18 July 2023
The placenta is an incredible organ that we grow for a short period of time, yet it has a surprising long-term influence on our health. Researchers are now developing tools to spot placenta problems and improve the lives of future babies
7 July 2023
Due to fierce competition for mates, male spider mites guard juvenile females and forcibly remove their skin as they near adulthood so they can secure the first mating
3 July 2023
A genetic analysis of thousands of Atlantic cod has revealed they all belong to one of five distinctive groups, suggesting they aren't interbreeding and belong to different species
5 June 2023
Biologists are finally beginning to corral molecules, cells and whole organisms to carry out complex computations. These living processors could find use in everything from smart materials to new kinds of artificial intelligence
18 May 2023
Animals fleeing predators can take advantage of the "human shield effect" where they seek refuge in human-dominated spaces – but for bobcats and coyotes in Washington state, conflict with humans is three times as likely to lead to death
10 May 2023
To explain how life on Earth began, the big challenge is to identify the molecules and processes that enable non-living chemical systems to become more complex
3 May 2023
Domestic cats are a paradox, argues biologist Jonathan B. Losos in a book that delves into their origins and the emerging science of feline behaviour
19 April 2023
Some carnivorous plants seem to tailor the cocktail of scents they emit to the prey they want to attract, which shows that their smell plays a key role in luring insects and other creatures
11 April 2023
Elastic tendons let seahorses suck in water around eight times faster than they could using muscle power alone
5 April 2023
Researchers filmed a dwarf reed snake doing an armless cartwheel to escape from danger by repeatedly launching its body forward in a coil
