Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) perched on a branch with its wings extended.
| 4 min read
The innate genetic program that controls migratory behavior in birds is shrouded in mystery, but scientists are closer to understanding how genetic variation influences their routes between Europe and Africa.

migration

Photo of a North American caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Jasper National Park in Canada

Dozens of Genes Tied to Caribou’s Seasonal Migration

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Avian Flu Case Numbers Soar in Europe

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Scratchy Scalps Help Glue Together Pieces of an Ancient Past

two quails

Chromosomal Rearrangement Linked to Less Mobile Quail

Cranes in flight

Why Migratory Birds Often Have Paler Wings Than Other Birds

Dongsha Atoll in the South China Sea

Ubiquitous Little Earthworms Might Have Got Around on Driftwood

A European robin on a tree branch

New Study Fuels Debate About Source of Birds’ Magnetic Sense

Ten Minute Sabbatical

Study Tracks Geographical Gene Flow and Ancestry in the US

A New Molecular Mechanism for Metastasis

Another Ancient Primate Lineage Sailed to South America

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Skulls from the Yucatán Peninsula a Clue to Early American Settlers

Monarchs Covered 53 Percent Less Area in Mexico this Winter

Ancient Wheat Genome Reveals Clues to the Agricultural Past

Image of the Day: Flock in the Night

Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Defender Found Dead

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Opinion: The Nature of Social Inequalities in Great Britain

Image of the Day: Eel Compass

Ancient DNA Traces History of South Asians

bar-headed geese fly over the Himalayas

Bar-Headed Geese Slow Their Metabolism to Soar over Everest

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Image of Atul Butte.

Biomedical Informatician Atul Butte Dies at 55

An illustration showing the accumulation of amyloid plaques between nerve cells, which is the underlying cause of disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

A Gut Pathogen’s Unexpected Weapon Against Amyloid Diseases

Photo of John Calhoun crouches within his rodent utopia-turned-dystopia

Universe 25 Experiment

Two domesticated animals, a red border collie dog and horse together at sunset.

The Genes That Shaped Pets and Domesticated Livestock

Multimedia

Explore synthetic DNA’s many applications in cancer research

Weaving the Fabric of Cancer Research with Synthetic DNA

Twist Bio 
Two images of U2OS cells transfected with a fluorescently labeled protein. The left panel shows AI-based analysis of transfection efficiency, with cells bounded in yellow and label marked in magenta. The right panel shows baseline fluorescence.

Leveraging AI for Analyzing Cell Transfection Efficiency

Image of small blue creatures called Nergals. Some have hearts above their heads, which signify friendship. There is one Nergal who is sneezing and losing health, which is denoted by minus one signs floating around it.
June 2025, Issue 1

Nergal Networks: Where Friendship Meets Infection

A citizen science game explores how social choices and networks can influence how an illness moves through a population.

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Explore synthetic DNA’s many applications in cancer research

Weaving the Fabric of Cancer Research with Synthetic DNA

Twist Bio 
Illustrated plasmids in bright fluorescent colors

Enhancing Elution of Plasmid DNA

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An illustration of green lentiviral particles.

Maximizing Lentivirus Recovery

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Explore new strategies for improving plasmid DNA manufacturing workflows.

Overcoming Obstacles in Plasmid DNA Manufacturing

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Products

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Waters Enhances Alliance iS HPLC System Software, Setting a New Standard for End-to-End Traceability and Data Integrity 

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Agilent Unveils the Next Generation in LC-Mass Detection: The InfinityLab Pro iQ Series

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Agilent Announces the Enhanced 8850 Gas Chromatograph

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Pioneering Cancer Plasticity Atlas will help Predict Response to Cancer Therapies