New Robot Crawls Like a Sea Turtle
Researchers have designed a robot that crawls like a sea turtle which could help inspire future multi-terrain robots that would also be able to swim and walk. The new robot, dubbed “Flipperbot,” was designed to allow scientists to learn more about the locomotion of animals such as seals, sea turtles and mudskippers. Its creators, from […]
Rats Communicate Brain to Brain
The old proverb, “two heads are better than one,” was put to the test recently when researchers electronically linked the brains of two rats, prompting the animals to work together to accomplish a common goal. The researchers fitted each rat with a device that allowed one rat to send brain waves to the other, even […]
Flower Signals Electrify Nectar-Seeking Bees
Like a neon sign designed to attract customers, flowers emit electrical signals which help draw bees on the hunt for nectar. While factors such as bright colors, patterns and tempting fragrances play a role in helping bees with their nectar-gathering duties, a study in Science Express reveals electrical signals from the blooms also help bees […]
When Domesticated Cats Turn Deadly
Most people view cats as harmless pets, but for birds and small mammals, the domesticated feline can be a deadly killer. A new study in Nature Communications finds bird and mammal mortality caused by outdoor cats is much higher than has been previously reported. Annual bird deaths in the United States are now estimated to […]
NIH Urged to Retire Lab Chimps
An advisory group has called on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to retire most of the nearly 700 chimps it owns or supports. NIH’s Council of Councils also recommended the medical research agency drastically cut back on the various medical studies involving the use of chimpanzees, while making certain those chimps that are still being studied are kept in […]
New Species of World’s Only Venomous Primate Found
An endangered lemur-like primate with two tongues and a toxic bite has more branches on its family tree than originally thought. Writing in the American Journal of Primatology, Missouri researchers say they’ve identified three new species of the slow loris – the only venomous primate in the world – living on the Indonesian island of […]
New Microbes May Hold Clues To Extraterrestrial Life
Scientists say they have found ancient microbial life in dark and very salty water some 20 meters below the surface of a frozen and isolated Antarctic lake. The finding could provide scientists with insight into how life could possibly exist in the most extreme environments on Earth as well as elsewhere throughout the cosmos. In […]
Science Images of the Week
Coral Sounds Alarm When Threatened
Coral reefs provide one of the world’s most vital ecosystems and some of these reefs are in danger of being destroyed. While people are to blame for much of the destruction, nature also plays a role. Encroaching species of seaweed with poisonous compounds on their surfaces are one of nature’s threats. The toxic seaweed begins […]
Antibiotics Might Contribute to Bee Die-Off
A new study finds prolonged antibiotic use by beekeepers might play a role in the mysterious drop in honey bee populations in the United States. Yale researchers found genetic evidence that helpful bacteria, which normally live the bellies of honeybees, have become highly resistant to the antibiotic tetracycline, possibly weakening the bees’ ability to fight […]