Despite a common narrative that male mammals tend to dwarf female ones, fewer than half of mammalian species display that pattern, a new study suggests.
Tag: Biology and Biochemistry
Exactly How Much Life is on Earth?
According to a new study, living cells outnumber stars in the universe, highlighting the deep, underrated link between geophysics and biology.
Robert Sapolsky Doesn’t Believe in Free Will. (But Feel Free to Disagree.)
Shedding the concept “completely strikes at our sense of identity and autonomy,” the Stanford biologist and neurologist argues. It might also be liberating.
To Stop an Extinction, He’s Flying High, Followed by His Beloved Birds
Using an ultralight aircraft, Johannes Fritz once taught endangered ibises a migration path over the Alps. Because of climate change, he is now showing them a much longer route to a winter’s refuge.
Ancient Worms Revived From Permafrost After 46,000 Years
Scientists want to understand how the worms survived in extreme conditions for extraordinarily long periods of time.
Untangling Rosalind Franklin’s Role in DNA Discovery, 70 Years On
Historians have long debated the role that Dr. Franklin played in identifying the double helix. A new opinion essay argues that she was an “equal contributor.”
Happy Birthday, Omicron
One year after the variant’s discovery, virologists are still scrambling to keep up with Omicron’s rapid evolution.
Red Sea Coral Reefs Keep Thriving Despite Global Warming
As warming waters devastate coral around the world, the sea’s stunningly colorful reefs have been remarkably resilient. But pollution, mass tourism and overfishing put them at risk.
The Mysterious Dance of the Cricket Embryos
A team of biologists and mathematicians studied hours of video to learn how insects take shape in the egg. The secret is geometry.
CRISPR, 10 Years On: Learning to Rewrite the Code of Life
The gene-editing technology has led to innovations in medicine, evolution and agriculture — and raised profound ethical questions about altering human DNA.