5 May 2021
Looking for signs of life in exoplanet atmospheres is fraught with uncertainty. But now that we can detect polarised light reflected directly off other worlds, we could spot unmistakable evidence of photosynthesis
5 May 2021
Platypuses glow in UV light, produce venom and lay eggs. Yet despite their oddities, their newly sequenced genome illuminates the evolution of mammals
5 May 2021
This amazing shot of an elusive Siberian flying squirrel as it body slams a rival in its Hokkaido habitat during mating season was taken by photographer Tony Wu
5 May 2021
There are many methane-producing microbes that live under glaciers and we still have much to learn about their climate impact, says Jemma Wadham
4 May 2021
Saccharomycodes ludwigii is a sexually reproducing species, but it doesn’t mix up its genes before it mates – which means offspring end up being almost identical to the parents
29 April 2021
In North America, mice in both New York and Alberta are larger than their southern cousins and make large nests that insulate against colder northern winters
29 April 2021
Female black widow spiders often mate with and eat only one male – but in one species the female will mate again, meaning males die even though they may not father offspring
28 April 2021
Multicellular organisms were developing bodies with different kinds of cell much earlier than thought – a key step towards animals with complex bodies and multiple organs
28 April 2021
Broadcasting sound at oncoming birds can alert them to buildings or wind turbines, making them take a wider path around the structure and lowering their risk of collision
28 April 2021
Pumpkin toadlets are poisonous frogs small enough to fit on a thumbnail, and researchers have uncovered a new species of these neon orange amphibians in Brazil
