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cell biology

A tardigrade, or water bear

Life

Tardigrades turn into glass to survive complete dehydration

Water bears make unique jelly proteins that form a glass-like cocoon to protect them from drought. The find could one day help make drought resistant crops

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zebras

Life

How did the zebra get its stripes?

Culture

Phalaris aquatica, or Bulbous Canary Grass

Life

Plants have evolved a taste for sand that deters hungry insects

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Luminous frog is the first known naturally fluorescent amphibian

Life

Luminous frog is the first known naturally fluorescent amphibian

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Metabolism may be older than life itself and start spontaneously

Earth

Metabolism may be older than life itself and start spontaneously

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Infected maize

Life

Maize engineered to silence deadly toxins in poisonous mould

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Never-before-seen gatherings of hundreds of humpback whales

Life

Never-before-seen gatherings of hundreds of humpback whales

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Dog

Life

Dogs use deception to get what they want from humans (a sausage)

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Rove beetles

Life

Sneaky beetles evolved disguise to look like ants, then eat them

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Ebola vaccine promising in chimps but may never be used

Life

Ebola vaccine promising in chimps but may never be used

A promising oral vaccine could help protect Africa’s big apes from the deadly Ebola virus, but a ban on captive ape research means it may never see the light of day

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Life

Translucent helmeted cockroach looks like an alien with a halo

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Earth

Plankton can save the ocean. But who will save the plankton?

Insight

Life

Sociable woodpeckers that cooperate have evolved smaller brains

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Humans

Subway chicken row shows faith in food is still a battleground

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