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Plants & Animals news
Evolutionary biologists show that the color variants of female cuckoos are based on ancient mutations
Every cuckoo is an adopted child—raised by foster parents, into whose nest the cuckoo mother smuggled her egg. The cuckoo mother is aided in this subterfuge by her resemblance to a bird of prey. There are two variants of ...
Plants & Animals
1 hour ago
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Most bees don't die after stinging—and other surprising bee facts
Most of us have been stung by a bee and we know it's not much fun. But maybe we also felt a tinge of regret, or vindication, knowing the offending bee will die. Right? Well, for 99.96% of bee species, that's not actually ...
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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International study produces a comprehensive 'tree of life' for flowering plants
With their own botanical collection material and their research knowledge on the evolution of cruciferous plants (plants of the cabbage family), bioscientists at Heidelberg University have contributed to a large-scale international ...
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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How evolution has optimized the magnetic sensor in birds
Migratory birds are able to navigate and orientate with astonishing accuracy using various mechanisms, including a magnetic compass. A team led by biologists Dr. Corinna Langebrake and Prof. Dr. Miriam Liedvogel from the ...
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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Plan to kill Catalina Island deer using sharpshooters in copters is opposed by LA County
A plan to kill all the mule deer on Catalina Island using aerial sharpshooters from helicopters was strongly opposed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on April 23.
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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Study suggests squirrels benefit late in life from a food boom that negates early-life adversity
If a person has a high-quality, late-life environment, it can mitigate the negative impact caused by early-life stressors, a new study suggests. Researchers determined this human outcome after analyzing data from more than ...
Plants & Animals
2 hours ago
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Enhanced CRISPR method enables stable insertion of large genes into the DNA of higher plants
Scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) have succeeded for the first time in stably and precisely inserting large gene segments into the DNA of higher plants very efficiently. To do this, they optimized ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Reintroduced gray wolf found dead in Larimer County, Colorado
One of 10 gray wolves reintroduced to Colorado in December was found dead in Larimer County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed.
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Steelhead trout, once thriving in Southern California, are declared endangered
Southern California's rivers and creeks once teemed with large, silvery fish that arrived from the ocean and swam upstream to spawn. But today, these fish are seldom seen.
Plants & Animals
4 hours ago
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Vast DNA tree of life for plants revealed by global science team using 1.8 billion letters of genetic code
A new paper published today (April 24) in the journal Nature by an international team of 279 scientists led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew presents the most up-to-date understanding of the flowering plant tree of life.
Plants & Animals
4 hours ago
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Squids' birthday influences mating: Male spear squids shown to become 'sneakers' or 'consorts' depending on birth date
The day a male spear squid hatches determines which mating tactic he will use throughout his life, according to new research. Spear squid (Heterololigo bleekeri) that hatch earlier in the season become "consorts" that fight ...
Plants & Animals
20 hours ago
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Investigating the efficacy of methods to stimulate adventitious rooting of Lindera benzoin stem cuttings
The variability among woody plants in their responses to asexual propagation techniques poses challenges and severe limits for commercial production. While some species readily root from stem cuttings, others are more difficult ...
Plants & Animals
22 hours ago
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Early analysis finds eclipse had noticeable effect on birds
Early results from a study of the April 8 total solar eclipse show a more noticeable effect on bird behavior than during the last eclipse.
Plants & Animals
23 hours ago
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Fruit fly pest meets its evolutionary match in parasitic wasp
A parasitic wasp that preys on the young of a prolific fruit fly pest demonstrates both molecular evolution and behavioral adaptations in the face of ecological pressures, according to new research.
Plants & Animals
Apr 23, 2024
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Unveiling the molecular functions of lipid droplet proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves
Lipids are biomolecules essential for the proper functioning of the living cell. They are found in the cell membranes and are also integral components of cell signaling pathways. Plant cells possess subcellular structures ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 23, 2024
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Gone in a puff of smoke: 52,000 square kilometers of 'long unburnt' Australian habitat has vanished in 40 years
Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbor vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these "long unburnt" habitats can be eliminated by a single blaze.
Plants & Animals
Apr 23, 2024
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Study sheds new light on cross-species virus spillovers that can cause pandemics
A study led by the University of Stirling jointly with the University of Wisconsin-Madison has shed new light on cross-species virus spillovers that can cause pandemics.
Plants & Animals
Apr 23, 2024
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Advances in understanding the evolution of stomach loss in agastric fishes
Living beings can evolve to lose biological structures due to potential survival benefits from such losses. For example, certain groups of ray-finned fishes show such regressive evolution—medakas, minnows, puffera, and ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 23, 2024
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Backyards, urban parks support bird diversity in unique ways
Researchers tracked bird diversity in public parks and private backyards in twin cities in Illinois with significantly different development histories and green space management practices. They found that birds rely on both ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 22, 2024
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Mitochondrial DNA copy number contributes to growth diversity in allopolyploid fish
Understanding the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and animal growth could provide valuable information for selective breeding in aquaculture. However, the complex interactions between genetics and environmental ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 22, 2024
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