Articles tagged with Natural History
Researchers tracked insect evolution with major Pacific Ocean currents, revealing species adapted to different conditions. Genetic analysis of ocean skaters found distinct variations among species, mirroring changes in currents and climate.
Research reveals nearly 20% of female White-necked Jacobin hummingbirds retain male-like plumage to avoid bullying and increase access to food. These birds visit feeders for about 35% longer than typical females, a significant advantage given their high metabolic rate.
A study found that 95% of fungal species on Earth remain undescribed, leading to inconsistent regulations and potential health risks. The researchers tested 16 food products labeled as containing 'wild mushrooms' and discovered most consisted of cultivated species, including poisonous varieties.
Researchers used CT scans to digitally reconstruct the brain, inner ear, and surrounding bones of two well-preserved Daspletosaurus specimens, finding more variation in braincase structure than expected. The study suggests that these variations may provide insights into the sensory biology and life of the dinosaur.
Three new fossil mammal species, including Beornus honeyi, Miniconus jeanninae, and Conacodon hettingeri, have been discovered at an ancient riverbed site in southern Wyoming. The species lived after a mass extinction event and were ancestors of today's hoofed animals.
A new study finds that male acorn woodpeckers breeding in polygamous groups with one or two other males sire significantly more chicks over their lifetimes than males breeding alone. In contrast, females in polygamous groups leave behind fewer offspring than those in monogamous pairs.
A recent study by Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute found that humans are responsible for the extinction of about 10%-20% of all avian species over the past 20,000-50,000 years. The majority of extinct species were large, flightless, and lived on islands.
A new beetle species, Pulchritudo attenboroughi, was identified in a fossil from the Green River Formation in Colorado, with its unique beauty and preserved patterns making it an exceptional find. The beetle was named after Sir David Attenborough, who inspired its discoverers.
Paleobotanists describe two new genera of ancient conifers based on beautifully preserved fossil seed cones from the Upper Cretaceous of Hokkaido, Japan. The discovery sheds light on the diversity and decline of cunninghamioid conifers during the Cretaceous period.
A new DNA study provides critical information on conserving rough-nosed horned lizards in Sri Lankan rainforests. The research found that the lizards are separated into four forest groups, which can inform guidelines for forest landscape restoration and habitat connectivity.
Researchers discovered a rare bird fossil with nearly complete skull, allowing them to compare ancient bird brains to living birds. The study suggests that complex brain structure may have played a key role in the survival of bird ancestors during the mass extinction event.
The project digitized over three million specimens collected by botanists and naturalists across the southeastern US over 200 years. The resulting database is now freely accessible online, providing valuable insights into ecosystems, species distribution, and the effects of climate change.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has developed a new planetarium software plug-in that enables users to teach beyond the stars by exploring biodiversity trends and patterns. The tool allows educators to leverage 1.6 billion specimen records, creating customized programs on biodiversity and conservation.
A new study from Yale University reveals that the shape of a dinosaur's inner ear can provide reliable signs about its behavior, including flying ability, movement, and parenting. The research found clusters of species with similar inner ear traits corresponding to their behaviors.
A new study resolves the horned crocodile's evolutionary relationships, placing it on a separate branch of the crocodile family tree. The research suggests that modern crocodiles likely originated in Africa, contradicting previous scientific thinking.
A new study verifies the age and origin of a 1.9 million-year-old Homo erectus skull fragment from East Turkana in Kenya. The researchers also found two new, nearly 2-million-year-old hominin specimens at the site, likely the earliest pieces of H. erectus skeleton yet discovered.
Researchers found two new species, Fossiomanus sinensis and Jueconodon cheni, with characteristics of scratch diggers in the Jehol Biota ecosystem. The animals independently evolved traits to support their digging lifestyle, including shorter limbs and strong forelimbs.
Two new species of 120-million-year-old, burrowing mammals are discovered in northeastern China with distinct characteristics. They share specialized digging features and an elongated vertebral column, shedding light on the evolution of fossorial life.
Researchers have discovered two new species of South American screech owls, the Xingu Screech Owl and the Alagoas Screech Owl, through a comprehensive study analyzing morphological, vocal, and genetic variation. The study also highlights the threat of deforestation to these species.
Researchers discover juvenile snailfish exhibiting bright green and red biofluorescence in Arctic habitats, a rare occurrence. The finding provides insight into the function of fluorescence in marine species, shedding light on its potential role in communication and mating behaviors.
A new study found that five strains of green algae consume live bacteria when hungry, but not dead ones. This behavior has large implications for the environmental study of green algae and may have been underestimated due to traditional methods used in research.
Researchers describe a critically endangered bat species, Myotis nimbaensis, with bright-orange fur, found in the Nimba Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot. The discovery highlights the importance of sub-Saharan sky islands to bat diversity and conservation efforts.
Researchers have found that physical specimens of suspected wildlife hosts were rarely preserved, limiting our ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors recommend adopting vouchering practices and collaborating with museums to archive host specimens.
Biodiversity collections preserve specimens and capture microorganism communities, providing genetic clues for disease origin and understanding. The number of deposited specimens has declined dramatically since the late 1990s due to lack of museum requirements and open-data model.
A new species of Laoennea microsnail was discovered in a cave in Laos, with the species being 1.80 mm tall and named after Louis Renouard. The discovery highlights the importance of exploring biodiversity before it disappears, particularly in underexplored caves.
Researchers have identified an invasive blood-sucking parasite on mud shrimp in British Columbia's Calvert Island, marking the northern-most record of its spread. The parasite, a bopyrid isopod, decimates mud shrimp populations and disrupts delicate ecosystems.
A new species of freshwater Crustacea, Phallocryptus fahimii, has been identified in the Lut desert in Iran. The discovery highlights the resilience of crustaceans to extreme environments. Found in a small seasonal lake, these animals are adapted to survive for decades in arid conditions.
A new study reveals that American mastodons took frequent trips north when the climate changed, with northern populations being less genetically diverse and more at risk of extinction. The research suggests that examining how different species responded to climate change can provide valuable insights for modern conservation efforts.
A new species of brittle star from the Cretaceous period has been identified as Ophiomitrella floorae, honoring Dutch metal vocalist Floor Jansen. The fossil was found in a shallow, warm sea that covered parts of present-day Netherlands during the Dinosaur Era.
Researchers have developed a new design method for highly compact deployable structures inspired by the folding of earwig wings. The method has potential applications across various fields, including engineering, architecture, and daily-use products.
A newly described species from Madagascar suggests that dinosaurs and pterosaurs originated from extremely small ancestors. The discovery sheds light on the origins of flight in pterosaurs and the presence of 'fuzz' on the skin of both groups.
UCF professor Maria Harrington receives a grant from Epic Games to develop cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology. The project aims to create photorealistic models of botanical gardens and university arboretums, providing users with detailed information about plants and ecosystems.
Researchers at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County discovered that female phorid flies feed on crushed invasive snails, a behavior previously only observed in social insects like ants. The study found that species of other snail genera failed to attract the flies, hinting at a peculiar interaction worth further study.
Researchers analyzed 98 historic specimens to find that different plumage patches evolved independently through time, with face and head patches evolving for mate recognition and back and wing patches for camouflage. This 'mosaic evolution' explains the lorikeets' dazzling color diversity while avoiding predators.
A study published in PLOS ONE reveals the ancient hydrographic network of the Sahara, showing significant changes in climate and fauna over time. The Takarkori rock shelter, excavated by researchers, yielded fish remains that decreased in abundance as the region became more arid, replaced by mammal-heavy diet.
The Swedish Malaise Trap Project has documented 20 million insects collected over 15 years, providing a unique timestamp of the country's insect fauna. The project has identified over 1,300 new species and 87 previously unknown to science.
Two brown dwarfs, one about 34 times the mass of Jupiter and the other about 72 times the mass, are found to be linked despite being 341 astronomical units apart. The discovery confirms that brown dwarf systems can be very low-mass and extremely far apart yet connected.
Scientists have identified wildlife corridors that should be protected to help the jaguar's survival. The study found that conservation efforts can focus on the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Maya Forest Corridor.
A team of biologists discovered a group of annelid worms that have remained largely unchanged for 275 million years, despite their distinct genetic makeup. The Stygocapitella worms' slow evolution is attributed to their adaptation to stable environments, with changes potentially linked to population crashes or developmental constraints.
A new study suggests people have been eating only oysters in months with the letter 'r' - September to April - for at least 4,000 years. Researchers analyzed snail parasites on discarded shells to determine the seasonal pattern of oyster harvesting.
