bubbles, they create the fastest accelerating underwater movements of any reusable body part.

Life

Chemical signals from fungi tell bark beetles which trees to infest

As fungi break down defensive chemicals in trees, some byproducts act as signals to bark beetle pests, telling them which trees are most vulnerable.

Animals

Glassy eyes may help young crustaceans hide from predators in plain sight

Nanospheres in the eye reflect light that matches the color of the surrounding water, possibly making the animals invisible to nearby predators.