Otherworldly worms with three sexes discovered in Mono Lake
The extreme environment of Mono Lake was thought to only house two species of animals — until now.
Nature
How a protein connecting calcium and plant hormone regulates plant growth
A new study finds that a unique mechanism involving calcium, the plant hormone auxin and a calcium-binding protein is responsible for regulating plant growth.
Read moreBasking sharks exhibit different diving behavior depending on the season
Tracking the world's second-largest shark species has revealed that it moves to different depths depending on the time of year.
Read moreDishing the dirt on an early man cave
Fossil animal droppings, charcoal from ancient fires and bone fragments litter the ground of one of the world's most important human evolution sites, new research reveals. A team of scientists have used modern geoarchaeological techniques to unearth new details of day-to-day life in the famous Denisova Cave complex in Siberia's Altai Mountains.
Read moreThe almond and peach trees genomes shed light on the differences between these close species
An international team led by researchers has sequenced the genome of the almond tree and compared it to that of its closest relative, the peach tree. The most substantive differences between these species, so closely related in terms of evolution, are accounted for by the variation created by mobile genetic elements. The results provide some unique insights into the recent evolution of both species and will be key tools in their genetic improvement.
Read moreNew species of crocodile discovered in museum collections
By looking at 90-year-old crocodile skulls in museum collections and double-checking with live specimens at a zoological park in Florida, researchers have just discovered a new species of ten-foot-long croc. The new species, Crocodylus halli, is from the southern part of New Guinea, and until now, scientists had thought it was the same species that lived on the northern part of the island.
Read moreAerosols from coniferous forests no longer cool the climate as much
Emissions of greenhouse gases have a warming effect on the climate, whereas small airborne particles in the atmosphere, aerosols, act as a cooling mechanism. That is the received wisdom in any case. However, new research can now show that the tiniest aerosols are increasing at the expense of the normal sized and slightly larger aerosols — and it is only the latter that have a cooling effect.
Read moreHigh carbon dioxide can create 'shrinking stems' in marshes
For most plants, carbon dioxide acts like a steroid: The more they can take in, the bigger they get. But scientists have now discovered something strange happening in marshes. Under higher levels of carbon dioxide, instead of producing bigger stems, marsh plants produced more stems that were noticeably smaller.
Read morePrivate boats in the Mediterranean have extremely high potential to spread alien species
A Mediterranean wide study has found that 71% of sampled recreational boats hosted alien marine species. Over half carried an alien species that was not yet present in the marina the boat was visiting.
Read more