Do bacteria have “sex lives”? New study reveals how they keep their species together
For a long time, scientists thought bacteria didn’t form species like plants and animals do.
This was because bacteria reproduce asexually, by splitting into two,...
Sniffing out treasure: dogs help discover new truffle species
Michigan State University researchers, alongside colleagues at the University of Florida, citizen scientists, and their highly trained “truffle dogs,” have discovered two new types...
Nearly 1 in 4 freshwater species face extinction, study warns
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most vital on Earth, but they’re also some of the most endangered.
Covering less than 1% of the planet’s surface,...
The secret lives of Phillip Island’s divorcing penguins
Life isn't always a beach for Phillip Island's beloved penguins, who have been found to divorce their partners and find a new mate if...
Dormancy could be one of the keys to life on Earth (and beyond)
It’s easy to forget that, despite life having existed on Earth for billions of years and despite our relatively carefree existence from total destruction,...
Planets without plate tectonics could still be habitable
It has been thought that the existence of plate tectonics has been a significant factor in the shaping of our planet and the evolution...
Unlocking life’s secrets: new advances in bioinformatics
Bioinformatics might sound like a complicated scientific term, but at its heart, it’s about using computers and technology to understand biology.
Imagine trying to read...
You’re made of carbon that took a journey into intergalactic space
I’ve used this fact a gazillion times; every atom in your body has been through the core of a star!
The carbon in our bones...
Breakthroughs in genetic engineering in 2024
Genetic engineering, the science of altering DNA to improve or change the characteristics of living things, is making huge strides in 2024.
These advancements are...
Is there a fundamental logic to life
One of the more daunting questions related to astrobiology—the search for life in the cosmos—concerns the nature of life itself.
For over a century, biologists...