Ecology
Murder Hornets Could Spread 'Rapidly' Throughout Western North America
The hornets represent a significant threat to Western honeybees, which have no innate defence against them.
Rise in Invasive Species May Lead to Massive Loss of Global Biodiversity
Invasive species spread around the globe with the help of human activities, such as global trade and transportation.
Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree Are Being Showered With Microplastics
Microplastic pollution is ubiquitous, but the processes that distribute the particles between marine, terrestrial and atmospheric environments around the planet remain poorly understood.
Why Are These Sea Urchins Sporting Cowboy and Viking Hats?
An aquarium owner noticed his sea urchins covering themselves with rocks and other objects, so he started 3D printing goofy hats. But a marine biologist confirms that sea urchins are making more than fashion statements.
The World is Losing 9 Percent of Its Insects Every Decade, Study Finds
The most extensive investigation to date finds global insect numbers drop 0.92 percent a year. However, the world's freshwater insects, like mayflies, are bucking the trend and seeing numbers rise.
These Dolphins Beach Themselves As Part of a 'Risky' Feeding Behavior
"This type of feeding is very risky, as dolphins run the risk of remaining stranded," said researcher Daniele Cagnazzi.
Almost All of the Wolves on One Alaskan Island Were Killed by Trappers
A vulnerable population of wolves living on Prince of Wales Island lost 97 percent of the population during the 2019-2020 trapping season.
A Huge Sinkhole Just Made Ecuador's Tallest Waterfall Disappear
Some experts think that the hole formed as a result of natural processes, while others argue that humans may be partly to blame.
Pablo Escobar's Hippos Are Taking the Place of Long Extinct Animals
Large herbivores dominated the Earth's land ecosystems for several million years before suffering significant extinctions and declines over the past 100,000 years or so.
New Species Discovered in Earth's Deepest Trench Has Plastic in Its Body
"We have new species turning up that are already contaminated and so we have missed the window to understand these species in a natural environment," said marine ecologists Alan Jamieson.
Trump Administration Sued for Failing to Protect 241 Vulnerable Species
"The extinction crisis gets worse by the day, but Trump officials are twiddling their thumbs as plants and animals fade away," said Noah Greenwald from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Invasive Asian Crazy Worms Increasingly Being Spotted Across Maine
"If allowed to spread, crazy worms could cause serious damage to horticultural crops and the forest ecosystem in Maine," the state's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry said.
More Than 1,500 Bee Dance Moves Decoded by Scientists
"The most interesting about bees is their communication," said entomologist Morgan Carr-Markell.
Earth's Tropical Forests Are 'Time Capsules' of Human History
Earth's tropical forests are "time capsules" of human history stretching back hundreds of years.
'Bat Tornado' Descends on Small Australian Town
"It just seems to me that every bat in Australia is now in Ingham," Raymon Jayo, mayor of Hinchinbrook, said.
Pablo Escobar's Hippos Are Thriving in Colombia and Harming Local Ecosystem
The drug lord imported four hippos into the country, which were housed in his private zoo.
Longest North American Snake Breeds in Alabama for First Time Since 1950s
"It's very exciting for us to find this young snake," researcher Jim Godwin from Auburn University said.
Wolf Pack Spotted in Colorado After 80-Year Absence
"I am honored to welcome our canine friends back to Colorado after their long absence," Colorado Governor Jared Polis said.
Native Americans Barely Had Any Impact on the Landscape for 14,000 Years
"The ecological impact of Native Americans before European arrival has been debated for decades," researcher Wyatt Oswald said.
Video Shows Fires Raging Across the Earth Over 2019
Significant fire outbreaks in the Amazon, Australia and the Arctic Circle—among others—made headlines around the world this year.
Hurricane Dorian Probably Just Made a Species of Bird Go Extinct
"Our thoughts are with the people and biodiversity in this tragedy," Diana Bell—a professor of Conservation a Biology—said
Indigenous Lands Have Highest Biodiversity: Study
The Earth is in the grips of what scientists have dubbed the "Sixth Mass Extinction" with the global rate of species extinction at least "tens to hundreds of times higher" than the average over the past 10 million years.
Meat-eating Plant That Munches on Baby Salamanders Discovered in Canada
While some of the salamanders survived in the bells for 19 days, others went from alert, active and swimming in the pitcher fluid to dead in three days.
World's Largest Animals Are Dying Out, Leading to 'Downsizing' of Nature
Researchers predict that the average total body mass of mammals will drop by 25 percent over the next century.
Baby Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds Say Scientists Who Pumped Their Stomachs
Opportunistic sharks feast on migrating birds, scientists believe.
Wolves in Yellowstone Had Unexpected Consequences
Mark Boyce has spent 40 years studying the park's ecosystems and says wolf reintroduction has been fascinating.
Why Do Mass Extinctions Occur?
An international team examined sudden ecological transitions throughout Earth's history.
Why Has Earth Remained Habitable for so Long?
The Gaia hypothesis proposes that life, through its interactions with the Earth's crust, oceans, and atmosphere, produced a stabilising effect which has enabled it to survive under conditions which would have wiped it out on non-regulating planets.
This Type of Photosynthesis Could Help Find Alien Life
Scientists discovered a new form of photosynthesis that could expand the search for alien life and help with genetically engineering crops to live in lower light conditions.
Animals Becoming Nocturnal to Avoid Humans
Non-human mammals don't want to be around people, so they sleep more during the day and hunt at night when there's nobody around.