Bettas were likely the first fish welcomed into human homes. Now, scientists are welcoming them into the lab to learn how genes dictate their appearance and behavior.

This year’s most captivating illustrations tell stories from the micro scale—such as newborn neurons in the adult brain and bacteria in the infant gut—to the scale of entire ecosystems, including reintroduced predators and rising seas.

The gene BCO2 enables male and female members of some bird species to display dramatically different color patterns.

In some finch species, the difference between colorful males and muted females comes down to one gene, BCO2, which encodes an enzyme that degrades carotenoids.

Spotted coin spider colors are a Swiss army knife of deception, bringing food closer, and keeping assailants at bay.

The cephalopods use several strategies to manipulate light and produce their colorful patterns.

In an unusual evolutionary twist, local stick spiders have come up with an almost identical repertoire of color morphs in multiple locations.

Biodegradable pigments could be custom-grown by bacteria in the future, say researchers.  

Scientists explore why male peacock spiders are so colorful. 

A round-up of recent discoveries in behavior research

Researchers show that patterned coloration can be an effective means of distracting predators from vital body parts.