Hoover the 'talking seal' famously imitated human speech. But can baby seals already adapt their voices to sounds? Researchers have now studied seal pups only a few weeks old. The pups lowered the pitch of their voice when they heard louder noises. This vocal flexibility makes seals an excellent animal...
Climate change will triple impacts to world’s ‘life zones’ unless emission rates are dramatically reduced
A new study that modeled changes in the world's 45 different 'life zones' from climate change revealed that climate impacts may soon triple over these areas if the earth continues 'business-as-usual' emissions.
Study shows how 1.5°C temperature rise can cause significant changes in coastal species
As COP26 leaders gather in the UK, new research shows a temperature increase of around 1.5°C -- just under the maximum target agreed at the COP23 Paris meeting in 2017 -- can have a marked impact on algae and animal species living on our coastlines.
What’s down there? WHOI study shows environmental DNA is a reliable way to learn about migration from the ocean twilight zone
The mid-ocean 'twilight zone' holds the key to several tantalizing questions about the marine food web and carbon-sequestering capacity of the ocean. But studying this vast and remote area is extremely difficult. Many inhabitants of the twilight zone are easily destroyed during sampling -- or are quick to avoid any...
How bread wheat got its gluten: Tracing the impact of a long-lost relative on modern bread wheat
Genetic detective work has uncovered an obscure ancestor of modern bread wheat, in a finding similar to uncovering a famous long-lost relative through DNA analysis in humans.
How foodborne diseases protect the gut’s nervous system
Prior infections appear to shield enteric neurons, preventing these key components of the body's 'second brain' from dying off when future pathogens strike.
Is it worth trying to sway the most staunch climate deniers?
A researcher surveyed 645 Americans about their beliefs on climate change -- whether or not those beliefs are informed by fact or fiction -- to assess their communication behaviors about climate change.
High availability of fast-food restaurants across all US neighborhood types linked to higher rates of type 2 diabetes
A new nationwide study suggests that living in neighborhoods with higher availability of fast-food outlets across all regions of the United States is associated with higher subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Morro Bay seagrass loss causes change in fish populations
The loss of seagrass habitat caused a dramatic shift in fish species in Morro Bay. Areas once covered with lush seagrass meadows and unique fish species are now home to muddy-seafloor-loving flatfish. The research team saw decreasing numbers of seagrass-specialist fish species, and an increase in flatfishes like the speckled...
This squirrel watches its neighbor’s back
Unlike meerkats that take individual turns watching for predators while the rest forage, Barbary ground squirrels found off the coast of Africa stand sentry together -- a behavior called synchronous vigilance, according to a new study.