Biology

Featured picks

• The Goliath Birdeater Is the Largest Known Spider by Mass

  The Goliath birdeater is the largest known spider by mass and body length, reaching about 175 grams and 13 centimeters, while another spider has a wider leg span.

  Tags: Biology

• A New Tree-Dwelling Shrimp Was Found in Papua

  A new shrimp species found in Papua lives in soil and trees, and uses its hind legs to make long jumps when predators chase it.

  Tags: Biology

• Most of Your Serotonin Is Made in the Gut

  About 90% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut, where it helps digestion and can communicate with the brain through the gut-brain axis.

  Tags: Biology

• Some Bacteria Can Live on Electricity

  Some bacteria can survive by taking electrons from metals or minerals, letting them live in places where ordinary food is scarce.

  Tags: Biology

• Earth Has a Hidden Biosphere Deep Inside Its Rocks

  Microbial life exists kilometers beneath Earth’s surface, living in rock and surviving on tiny amounts of energy at an astonishingly slow pace.

  Tags: Biology

• How Ground Squirrels Shut Off Thirst During Hibernation

  Thirteen-lined ground squirrels hibernate for months without water by conserving fluid and suppressing thirst signals in the brain.

  Tags: Biology

• Archerfish Can Learn to Recognize Human Faces

  Archerfish can learn to tell human faces apart, even without a neocortex, showing that complex visual recognition can be learned by a fish.

  Tags: Biology

• Frigatebirds Can Sleep While Flying in Short Midair Naps

  Frigatebirds can sleep while flying, taking brief naps of about 10 seconds as they soar over the ocean.

  Tags: Biology

• The Neon Flying Squid Can Launch Into the Air and Glide

  The neon flying squid can launch from the ocean by blasting out water, then spread its fins and tentacles to glide through the air before diving back in.

  Tags: Biology

• Legless Lizards Are Not Snakes

  Legless lizards are real lizards that evolved without useful legs and can often be told from snakes by features like eyelids, ear openings, and their long tails.

  Tags: Biology

• Why Beets Can Taste Like Dirt to Some People

  Beets can taste like dirt because they contain geosmin, an earthy-smelling compound that some people are especially sensitive to.

  Tags: Biology

• Wood Ants Turn Tree Resin and Formic Acid Into a Stronger Antifungal Defense

  Wood ants combine tree resin with formic acid to create a stronger antifungal defense that helps protect their colony.

  Tags: Biology

• How Ants Get Trapped in a Deadly Circle

  Ants can accidentally form a nonstop circle called an ant mill, following one another until they become exhausted and die.

  Tags: Biology

• How Avocados Survived After Their Ancient Seed Dispersers Vanished

  Avocados once relied on Ice Age megafauna to spread their huge seeds; after those animals vanished, people helped keep the fruit alive by cultivating and planting it.

  Tags: Biology

• Hippos Are the Closest Living Relatives of Whales

  Hippos are the closest living relatives of whales, sharing a common ancestor roughly 50 million years ago.

  Tags: Biology

• Bears May Self-Medicate Against Parasites Before Hibernation

  Before hibernation, bears may seek foods that help clear gut parasites, potentially reducing parasite problems while they spend long periods without eating.

  Tags: Biology