Ultraviolet radiation leads to secretion of an appetite-boosting hormone in male mice, but experts say it’s not yet clear whether the mechanism applies to humans.

The Scientist speaks with organismal biologist Xavier Glaudas about possible reasons for his recent finding that male Montpellier snakes cannibalize female conspecifics.

A study suggests that mutations in the gene that encodes the T1R1/T1R3 taste receptor allowed primates that relied on insects for protein to transition to eating leaves and fruit.

A study of 19 postmenopausal women found that eating a bar of chocolate in the morning affected their bodies differently than eating it at night, but neither led to weight gain.

The hormone, which is well known for regulating appetite, appears to influence neuronal development—a finding that could shed light on disorders such as autism that involve dysfunctional synapse formation.

These ancient insects ate dinosaur feathers during the Cretaceous period.

Chinstrap penguins are decreasing in numbers due to a lack of krill, their only food source.

University of Michigan’s Ada Hagan separates fact from fiction, such as whether you should starve a fever or if eating chocolate really causes acne.

Despite previous positive reports, researchers didn’t see transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) cut back on people’s urges or eating.

Circadian rhythms heavily influence how our bodies use energy, a small study suggests.

Baby frogs don’t develop the neural circuitry responsible for feeding inhibition until they begin metamorphosing into adults. 

Findings from a randomized, controlled trial finds that reducing food intake decreases metabolism and reduces oxidative damage to tissues and cells.

The correspondence points to routine data-massaging at a high-profile lab.

Animals lacking a sense of smell stayed thinner than their smelling counterparts, despite eating the same amount.

Fruit flies and mice grow better and eat less when the amino acid balance of their food reflects that coded by their exomes.

See how scientists designed food with amino acid compositions based on protein-coding regions in the genomes of mice and fruit flies.

Inducing activity in the zona incerta region of the brain prompts mice to gorge themselves.

Bacteria in the intestine produce proteins that stop rodents from eating.

Glucose activates sleep-promoting neurons in the mouse hypothalamus.