Scientists have discovered the genetic basis which allows corals to produce their stunning range of colors. They have found that instead of using a single gene to control pigment production, corals use multiple copies of the same gene. Depending on how many genes are active, the corals will become more or […]

Social foraging, where animals forage in groups, takes many forms but is less studied in marine predators as measuring social associations in the wild is challenging. We used biologging (activity, cameras and telemetry receivers) sensors to measure social associations and simultaneous behaviour, in white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) […]

Researchers from University of Plymouth and University of Exeter conducted a study where they tracked thermographic changes in captive juvenile pheasant flocks as they had spontaneous aggressive interactions during a short confinement time frame. The researchers used thermal cameras to observe the young pheasants and their temperature changes during aggressive interactions […]

Researchers studying Mantis shrimp discovered that the shrimp’s hammer-like appendage can release a strike with a force over 1000 times its body weight. The appendage uses a system of latches, springs, and levers to release the blow. In addition to the initial strike, researchers discovered that a second round of energy […]

The ballistic projection of the chameleon tongue is an extreme example of quick energy release in the animal kingdom. It relies on a complicated physiological structure and an elaborate balance between tissue elasticity, collagen fibre anisotropy, active muscular contraction, stress release and geometry. A general biophysical model for the dynamics of […]

In a recent paper, researchers at the American Institute of Physics analyzed the swimming of zebrafish in a tank with particle image velocimetry and high-speed cameras. Their data showed that zebrafish are able to precisely control body fluctuations in order to generate “movable vortex pairs of high- and low-pressure regions” which […]

“Wise old mother trees feed their saplings with liquid sugar and warn the neighbors when danger approaches. Reckless youngsters take foolhardy risks with leaf-shedding, light-chasing and excessive drinking, and usually pay with their lives. Crown princes wait for the old monarchs to fall, […]

Memory is traditionally associated with complex organisms that have a nervous system. However, simple organisms can store information about previous experiences, such as nutrient sources, for survival purposes. Organisms like the unicellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum utilizes its network of interlaced tubes in varying diameters that shrink and grow in response […]

This article suggests that there is an existence of a complex visual process in the archerfish visual system that enables object recognition and categorization.

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The brain has neurons that fire specifically during certain mathematical operations. The findings indicate that some of the neurons detected are active exclusively during additions, while others are active during subtractions. They respond in the same manner whether the calculation instruction is written down as a word or a symbol.

Researchers found a bull ant venom component that exploits a pain pathway in mammals, which they believe evolved to stop echidnas attacking the ant’s nests.

Abstract:
Australian bull ants have evolved a venom molecule perfectly tuned to target one of their predators — the echidna — that also could have […]

Previously it was thought that the steel plates of crush-resistant beetles and the material that composed the exoskeleton itself lended itself to the great strength of the shell. However, it was recently discovered that it is the connections between the exoskeleton and elytra (a specific exoskeleton substructure) which create an air-filled […]

This beautiful shrub is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. It is one of the best-known poisonous plants from ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages up until now. It is the ancient Egyptians they were responsible for promoting its use as a powerful narcotic.

The toxins responsible for its […]

The amazing adhesive property of the gecko toe has been researched, analysed and documented to a significant degree, but there has been little research on how a gecko is able to coordinate its many ‘sticky’ toes in agile motion. A recent research conducted in May 2020 explores the control function of […]

The miniature robber fly Holcocephala fusca intercepts its targets with behaviour that is approximated by the proportional navigation guidance law. During predatory trials, we challenged the interception of H. fusca performance by placing a large object in its potential flight path. In response, H. fusca deviated from the path predicted by […]

Researchers at the University of Oxford have found that Harris Hawks, when pursuing an erratically maneuvering dummy bunny, can utilize a mixed guidance law to more effectively pursue it. Their turn rate is determined by feeding back information on the angle between their target and current flight direction, along with how […]

A new study has found the tiny structures made up of mushroom-shaped micropillars topped with ultra-small pores allow lizards to quickly detach their tails when needed.
Microscopy images showed that each lizard tail muscle break-off point consists of highly dense mushroom-shaped micropillars with ultra-small nanopores dotting […]

Researchers have developed a self-cleaning bioplastic that is sturdy, sustainable and compostable. The innovative plastic developed at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, repels liquids and dirt, almost replicating/taking inspiration from the lotus leaf, then breaks down rapidly once in soil. It is simple to make and could easily be integrated with […]