Biology
Explore biology, plants, fungi, insects and living systems through research, species profiles, natural adaptations and surprising life-science facts.
Articles & explainers
3,879 published items in this category and its subcategories.
People study ants to write algorithms
By viewing an ant colony as an intelligent system consisting of many individuals following simple rules, Belgian scientist Deneubourg was able to simulate them using alg…
Poor people in Nepal changed their lives by providing Japanese shrubs to make paper for printing money
A shrub growing on impoverished Nepalese hillsides is providing the raw materials to make banknotes used in Asia's most complex financial system.
NASA is worried about mutant bacteria in the Space Station spreading to Earth
Will Earth soon be invaded by a super drug-resistant mutant bacteria from the International Space Station (ISS), like in science fiction movies?
You may not know: Queen bumblebees can live underwater for a whole week
The study found that 81% of queens that were completely submerged in water survived after 7 days, then lived well for another 8 weeks in dry conditions.
Identifying the deadly link between oral bacteria and cancer
A study recently published in the scientific journal Nature points to a factor that promotes the progression of the world's second most deadly cancer.
Scientists discovered 'vampire' bacteria that thirst for human blood
American scientists have discovered a new vampire-like feature of some bacteria, which is to hunt and consume human blood.
More than 1,000 billion of these insects burrowed into the ground, causing America to fall into the biggest 'disaster' in 221 years.
Since 1803, this will be the first time insects of these two generations have appeared in America at the same time.
Many times after digging up diamonds, geologists discovered: Wherever there is this tree, there may be treasure
The natural world always hides interesting things. As we all know, plants usually grow on soil, sand or water, but, the plants below grow in areas with diamonds.
British company's bold idea: Turning chicken feathers into food
A company in the UK has launched a unique project that turns chicken feathers into edible protein, aiming to reduce waste from the poultry sector.
Successfully made shoes and leather wallets from... bacteria
British researchers have successfully genetically modified Komagataeibacter bacteria to create a type of skin
For the first time, Portuguese scientists created a 6-legged mouse
Scientists created a 6-legged mouse embryo, with an extra pair of hind legs instead of external genitalia.
Scientists decode the 'cry for help' response of plants to pathogens
Chinese researchers have revealed how plants assemble rhizosphere microorganisms through mechanisms
Planting trees in the wrong place will heat the planet
Trees absorb carbon dioxide, and restoring degraded forests or planting young trees to increase forest cover is a tool in the fight against climate change.
Humans transmit twice as many viruses to animals as we transmit from them!
These findings challenge our understanding of zoonotic diseases and highlight our indispensable role in the ecosystem's exchange of viruses.