The Norwegian "rules of use" for Sámi reindeer husbandry were intended to help keep reindeer husbandry sustainable and allow for self-governance. But "sustainability" and "self-governance" can mean something completely different for authorities than reindeer herders.

Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research led by scientists at Penn State reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that helps them infect their hosts.

Canine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells possess the ability to differentiate into any type of cell, making them a useful tool for investigating common canine diseases and disease states, including those of humans.

The microscopic organisms that fill our bodies, soils, oceans and atmosphere play essential roles in human health and the planet's ecosystems. Yet even with modern DNA sequencing, figuring out what these microbes are and how they are related to one another remains extremely difficult.

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have uncovered the long-elusive biosynthetic pathway of glycitein, a key soybean isoflavonoid. They also reveal how its production determines the plant's resistance to Phytophthora sojae.

Aquatic plants are specialized evolutionary groups adapted to life in water. They play critical roles as food and medicinal supplies (e.g., lotus root and foxnut) and industrial raw materials (e.g., reeds), as well as in ecological restoration. While most aquatic lineages have independently evolved from terrestrial ancestors, the genomic dynamics underlying this adaptation remain largely unexplored.

JCU Professor of Marine Biology Morgan Pratchett has published new research in Biology demonstrating the best injection method to kill the problematic Crown-of-thorns starfish and prevent them from spawning.

People typically think about evolution as a linear process where, within a species, the classic adage of "survival of the fittest" is constantly at play. New DNA mutations arise and get passed from parents to offspring. If any genetic changes prove to be beneficial, they might give those young a survival edge.

Nematodes discovered in the Great Salt Lake belong to at least one species that is new to science, and possibly two. A University of Utah research team has published a new paper characterizing the tiny roundworm. The team gave it a name that honors the Indigenous tribe whose ancestral lands include the lake.

The thunder of a rifle echoes across the Savannah. Antelope scatter as birds of all feathers take to the air. A dull thud signals that the marksman's shot was true. The horn from the felled rhino will command more money on the black market than the hunter could otherwise make in a year.

How do intermittent events like hurricanes impact natural selection? How do animals adapt to challenging weather? A University of Rhode Island professor has set out to track natural selection in the Anolis lizard over time to see how the species has weathered hurricanes in the southeastern United States.

Parasitic weeds extract water and nutrients from their host plants. But what makes these parasites so successful? A study led by Prof Susann Wicke from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster and published in Science Advances has shown that certain parasitic plants activate their feeding organs (haustoria) independently of the host plant. This strategy increases their ability to successfully infest the host.

Aside from maybe high school biology classes, the first time many people heard of mRNA was during the pandemic because of the vital role MRNA technology played in COVID-19 vaccines.

From saccharin in the 19th century to stevia and monk fruit in the 21st, researchers and the food industry have long sought a sweetener that delivers the taste of sugar without its drawbacks—excess calories, tooth decay, and heightened risk for obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Bacteria are among the most diverse and ancient forms of life on Earth. Yet, much of what is known about them comes from a small group of species, mostly studied for their roles in human health.

Researchers have found a way to control protein levels inside different tissues of a whole, living animal for the first time. The method lets scientists dial protein levels up or down with great precision during the animal's entire life, a technological advance which can help them study the molecular underpinnings of aging and disease.

An extraordinary botanical spectacle is drawing crowds in Rio de Janeiro: several talipot palm trees, planted more than six decades ago, are blooming for the first—and last—time in their lives.

Indonesia's deadly flooding was an "extinction-level disturbance" for the world's rarest great ape, the tapanuli orangutan, causing catastrophic damage to its habitat and survival prospects, scientists warned on Friday.

A sudden, unexplained mass die-off is decimating sea urchins around the world, including catastrophic losses in the Canary Islands. Key reef-grazing species are reaching historic lows, and their ability to reproduce has nearly halted in some regions. Scientists suspect a pathogen but haven’t yet confirmed the culprit. The fate of these reefs may hinge on solving this unfolding pandemic.

The man tracking chimpanzee movements in a rainforest is required to follow the primates wherever they go—except up in the trees.

Fossils from Qatar have revealed a small, newly identified sea cow species that lived in the Arabian Gulf more than 20 million years ago. The site contains the densest known collection of fossil sea cow bones, showing that these animals once thrived in rich seagrass meadows. Their ecological role mirrors that of modern dugongs, which still reshape the Gulf’s seafloor as they graze. The findings may help researchers understand how seagrass ecosystems respond to long-term environmental change.

Mosasaurs, giant marine reptiles that existed more than 66 million years ago, lived not only in the sea but also in rivers. This is shown by new research based on analyses of a mosasaur tooth found in North Dakota and believed to belong to an animal that could reach a length of 11 meters.

New research reveals a link between rising temperatures and changes in polar bear DNA, which may be helping them adapt and survive in increasingly challenging environments.