Scientists around the world investigate how bat immune systems cope with viral attacks and how this information could be used to keep humans safe.

As the year draws to a close, we look back on researchers we bid farewell to, and the contributions they made to their respective fields.

New details of the molecular process by which our cells consume themselves point to therapeutic potential.

Bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of animals may influence the adaptive trajectories of their hosts.

Mixtures of viruses that attack inflammatory bowel disease–causing bacteria in mice also survive the digestive tract and are well-tolerated in humans, a study finds.

Thirty years out from the start of the Human Genome Project, researchers have finally finished sequencing the full 3 billion bases of a person’s genetic code. But even a complete reference genome has its shortcomings.

Odor, taste, and light receptors are present in many different parts of the body, and they have surprisingly diverse functions.

Once believed to be unique to birds and mammals, sleep is found across the metazoan kingdom. Some animals, it seems, can’t live without it, though no one knows exactly why.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. Biomedical innovation has rallied to address that pressing concern while continuing to tackle broader research challenges.

Bats harbor diverse pathogens, including Ebola, Marburg, SARS, and MERS viruses. Understanding why could help researchers stymie deadly emerging diseases.