Many animals use chemical signals for defense, foraging and mating. However, little is known about the perception of smell by birds. A long-standing question – which we addressed in a new study – is how homing pigeons (or messenger pigeons) can 'smell' their way home... click to read more

Honey bees are important pollinators. However, like us, they can become hosts to many pathogens. As a social species living in enormous colonies, honey bees have evolved many behavioral defenses to deal with disease, for example changes in social contact. However, as new pathogens continue... click to read more

Have you ever wondered about the origin of your favorite ballgame? It is perhaps much earlier than you guess. Mesoamerica – a center of ancient civilizations that flourished for over 3000 years before the Spanish invasion occurred – has evidence for ancient ballgames. In fact,... click to read more

Raining is perhaps spectacular, but for small insects or plant leaves, fast-falling raindrops with high impact can be very dangerous. Imagine how scary if bowling balls are falling at your head from the sky. What kind of trick do they use to protect themselves? As a... click to read more

Caring for the dead is a significant issue in all societies. While burials were known since at least 120,000 years ago, it was an unusual practice in the Near East throughout the Paleolithic period. It only became common practice when people adopted a sedentary lifestyle,... click to read more