Evolution & Behaviour
Shrunken heads: a curious strategy to survive winter
Phenotypic plasticity is a remarkable capacity of organisms to change their morphology, physiology, and behavior to adapt to their environment. This ability enables individuals to cope with changes in the environmental conditions within their lifespan. Organisms inhabiting seasonal environments undergo seasonal plastic changes to cope... click to read more
The snake with the skin of a rhino…that eats babies!
Legends say that the rhinoceros has skin that can withstand a gunshot. Despite the slight exaggeration, without a doubt the rhinoceros bears one of the toughest hides in the animal kingdom, stretching as thick as 5 cm and woven together specifically to repel attacks. What... click to read more
Ant medics: wound treatment in a predatory species
When we get injured we treat our wounds. Our skin is an important barrier against pathogens and if it breaks we have to keep it clean. If we are not able to do so ourselves, we go to a doctor to do it for us.... click to read more
Bloody-Minded Parasites and Sex
Most plants and animals reproduce sexually. Why is sex so common? This question has intrigued scientists for generations. Even Darwin pondered its prevalence. Sex occurs when two organisms merge their genetic material. Sexual parents produce genetically distinct offspring. Many organisms, however, reproduce asexually, meaning a... click to read more
The Arctic’s singing whales
The bowhead whale is above all, a whale of superlatives. It is the only large whale to live year-round in the Arctic, its "bowed head" allows it to push up through half a meter of ice, it can live up to 200 years and it... click to read more
Editor's picks
Most popular
Popular topics