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four wolves cluster together in the snow next to a tree. one wolf at the front looks out into the distance.

Toxoplasma-Infected Wolves More Likely to Lead Packs, Study Finds

Katherine Irving | Nov 29, 2022 | 3 min read

The parasite appears to make infected wolves less risk-averse, potentially influencing the behavior of packs.

Green Lab Initiatives Take Root Around the World

Natalia Mesa | Nov 14, 2022 | 9 min read

Scientists, students, and administrative staff are working to bring about a cultural shift to mitigate the impact of research on the environment.

Environmental DNA Sequencing: Lessons from Ancient and Modern Environments

The Scientist Creative Services Team | 1 min read

In this webinar, Eske Willerslev and Simon Creer will discuss the discoveries they have made about the ancient and modern world through environmental DNA sequencing.

Rows of soybean plants with green leaves beneath a partially clouded sky with the rising sun in the background.

As Carbon Dioxide Goes Up, Plants’ Nutrient Content Declines

Dan Robitzski | Nov 3, 2022 | 5 min read

Abundant environmental CO₂ can increase plant biomass and photosynthesis, but it has downsides for agriculture and ecosystems, a growing body of research finds.

Science Snapshot: Breaking the Mold

Lisa Winter | Nov 3, 2022 | 1 min read

This image took 5th place at the 2022 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.

Combating Zika Virus with Synthetic Biology and Genome Editing

The Scientist Marketing Team | 1 min read

To explore the union of urgency and collaboration that has typified the rapid response, The Scientist is bringing together a panel of experts to share their research into understanding and combatting Zika virus, and to explore the lessons learned.

Swarm of honey bees around green foliage

Some Honey Bee Swarms Generate Electrical Charges Stronger Than Storms

Jef Akst | Oct 24, 2022 | 2 min read

Small charges carried by individual insects can add up, a study finds, with larger swarms generating substantial electrical fields.

Climate Change May Favor Nitrogen-Fixing Plants

Andy Carstens | Oct 17, 2022 | 2 min read

Aridity appears to configure landscapes with a greater diversity of plant species that rely on symbiotic bacteria for nitrogen.

Photo of a shallow, drying pond blocked off by a low fence in a hilly grassland with trees in the background.

Severe Drought, Heat Upended Research This Summer

Dan Robitzski | Oct 13, 2022 | 8 min read

Researchers scramble to adapt as bouts of severe heat and aridity increasingly become the norm.

Photo of a long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) sitting on a rock overlooking a large body of water.

What Happens to Science When Model Organisms Become Endangered?

Dan Robitzski | Oct 13, 2022 | 9 min read

The long-tailed macaque and pig-tailed macaque are now endangered in the wild according to the IUCN Red List, which says exports for monkey research are partially to blame.

Kentish plover standing by nest with eggs

Avian Deception More Widespread Than Previously Thought

Andy Carstens | Oct 3, 2022 | 5 min read

The broken-wing display, in which birds fake being wounded to protect their nests from predators, is found across the avian phylogenetic tree, a study finds.

Organic food - flat design style colorful illustration. A composition with male, female characters, family, a big plate of vegetables, vegetarian salad, carrot, pepper, greens. Healthy lifestyle

Opinion: Eating Right to Avoid Catastrophe

Giulia Wegner and Kris A. Murray | Oct 3, 2022 | 5 min read

The key to averting cataclysmic events, such as pandemics, climate change, and mass extinction of species, lies partly in what’s on our plates.

a fuzzy black and tan beetle chews on the bark of a pine tree sapling, whose needles can be seen in the background

Pine Trees’ Fragrances Help Neighbors Battle Bark Beetles

Katherine Irving | Sep 30, 2022 | 5 min read

Polluted air impedes the trees’ ability to read one another’s signals, a study finds.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill’s Hidden Impacts on Mahi-Mahi

Natalia Mesa | Sep 28, 2022 | 5 min read

Mahi-mahi were more likely to be eaten and less likely to spawn after being exposed to sublethal concentrations of oil, raising concerns about the risks oceanic drilling pose to life in the ocean.

A white deer mouse on sand surrounded by plants

Are We In the Midst of a Silent Mass Extinction?

Andy Carstens | Sep 22, 2022 | 7 min read

A new modeling technique aims to help scientists and policymakers detect declines in genetic diversity based on habitat loss.

Past Malaria Surges Linked to Amphibian Die-off

Andy Carstens | Sep 21, 2022 | 2 min read

A study suggests that pathogens affecting other species can indirectly harm human health.

group of people standing on rock outcropping with ocean in distance

Repeated El Niño Events Could Spark Big Ecological Shifts

Margaret Osborne | Sep 19, 2022 | 5 min read

Five major El Niño events per century could lead to fewer fishes that thrive in cold water and more terrestrial birds in eastern coastal ecosystems.

Four study participants in t shirts and shorts sit around a table in a stainless steel chamber. All four are looking at personal electronics and wearing a breathing mask connected to a nearby machine via blue tubing.

A New Culprit in Air Pollution: Reactions Triggered by Human Skin

Shafaq Zia | Sep 2, 2022 | 4 min read

Oil on human skin reacts with ozone to produce highly reactive radicals that can generate toxic airborne chemicals in indoor spaces.

A postcard from the early 1900s depicting an Indigenous midden in Damariscotta, Maine.

Sticks and Bones, Circa 8000 BCE

Dan Robitzski | Sep 1, 2022 | 4 min read

Ancient stashes of animal bones, tools, and other artifacts are often dismissed as archaic garbage heaps, but the deposits provide glimpses of the cultural practices and environmental conditions of past Indigenous settlements.

dead bee surrounded by yellow flower petals

Science Snapshot: One Insect’s Corpse Is Another’s Breakfast

Lisa Winter | Aug 31, 2022 | 2 min read

Though it’s poetic to say that ants were grieving the bee at a funeral, the reality is a bit more prosaic.

environment

Environmental RNA Reveals Heat Stress in Water Fleas

Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear