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Herbivores, not predators, most at risk of extinction
Aug 5, 2020 | 21:09 pmOne million years ago, the extinction of large-bodied plant-eaters changed the trajectory of life on Earth. The disappearance of these large herbivores reshaped plant life, altered fire regimes across Earth's landscapes, and modified biogeochemical cycling in such a way that[…]
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Land use changes may increase disease outbreak risks
Aug 5, 2020 | 17:40 pmGlobal changes in land use are disrupting the balance of wild animal communities in our environment, and species that carry diseases known to infect humans appear to be benefiting, finds a new study.
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Dinosaur relative's genome linked to mammals: Curious genome of ancient reptile
Aug 5, 2020 | 17:40 pmBiologists have sequenced the genome of the tuatara, a lizard-like creature that lives on the islands of New Zealand.
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Strong relationships in adulthood won't 'fix' effects of early childhood adversity
Aug 3, 2020 | 23:41 pmHarsh conditions in early life are a fundamental cause of adult stress, and according to new research on wild baboons, this effect is not explained by a lack of social support in adulthood.
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Malignant cancer diagnosed in a dinosaur for the first time
Aug 3, 2020 | 23:41 pmNew research has led to the discovery and diagnosis of an aggressive malignant bone cancer -- an osteosarcoma -- for the first time ever in a dinosaur. No malignant cancers (tumous that can spread throughout the body and have severe[…]
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Monkeying around: Study finds older primates father far fewer babies
Aug 3, 2020 | 21:04 pmOlder male rhesus monkeys sire fewer offspring, even though they appear to be mating as much as younger monkeys with similarly high social status. Sperm quality or quantity, or the survival of infants, may decline with the age of the[…]
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Oriole bird hybridization is a dead end
Aug 3, 2020 | 17:02 pmA half-century of controversy over two popular bird species may have finally come to an end. In one corner: the Bullock's Oriole, found in the western half of North America. In the other corner: the Baltimore Oriole, breeding in the[…]
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Dingoes have gotten bigger over the last 80 years, and pesticides might be to blame
Aug 3, 2020 | 15:52 pmThe average size of a dingo is increasing, but only in areas where poison-baits are used.
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New studies show how to save parasites and why it's important
Aug 1, 2020 | 20:41 pmAn international group of scientists have laid out an ambitious global conservation plan for parasites. Another group of researchers found that the responses of parasites to environmental change are likely to be complex, and that a changing world probably will[…]
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To distinguish contexts, animals think probabilistically, study suggests
Jul 31, 2020 | 20:27 pmA new statistical model may help scientists understand how animals make inferences about whether their surroundings are novel or haven't changed enough to be regarded a new context.
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