Posts Tagged ‘adaptation’
Wild animals know how to handle stress
U. TORONTO (CAN) — A snowshoe hare in the wild leads a stressful life, liable to become someone’s dinner at any moment—but unlike humans, they don’t develop ulcers, heart disease, or depression. Continue…
Thursday, December 20, 2012 10:47 - 1 Comment
Science & Technology - Jan 30, 2012 13:25 - 3 Comments
Smells, great and gross, reshape the brain
CALTECH (US) — Based on a new study with locusts, researchers better understand how the brain adapts to remember new and specific smells. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jan 16, 2012 13:10 - 0 Comments
Some chilies trade heat for hardiness
U. WASHINGTON (US) — Wild chilies that grow in wet regions turn up the heat as a defense mechanism against a fungus that if left alone could destroy their seeds. (more…)
Science & Technology - Dec 2, 2011 15:39 - 0 Comments
‘Speedy’ adaptation genes may save fish
U. OREGON (US) — Two distinct populations of rainbow trout—one in Alaska, the other in Idaho—share a genetic trait that could have huge implications for fisheries, conservation, and management, according to new research. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 12, 2011 12:05 - 2 Comments
Snails hitch a ride on mucus bubbles
U. MICHIGAN (US) — Instead of using slime to get around, a species of ocean-dwelling snail spends its life upside down, surfing on mucus bubbles that evolved from egg carriers to raft-like flotation devices. (more…)
Top Stories - Mar 24, 2011 9:35 - 3 Comments
Sometimes it’s survival of the less fit
MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Using cloned E. coli bacteria, researchers replayed evolution over and over and uncovered an unexpected twist on survival of the fittest: Sometimes it’s better to be more adaptable. (more…)
Science & Technology - Feb 2, 2011 15:19 - 1 Comment
Orangutan DNA reveals deep family ties
WASHINGTON U.-ST. LOUIS (US) — The genome of the orangutan has remained remarkably stable through the ages, allowing it to stay healthy and adapt to changes in the environment. (more…)
Science & Technology - Nov 1, 2010 10:59 - 0 Comments
Gene helps fish hide in plain sight
VANDERBILT (US) — Scientists have discovered a new member of a gene family that has powerful influences on pigmentation and the regulation of body weight. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jul 13, 2010 8:31 - 0 Comments
Fish morphs as neighborhood changes
TULANE (US)—Scientists have found a species of river fish that is able to change into a new shape as its river environment gets dammed up and goes from a fast-flowing river current to the still waters of a reservoir. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 2, 2010 21:00 - 1 Comment
For fish, body form follows function
U. MINNESOTA (US)—The water movements generated by fish as they swim could have a hand in shaping the form of their bodies and their swimming style. (more…)
Science & Technology - Feb 26, 2010 11:38 - 4 Comments
Genomes tell ‘fishy’ story of adaptation
U. OREGON (US)—Twenty billion pieces of DNA in 100 small fish have led biologists to an eye-opening discovery about evolution. (more…)
Science & Technology - Dec 16, 2009 4:47 - 0 Comments
Sea cow fossil hints to Madagascar’s past
MCGILL (CANADA)—An ancient little sea cow now has a name. This primitive “dugong” is among the world’s first fully aquatic sea cows, having evolved from terrestrial herbivores that began exploiting coastal waters. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Nov 17, 2009 11:57 - 0 Comments
Bird vibrates feathers to hum love song
CORNELL (US)—Four years ago, a researcher reported a bizarre example of sexual selection in a rare South American bird: The male attracts the female by rubbing specialized wing feathers—more than 100 cycles per second—to create a high hum, similar to a sustained violin note. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 13, 2009 18:46 - 0 Comments
Cuckolds with evolutionary know-how
YALE (US)—Evolutionary biology theory predicts that males usually won’t invest a lot of time raising offspring when there is a good chance they are not the fathers. Researchers have found a notable exception—a male fish in the Mediterranean that is more likely to be paternal when there is grave doubt about the offsprings’ parentage. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jun 16, 2009 16:54 - 1 Comment
Deadly snails reveal how genes evolve
U. MICHIGAN (US)—A study of venomous snails on remote Pacific islands reveals how natural selection shapes the evolution of genes. (more…)
