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A headshot of Matthew Gage
Evolutionary Ecologist Matthew Gage Dies at 55
Amanda Heidt | Apr 20, 2022 | 3 min read
The University of East Anglia researcher was best known for his contributions to the study of sexual selection, particularly post-copulatory sperm competition.
bat flying in front of tan building
Fruit Bats Echolocate During the Day Despite Having Great Vision
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 20, 2022 | 4 min read
Contrary to what researchers had assumed, Egyptian fruit bats don’t rely solely on sight to orient themselves as they drink and forage for food in daylight. 
Photo of a Jewel beetle <em>(Sternocera aequisignata)</em>.
Why Are Some Beetles Shiny? It’s Not What Researchers Thought
Connor Lynch | Mar 1, 2022 | 4 min read
The glossy shell of some beetles, it has long been speculated, helps hide the insects from predators. A recent paper put the hypothesis to the test—and found it wanting.
A ship off the coast of Antarctica approaches a beach
Q&A: How to Keep Antarctica Safe from Invasive Species
Dan Robitzski | Nov 23, 2021 | 8 min read
The Scientist spoke with University of Wollongong ecologist Dana Bergstrom about protecting the continent’s native plants and animals in the face of climate change and a growing human presence.
WITH VIDEO
A micrograph with a grey background shows both purple bacteria and green algae within a ciliated microorganism
A Protist Hosts Both Green Algae and Purple Bacteria Symbionts
Abby Olena, PhD | Jun 11, 2021 | 3 min read
Having two different endosymbionts may allow the ciliate Pseudoblepharisma tenue to live in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor zones of the muddy bogs of southern Germany.
Specialized Leaves Keep This Plant’s Fruit Warm
Shawna Williams | Feb 1, 2021 | 4 min read
A volunteer nature guide teamed up with researchers to discover a unique reproductive role for one vine’s leaves.
elephant herbivore extinction risk predator omnivore iucn red list
Risk of Extinction Is Greatest for Large Herbivores: Study
Ruth Williams | Aug 5, 2020 | 3 min read
Data on vertebrate species that have become, or are likely to become, extinct reveal plant eaters are most under threat.
How Squirrels Use Bird Chatter to Assess Safety
Shawna Williams | Jun 1, 2020 | 5 min read
An undergraduate research project finds the animals are tuned in to reassuring information from other species.
Fastest-Ever Cell Contractions Observed in Primitive Invertebrate
Abby Olena, PhD | Dec 13, 2018 | 4 min read
The microscopic marine animal Trichoplax adhaerens may use rapid changes in cell shape to avoid being ripped apart by forces in the ocean.
New Caledonian Crows Build Tools From Mental Images, Not Lessons
Sukanya Charuchandra | Jun 29, 2018 | 2 min read
When it comes to tool making, the birds learn differently than humans.
After Relocation, an Endangered Species Stops Avoiding Predator Scents
Abby Olena, PhD | Jun 6, 2018 | 4 min read
Researchers find that conserving marsupials on a predator-free island dampens their avoidance behaviors, which could mean trouble for their reintroduction to mainland Australia.
Image of the Day: Water Flea
Sukanya Charuchandra | May 29, 2018 | 1 min read
A species of water flea in northern Belgium that helps keep algae in check is growing smaller and less abundant in urbanized areas. 
Hawaiian Spiders on Different Islands Evolved Same Disguise in Parallel
Catherine Offord | Mar 8, 2018 | 2 min read
In an unusual evolutionary twist, local stick spiders have come up with an almost identical repertoire of color morphs in multiple locations.
Amazonian Fish Genome Challenges Long-Held Assumptions About Asexual Reproduction
Jim Daley | Feb 14, 2018 | 2 min read
Poecilia formosa, an all-female fish species, has a surprisingly robust genome. 
Tracking Invasive Fire Ants in Asia
Steve Graff | Nov 1, 2017 | 5 min read
These insect transplants have the potential to wreak economic havoc by outcompeting native insects and destroying crops.
Coastal Critters Make Epic Voyages After 2011 Tsunami
Ashley Yeager | Sep 28, 2017 | 3 min read
Marine species survived rafting thousands of kilometers on debris swept into the water by the giant wave, scientists say.
Second Chance for Lost Galapagos Tortoises?
Bob Grant | Sep 14, 2017 | 2 min read
Researchers are trying to recreate an extinct species of the lumbering reptiles by breeding closely related species that contain traces of the lost lineage’s DNA.
Study: Fishing Induces Gene Expression Changes
Jef Akst | May 18, 2017 | 2 min read
Harvesting lab-raised zebrafish based on their size led to differences in the activity of more than 4,000 genes, as well as changes in allele frequencies of those genes, in the fish that remained.
Evolution’s Quick Pace Affects Ecosystem Dynamics
Jef Akst | May 1, 2017 | 10+ min read
From fish harvests to cottonwood forests, organisms display evidence that species change can occur on timescales that can influence ecological processes.
Infographic: Watching Evolution in Real Time
Jef Akst | Apr 30, 2017 | 1 min read
Guppies transplanted between different communities in Trinidadian streams evolved in response to changes in predation threat in just a few generations.
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