A new study suggests that researchers might be able to detect black hole mergers by observing the effect of their merger on a nearby gas disk. If successful, this would allow astronomers to pinpoint the cosmic location of these events and study them in greater detail.
A global ant expert has discovered a new, native species in his Utah backyard, which is likely adapted to the region's warm and moist habitats. The species, Strumigenys ananeotes, was found in areas with over 150 years of irrigation and introduced forest.
A new study on a well-preserved femur fossil suggests that apes, humans, and Old World monkeys developed distinct hip joint morphologies, likely adapted to their respective environments. The findings imply that navigating the environment played a key role in driving the divergence of these primates.
Scientists have discovered a new species of praying mantis that conspicuously mimics a wasp, offering insights into the evolutionary biology and defense mechanisms of this unique behavior. The newly described Vespamantoida wherleyi joins one previously known species within the newly erected genus Vespamantoida.
A study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution reveals that the Icelandic walrus went extinct shortly after Norse settlement around 870 AD, likely due to commercial hunting and ivory trade. The research used ancient DNA analyses and C14-dating to demonstrate the existence of a unique population of Icelandic walruses.
Researchers found sex biases in fossil and museum collections of mammals, with approximately 75% male bison specimens and 64% male bear specimens identified. The study suggests that larger male ranges may increase their fossilization potential, potentially leading to biased scientific analyses.
Researchers uncover remarkably complete cranium of Australopithecus anamensis, a 3.8-million-year-old early human ancestor. The discovery contradicts long-held notions of human evolution, revealing that Lucy's species and its ancestor coexisted for at least 100,000 years.
Scientists removed nearly 200 invasive red-eared sliders from a UC Davis Arboretum waterway to observe the impact on native western pond turtles. The study found that without competition, native turtles gain significant weight and improve health.
A new study on a 20-million-year-old fossil from South America reveals that the brain evolved repeatedly and independently in monkeys, with some early members having more complex brains than previously thought. The research also sheds light on the visual-olfactory trade-off in primate evolution.
A new species of giant penguin, Crossvallia waiparensis, has been identified from fossils found in Waipara, North Canterbury. The discovery adds to the list of gigantic, but extinct, New Zealand fauna and reveals a close Antarctic relative.
Goliath frogs create three types of ponds to safeguard their eggs and tadpoles from predators. Researchers observed the frogs' laborious pond-building efforts, which may explain why they evolved to be giant.
Researchers used parasitic bat flies to study buffy flower bat populations in the Bahamas, finding a single population of bats but two populations of their flies. The study suggests that ocean channels may not be universal barriers for bats, with limited gene flow over two years.
Eteplirsen shows supportive results in delaying respiratory decline in DMD patients, with slower rates of decline observed in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients. This may have notable positive implications on quality of life and potentially delayed mortality.
Researchers built a phylogenetic tree based on DNA from newly collected anemone specimens to fill gaps in the origin of these species. They found that as a group, anemones independently evolved the ability to host clownfish three times throughout history, with two groups originating in the Tethys Sea.
Researchers found zebras' black and white stripes create a temperature difference that increases as the day heats up. The strips aid in heat loss through evaporation and convection currents.
A recent study has found that mites and ticks belong to the same evolutionary lineage, with over 42,000 mite species and 12,000 tick species described. This discovery expands our understanding of arthropod biodiversity and highlights the importance of genomic data in clarifying long-standing debates.
A new species of extinct sea cucumber named Sollasina cthulhu has been discovered, revealing a monstrous relative of modern sea cucumbers with long tentacles and an inner ring-like form. The fossil, 430 million years old, provides crucial information on the evolution of soft-bodied creatures.
Researchers have uncovered three new species and subspecies of ancient mammals that once roamed the Cayman Islands. These mammals, including large rodents and a shrew-like creature, are believed to have gone extinct due to human arrival and introduced species.
A new study led by UCL and NHM found that bird skull shape is more influenced by shared ancestry and behavior than diet. Researchers tested 352 bird species, representing 159 out of 195 existing families, and discovered that birds who eat nectar or seeds exhibit the highest rate of cranial evolution.
The Harvard Museum of Natural History announces a new Climate Change exhibit featuring multimedia displays, interactive stations, and real-time ocean monitoring data. The exhibit aims to educate visitors about the global impacts of climate change and provide solutions for reducing fossil fuel emissions.