Articles tagged with Animal Science
Scientists at Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics create tiny laser-scanning microscope images brain cells in awake and moving animals, eliminating the need for electrodes. This breakthrough allows researchers to study how the brain generates an internal representation of the outside world.
A study on Stegodyphus tentoriicola spiders reveals that relatedness fosters better group dynamics and more efficient food foraging. This cooperative behavior helps maintain harmony in larger groups, countering the 'tragedy of the commons' phenomenon.
A research team has found the first evolutionary branching for bilateral animals, resolving a long-standing debate about a group of ancient flatworms called Acoelomorpha. The study reveals that Acoelomorpha is a sister clade to other bilateral animals, providing key insights into the most recent common ancestor.
Researchers have named a new species of chimaera, an ancient group of fishes distantly related to sharks, from the coast of Southern California and Baja California. The Eastern Pacific black ghostshark (Hydrolagus melanophasma) is known from nine preserved museum specimens and video footage taken of it alive in deep water.
Researchers found geckos' severed tails exhibit complex movement patterns to distract predators, potentially leading to new insights into spinal injury recovery. The study's findings suggest central pattern generators can function without a brain or nervous system.
The US National Academy of Sciences received the 2009 CAAT Recognition Award for its visionary publication on toxicology testing. The report advocates a new approach that relies less on animal studies and focuses on in vitro methods to evaluate chemicals' effects.
Dr. Paul Flecknell, a renowned expert in laboratory animal pain management, has been recognized with the 2009 Charles River Laboratories' Excellence in Refinement Award. His work focuses on developing methods of pain assessment and alleviation for various species.
A team of researchers, led by University of Alberta biologist David Coltman, have been studying the personalities of bighorn mountain sheep. They found that bold individuals tend to have shorter lifespans, while those with more submissive personalities are more likely to produce multiple offspring.
Researchers discovered seven new species of swimming worms in the deep sea, including 'green bombers' that release bioluminescent displays for defense. The discovery sheds light on evolutionary adaptations and challenges faced by these unique organisms.
New research reveals that young muskoxen are not thermally stressed more than adults in extreme cold. The study found that calves and adults sacrifice only a small percentage of their daily energy intake to heat loss during foraging bouts.
A team of researchers will survey Kasatochi Island to monitor its recovery from the 2008 volcanic eruption. The interdisciplinary research focuses on the island's ecosystem development, with an emphasis on insect and bird species.
Researchers studied orangutan movement to understand how they adapt to challenging environments. Orangutans move with an irregular rhythm, allowing them to cope with tree vibrations and forage safely.
Scientists have developed computer models explaining polymorphism in animal populations, where individuals can display multiple distinct forms. The research suggests that a modest level of predator dietary wariness is sufficient to maintain large numbers of prey forms within a single species.
Researchers discovered that neon blue-tailed tree lizards can glide through the air with ease, thanks to their lightweight bodies. The team found that the lizard's low weight allowed it to generate lift and stay airborne for longer periods, similar to gliding geckos.
Researchers analyze dental wear of herbivorous animals hunted by Homo heidelbergensis to determine vegetation and way of life. The study confirms differing mobility patterns among hominid groups, with some sites showing high and low occupation periods.
Research by Dr Teresa Valencak reveals that Brown hares regulate energy expenditure to maintain reproductive success, preventing excessive investment in offspring. This active control allows females to balance growth and body repairs with energy demands for reproduction.
A new study by George Mason University researchers challenges the long-held notion that dinosaurs were massive creatures. They found that using a flawed statistical model led to overestimations of dinosaur weight, revealing some species may have been smaller than initially thought.
Researchers found distinct brain structure differences between queens and workers of eight New World social wasp species, linked to their respective social roles. Brain regions responded to specific challenges, such as vision and chemical communication, revealing the importance of environment in shaping brain architecture.
A Cornell University study found that dairy farming has decreased its environmental impact over the past 60 years, with a 41% reduction in total carbon footprint. This is due to improved efficiency and management practices.
A UBC paleontologist has solved the enigma of a massive bonebed in southern California by proposing that it formed over a 700,000 year time-span approximately 15 million years ago. The team found only five shark bite specimens out of over 3,000 bones and teeth analyzed, supporting the deposit-over-time theory.
