Fish pass 'hot genes' onto their grandchildren
Fish that are able to survive and adjust to warming waters may pass heat-tolerant genes not just onto their children, but their grandchildren too.
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Ants: Jam-free traffic champions
Whether they occur on holiday routes or the daily commute, traffic jams affect cars as well as pedestrians. Scientists have demonstrated that ant colonies, however, are spared these problems and circulate easily, even in the event of extremely dense traffic, thus ensuring consistent efficiency in their foraging.
Read moreHumpback whale population on the rise after near miss with extinction
A new study finds that the western South Atlantic humpback population has grown to 25,000 whales. Researchers believe this new estimate is now close to pre-whaling numbers.
Read moreSong-learning neurons identified in songbirds
A group of neurons called the corticobasal ganglia projecting neurons are important for vocal learning in young birds, but not in adult birds, according to a new study.
Read moreNewly discovered virus infects bald eagles across America
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown virus infecting nearly a third of America's bald eagle population. Scientists found the virus while searching for the cause of Wisconsin River Eagle Syndrome, an enigmatic disease endemic to bald eagles near the Lower Wisconsin River. The newly identified bald eagle hepacivirus, or BeHV, may contribute to the fatal disease, which causes eagles to stumble and have seizures.
Read moreFirst scientific description of elusive bird illuminates plight of Borneo's forests
Scientists surveying the birdlife of Borneo have discovered a startling surprise: an undescribed species of bird, which has been named the spectacled flowerpecker. While scientists and birdwatchers have previously glimpsed the small, gray bird in lowland forests around the island, the Smithsonian team is the first to capture and study it, resulting in its formal scientific description as a new species.
Read moreThe moon determines when migratory birds head south
A new study shows that the presence or absence of moonlight has a considerable bearing on when migratory birds take flight in the autumn.
Read moreWarmer nights prompt forest birds to lay eggs earlier in spring
Rising night-time temperatures are causing woodland birds to build nests and lay eggs earlier in springtime, research shows.
Read morePiranha fish swap old teeth for new simultaneously
With the help of new technologies, a team has confirmed that piranhas lose and regrow all the teeth on one side of their face multiple times throughout their lives. How they do it may help explain why the fish go to such efforts to replace their teeth.
Read moreRare 'itinerant breeding' behavior revealed in California bird
Only two bird species have ever been shown to undertake what scientists call 'itinerant breeding': nesting in one area, migrating to another region, and nesting again there within the same year, to take advantage of shifting food resources. However, new research provides strong evidence of this rare behavior in a third bird — the Phainopepla, a unique bird found in the southwestern US and the northernmost member of an otherwise tropical family.
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