Biology

News articles classified as Biology

Why whales need to be big

Scientists studied a unique group of Antarctic minke whales and found that these gigantic mammals actually represent the smallest possible body size required for their style of feeding. The findings could inform which whale species are more vulnerable to future climate change impacts, like shifting food sources.

Forecasting malaria

The study integrates climate, land use, and socioeconomic data to explain and predict malaria dynamics at the village level. The approach could inform health care practitioners and make control strategies more efficient and cost-effective.

Frogs in space

Stanford-led study of poison frogs in tiny trackable pants tests two theories for sex differences in spatial skills.

Dams and food security

Analysis finds that dammed reservoirs could store more than 50% of the water needed to irrigate crops without depleting water stocks or encroaching on nature. The researchers caution against building new dams, however, and urge consideration of alternative storage solutions.

Whales eat colossal amounts of microplastics

Analysis of ocean plastic pollution and whale foraging behavior tracked with noninvasive tags shows whales are ingesting tiny specks of plastic in far bigger quantities than previously thought, and nearly all of it comes from the animals they eat – not the water they gulp.

Sifting through cellular recycling centers

A new method allows scientists to determine all the molecules present in the lysosomes – the cell’s recycling centers – of mice. This could bring new understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.