New research shows bees extend hind legs for stability in windy conditions, increasing drag and aerodynamic power by 30%. This behavior is likely seen across Hymenoptera, affecting many flying insects.
A study published in Northwest Science has verified the origins of a California wolverine through genetic analysis. The animal, photographed in 2008, is most closely related to Rocky Mountain populations and shares unique genetic characteristics with other North American wolverines.
Researchers at Duke University unify biological and geophysical principles of nature's design using the constructal law, which predicts flow systems' evolution to balance imperfections. This new perspective offers a powerful tool for understanding variation in both animate and inanimate nature.
Scientists created a mathematical model to study cooperative groups of animals, known as superorganisms, which evolve through two scenarios: closely related individuals or policing-based control. This finding suggests that some animal groups can behave like united organisms.
The USA-NPN is launching a new national program to track the effects of climate change on seasonal changes in plant and animal behavior. Scientists will use volunteer observations to monitor life cycles of nearly 200 species of plants, predicting wildfires, pollen production, droughts and assessing ecosystem vulnerability.
Researchers discovered that the locust brain encodes turbulent plumes of odor molecules using surprisingly little neural machinery. The findings suggest a new theory on how animals smell, proposing that individual neurons preserve almost full information about precise temporal dynamics of odors.
Researchers found that males' mating organs with barbs cause severe injuries to females, but also increase fertilization success rates, outcompeting males with shorter barbs
A database detailing life history traits of over 4,000 animal species has been developed for studying ageing, evolution, and conservation. The AnAge resource provides insights into the mechanisms of ageing and how environmental adaptations influence lifespan, with potential applications in conservation efforts.
New DNA and hormone sampling techniques have provided unprecedented information about baboons' social behavior, revealing grief, paternal care, and complex kin relationships. Researchers found that male baboons provide parental care, while females form friendships with both maternal and paternal siblings.
Researchers found that tree-dwelling lizards have a unique escape mechanism: dropping their tails to distract predators. Without their tails, the lizards tumble backwards uncontrollably, suggesting a significant ecological cost for this life-saving adaptation.
Researchers found that monkeys devised a near-optimal strategy by balancing sensory information and prior expectations regarding rewards. The monkeys' harvesting efficiency fell within 1-2% of the theoretical maximum, revealing impressive decision-making ability.
The 2009 AAAS/Subaru Science Books & Film competition honored 10 authors, one illustrator, and seven books that explore sibling relationships, global climate change, and neuroscience. The prizes aim to foster scientific literacy in children and young adults by recognizing good science writing and illustration.
A Yale University study found that the biological costs of changing sexes are rarely sufficient to disfavor sex change, suggesting a possible explanation for its rarity among animals. Researchers built theoretical models and tested them using game theory, showing that only huge costs can disfavor sex change.
A comprehensive analysis confirms that Placozoans are the most primitive non-bilateral animals, with a genome that shares key tools for nervous system development. This challenges traditional views of animal evolution, placing Placozoans as the closest living surrogate to the ancestor of all animals.
A study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology found that animal species sleeping for longer periods have reduced parasite infestation and increased immune cells. This suggests that sleep plays an important role in protecting animals from parasitic infections.
Researchers at McGill University discovered that clioquinol reverses Alzheimer's disease progression and may slow down the aging process by inhibiting CLK-1. The study suggests a potential new answer to the mechanisms behind three unrelated neurodegenerative disorders.
Marine biologists propose that animals learn the unique magnetic signature of their home area early in life and retain it to navigate back to their birthplace for reproduction. The theory suggests that magnetic imprinting helps animals distinguish their home location from others, allowing them to return years later.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have documented early separate-sex evolution in a wild strawberry species still transitioning from hermaphroditism. This finding provides evidence for the theory that males and females developed from hermaphroditic ancestors, with plants serving as models for understanding early evolution.
Scientists discovered giant deep-sea single-celled organisms leaving complex tracks on the ocean floor near the Bahamas. The finding questions the fossil record and suggests that single-celled protists may have been the precursors to bilateral symmetry in animals.
A team of scientists discovered that novel genes are responsible for morphological differences between two closely related species of freshwater polyps called Hydra. The study found that a secreted protein encoded by one such gene controls the pattern in which the tentacles develop, leading to species-specific traits.
