Aggression between two different species of animals is surprisingly common. But what exactly are they fighting over? Male aggression towards potential reproductive rivals could explain much of it. UCLA biologists observed and analyzed the behavior of several species of damselflies. Male damselflies typically ignore males of another species when they fly into their territory — … Read more
UC San Diego biology and chemistry students have created the world’s first algae-based, sustainable surfboard. The project began several months ago when undergraduate biology students began working with a group of undergraduate chemistry students to solve a basic chemistry problem: how to make the precursor of the polyurethane foam core of a surfboard from algae … Read more
Every living thing has its own natural responses to stress. When critical nutrients are in short supply, our bodies, for example, find ways to maintain normal function until those nutrients are replenished. Plants do the same. In drought conditions, natural processes kick in to keep them alive until they can be watered again. When faced … Read more
We’re all subjects in a massive experiment. Humans have created about 80,000 synthetic industrial compounds — including plastics, the flame retardants that cover our sofas, and pesticides. These compounds have structures that are not commonly seen in nature and present a risk to our health. Everybody on the planet is exposed. It’s important to understand what these substances … Read more
The iron in our blood, the silicon in your computer, the oxygen that we breath – all of those elements were synthesized inside a star. UC Santa Cruz astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz walks us through the process from a star’s beginning to its death.
UC Riverside researchers have discovered what could be a new species of hummingbird in the Bahamas. The Bahama Woodstar comprises of two subspecies: Calliphlox evelynae evelynae, found throughout the islands of the Bahamas and Calliphlox evelynae lyrura (“lyrura” for lyre-tailed, refers to the forked tail of males that resembles a classical lyre harp). This lovely … Read more