What color were fossil animals?
Scientists have evaluated fossil color reconstruction methods and proposed a new study framework that improves and expands current practice.
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Scientists track frog-killing fungus to help curb its spread
With the help of advanced genetic testing and hundreds of frog skin swabs, an international team of researchers has created the most complete map to date of when and where different genetic variants of the frog-killing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis have infected frog populations around the world. The investigation also uncovered a whole new genetic lineage of the fungus, one that appears to have originated in Asia and may be the oldest variant yet discovered.
Read moreCats are securely bonded to their people, too
Cats have a reputation for being aloof and independent. But a study of the way domestic cats respond to their caregivers suggests that their socio-cognitive abilities and the depth of their human attachments have been underestimated. The findings show that, much like children and dogs, pet cats form secure and insecure bonds with their human caretakers.
Read moreOverweight Danes are more likely to have overweight dogs
A new study reports that the prevalence of overweight dogs is markedly larger among overweight owners than among normal weight owners. Part of the explanation lies in whether treats are used as training tools or ''hygge-snacks''.
Read moreGreen light given to fruit fly's color preference
Researchers have made two unexpected discoveries. First, they found that, given a choice, fruit flies are drawn to green light early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when they are most active, and to red, or dim light, in midday, when like many humans, they slow down to eat and perhaps take a siesta.
Read moreNew tool improves beekeepers' overwintering odds and bottom line
A new tool can predict the odds that honey bee colonies overwintered in cold storage will be large enough to rent for almond pollination in February. Identifying which colonies will not be worth spending dollars to overwinter can improve beekeepers' bottom line.
Read moreFruit flies' microbiomes shape their evolution
In just five generations, an altered microbiome can lead to genome-wide evolution in fruit flies, according to new research.
Read moreNot the hairstyle, but the content: Hair indicates whether wild animals were 'stressed'
Scientists have now demonstrated that the 'stress' hormone cortisol is deposited in hair of wild mongooses in Portugal and determined baselines for cortisol in these carnivores. It is now possible to investigate whether different habitats and changed living conditions, such as the return of the Iberian lynx, place a particular burden on the mongooses.
Read moreElephant seal 'supermoms' produce most of the population, study finds
Most of the pups born in an elephant seal colony in California over a span of five decades were produced by a relatively small number of long-lived 'supermoms,' according to a new study.
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