The neurons of the eye that detect light must be very sensitive. They also need a lot of energy, so they contain many mitochondria - however, mitochondria scatter light. In our recent study, we show how evolution may have found a way to have the best of both worlds: Why not build mitochondria into a lens that helps, rather than hurts, visual sensitivity?

Spiders are known for their aggressive behavior, but some species are social. This is the case for Anelosimus eximius, a social species that forms colonies with hundreds of spiders living in a common web. When hunting, these spiders synchronize their movements: they start and stop quickly, all at the same time. Analyses explain how this impressive ballet could emerge from simple behavioral rules.

Have you ever noticed that your thoughts are sometimes focused on the task-at-hand, while other times, your mind wanders from topic to topic? Our new study found that individuals’ brain activity can provide a glimpse into how their train of thought unfolds over time. Specifically, it reveals whether their minds are focused on a task, wandering from topic to topic, or constrained to a topic.

Human-induced (anthropogenic) climate change is exposing forests to a growing risk of drought-induced tree mortality. Replacement patterns following drought related mortality indicate that predrought dominant tree species have limited short-term persistence, highlighting the likelihood for major ecosystem reorganization and its implication to changing forest biodiversity in the coming decades.