Scientists have discovered mosquitoes can act like tiny "flying wildlife surveyors," helping researchers detect elusive and endangered animals in Australia's national parks. A team from Macquarie University and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water used DNA found in mosquito blood meals to identify about 70 species of birds and mammals living in Kakadu National Park, including several animals that are rarely seen or difficult to monitor.

Baby rattlesnake bites are less dangerous than bites from adult rattlesnakes, according to a new study from Loma Linda University that summarizes the origin, transmission, and prevalence of the longstanding myth that baby rattlesnake bites are more dangerous.

Malaria parasites contain tiny spinning crystals that have puzzled scientists for years. New research reveals they’re powered by a rocket-like reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide, releasing energy. This motion may help the parasite detoxify harmful chemicals and manage iron more efficiently. The discovery could lead to new drugs and spark innovations in microscopic robotics.

Cute, green, and sporting two sprigs of hair on his head, a mischievous baby dinosaur named Dooly is one of the most beloved cartoon characters in South Korea. So, when researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the Korean Dinosaur Research Center discovered a new species of baby dinosaur from Korea's Aphae Island, they knew exactly what to call it: Doolysaurus.

The United States and Mexico have been in a historic megadrought since the turn of the century. For more than 25 years, the American Southwest has faced the severe social and economic consequences of this megadrought—including a $1.1 billion agricultural loss in California in 2021 alone. With these conditions persisting, how can we help crops withstand drought while minimizing yield loss?

Villagers on a remote island in Papua New Guinea have been warned not to eat fish until scientists can identify the cause of thousands of deaths of marine creatures and hundreds of cases of illness.

Scientists recreated a life-size oviraptor nest to understand how these dinosaurs hatched their eggs. Their experiments showed the parent likely couldn’t heat all the eggs directly, meaning sunlight played a key role. This uneven heating could cause eggs in the same nest to hatch at different times. The results suggest oviraptors used a hybrid incubation method unlike modern birds.

In a new, survey-based study of three kinds of "designer" crossbreed dogs, cockapoos, cavapoos and labradoodles, all three showed more undesirable behaviors than at least one of their purebred progenitor breeds, with cockapoos displaying the most unwanted habits. Gina Bryson of the Royal Veterinary College, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One.