A new model demonstrates that functional hierarchy in the brain is linked to both time and space, contradicting previous literature. The study uses humanoid robots to show how neural activity can self-organize through multiple timescales, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of neural systems.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center found that an individual's underlying odor signature persists regardless of diet, providing a potential method for identifying individuals. This discovery could lead to the development of electronic sensors for early disease detection and diagnosis.
Researchers have discovered a crucial mechanism behind the formation of sea urchin spicules, which can inform the development of new superhard materials and microelectronics. The study reveals how amorphous calcium carbonate transforms into calcite through an unusual process involving crystallinity propagation.
A comprehensive assessment of the world's 5,487 wild mammal species reveals that one in four is threatened with extinction. The study, led by the IUCN, utilizes the Field Museum's extensive collection to track population trends and habitat destruction.
The sandfish lizard's unique movement pattern through sand, characterized by a fixed leg motion at 3 Hz frequency, has been studied using MRI scans. This efficient locomotion allows the animal to move quickly and with minimal energy, inspiring new technological approaches for handling granular materials.
A billion-year-old history of microRNAs has been discovered in ancient animal lineages, including sponges and starlet sea anemones. This finding suggests that these tiny molecules have evolved rapidly across various species, potentially playing a key role in the emergence of multicellular life.
Researchers found that beta-catenin plays a crucial role in solidifying fear memories in the brains of adult animals. The protein acts like a Velcro strap, fastening cells' internal skeletons to proteins on their external membranes.
The Trichoplax genome sequence provides a 'Rosetta Stone' for understanding the origins of animal-specific pathways. It shares over 80% of its genes with humans and defines Trichoplax as a branching point of animal evolution.
A new study suggests that grazing animals in the Arctic can reduce the expected expansion of shrub growth, which would otherwise help mitigate climate change by absorbing more carbon dioxide. The researchers found that muskoxen and caribou reduced shrub growth by 19-46% in plots with increased temperatures.
The Leptotyphlops carlae is the world's smallest known snake species, with adults measuring just under four inches in length. This tiny threadsnake was discovered by Blair Hedges in a forest fragment on Barbados and is believed to be rare due to habitat destruction.
Researchers discovered that mammalian clock proteins respond directly to light, similar to plant cryptochromes. In humans and animals, this response affects circadian rhythms differently than in mice, where missing cryptochromes lead to complete loss of rhythm behaviors.
A new microfluidic device developed by Georgia Tech engineers can automatically position, image, determine the phenotype of and sort small animals such as Caenorhabditis elegans for genetic studies. The device achieves high accuracy at a rate of several hundred animals per hour, greatly reducing processing time and increasing throughput.
Paleontologists have discovered fossilized burrows of tetrapods in Antarctica, dating back to the Early Triassic epoch. The burrows were created when sand poured into animal dens and hardened, preserving track marks and scratch marks from the animals' initial excavation.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the structure of plutonium nanoclusters, which are responsible for contaminating groundwater. The clusters, made up of 38 plutonium atoms, can spread contamination further than expected and are difficult to remove.
Researchers and volunteers have intensified the search for wolverine evidence in the Tahoe National Forest after a recent photograph was captured. Genetic analysis of scat and hair samples is underway to determine the animal's origin and sex, with potential implications for conservation efforts.
A MU study found that salamanders and frogs evacuated clearcut areas more often than entered, suggesting a behavioral response to habitat changes. This response could improve the chances of amphibian survival in forestry practices.
A new study reveals that some snakes have evolved super-resistance to the toxic newt's poison, rendering it ineffective. This rare exception highlights a previously unknown aspect of co-evolutionary arms races and challenges our understanding of species interactions.
A photograph taken by a wildlife biology student in 2008 may depict a California wolverine, sparking further analysis and investigation. The animal's presence has not been confirmed since the 1920s, but forest service scientists believe it is a rare sighting.
A Brown-led study uses genomics tools to reorganize the animal phylogenomic research project, clarifying relationships between major groups and offering surprises. Comb jellyfish diverged from other animals even before sponges, questioning the root of the animal tree.
Researchers argue that autistic savants' exceptional skills come at a cost in other aspects of processing, while animals process sensory inputs according to rules. This shared processing method is thought to be a specialized feature of the left hemisphere, common to both humans and nonhuman animals.