Biology

Doctors keep skin grafts in place using parasitic worms

Spiny headed worms are a clingy lot. They’re intestinal parasites with long, cactus-like heads that are perfect for penetrating, and then grabbing hold of, the insides of their host’s digestive organs. Now, bioengineers have co-opted these hanger-ons’ latching mechanisms for something therapeutic: skin grafts. These spiny worms (a.k.a. acanthocephalans, a.k.a. “prickly lil’ hellspawn”) are probably…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Allen’s rule and the physics of evolution

A century-and-a-half-year-old theory holds that transplanting a species into a cold climate does more than make them grow a fur coat. It might change the dimensions of their bodies. We still think that theory might be right -— but for the wrong reasons. Joel Allen was a zoologist at what must have been an intoxicating…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Is there a “shadow biosphere” on Earth?

There are a couple of bizarre mysteries on Earth that some scientists believe can only be explained by a “shadow biosphere” full of bizarre, undetectable microbes. Think of these as the “dark matter” of our planet’s ecosystems. So what makes the shadow biosphere such a plausible theory? First, there’s the phenomenon known as desert varnish…

io9 Annalee Newitz

The Science of Sperm Collecting

How far would you go for science? No matter what your answer, there is an elite cadre of scientists who have dedicated their lives to going a lot further. Meet the sperm collectors. They’re doing it to make the world a better place. Why, Why, Why? At best, this procedure is going to result in…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

A major step towards transplantable lab-grown organs

For the first time in medical history, biologists have transplanted a functional lab-grown kidney into a live animal. Ever since scientists started dabbling with stem cells — those super-adaptable “pluripotent” cells that can transform into virtually any other kind of cell — there’s been hope that we’ll eventually figure out how to grow fully functional…

io9 George Dvorsky

Gelada monkey’s yodel-like gurgling could reveal origins of human speech

As a group, primates aren’t really known for their ability to create vocalizations, or sophisticated or complex sounds with their mouths. Yes, we humans have shown some talent in that area — what with the whole development of language and all that — but most apes and monkeys are unable to generate anything but the…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Can ants predict earthquakes?

Researchers from Germany say that red wood ants change their behavior markedly just before an earthquake hits — a possible indication they can feel it coming. This is not the first time the predictive powers of ants have been observed. Prior to rainstorms, they’ve been seen to extend the height of their mounds, or even…

io9 George Dvorsky

People from the South aren’t the fattest – they’re just more honest

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released maps of American obesity that pegged the country’s Southern states as the fattest at Fat Camp USA. Now, a study out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham is taking the CDC to task. Southerners aren’t the fattest, the study concludes, they’re just more honest…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Whoa, Francis Crick’s DNA letter has sold for $5.3 million!

Looks like someone wanted this pretty badly: The letter that Francis Crick wrote to his son describing the structural detail of DNA has sold for a record breaking $5.3m at a New York City auction. That’s more than $4m over the initial asking price. It’s really not that difficult to understand why someone would pay…

io9 George Dvorsky

The Truth About Why Microbes Make You Sick

Between fevers, congestion and diarrhea, there are numerous ways that microbes can make us feel sick. But just how do microorganisms cause these symptoms? At any given time, the microbes inside of our bodies outnumber our own cells by at least 10 to 1. In general, these tiny organisms are harmless — and often beneficial…

io9 Joseph Bennington-Castro

Latest science shows that size really does matter to women

A new study by Australian researchers shows that well-endowed guys are more attractive to women — but only to a point. Like other physical characteristics, male genitalia are subject to sexual selection. And in fact, penises have been known to evolve quickly, owing to strong selectional preferences at play. And indeed, human males are not…

io9 George Dvorsky

Deep Sea Fauna with Googly Eyes

Today’s science website of note: Deep Sea Fauna… With Googly Eyes – a single-subject tumblr that takes weird-looking critters from the ocean deep and grants them +2 Charisma by equipping them with a pair (or more) of plastic eyeballs. It’s… surprisingly effective. Above, Lepidonotopodium piscesae stares at you with mouth agape. Below, Bathynomus kensleyi looks…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

This scaleless Antarctic fish has crystal clear blood

This is Chionodraco rastrospinosus, an ocellated deep sea ice fish that swims in the frigid waters off Antarctica. Unlike other vertebrates, its blood is completely devoid of hemoglobin — and is therefore translucent. Combine that with its scaleless features, and you have one of the more unique creatures on the planet. This fish is a…

io9 George Dvorsky

Fill in the blank: A gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a ________ of whale sharks

Researchers are trying to come up with a collective noun to describe whale sharks, afteran unprecedented “aggregation” of the fishes was recently discovered in Yucatan. Everyone agrees “aggregation” is probably the most boring way possible to describe any group of animals. For instance: why call it an aggregation of ferrets when you can call it…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Monkeys are the most stressed when they’re stuck in the middle

Sociological studies have found that middle managers tend to be more stressed than either their bosses or their underlings. That phenomenon might well be true of all primates, as macaques display heightened stress levels when they are in the middle of their social hierarchy. Researchers at the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Dramatic diagrams of cell biology and atomic structure belong in a beautiful textbook

Artist MRK (Markos Kay) is best known for his mesmerizing digital videos like The Flow and the aDiatomea series. But he also creates striking static images inspired by cell biology, atomic structure, and his own digital creations. What makes MRK’s images so compelling is the way they make cell biology seem less abstract. Instead of…

io9 Lauren Davis

Is This Dingo Mother Mourning Her Dead Pup?

In recent years we’ve seen a number of animals, including elephants, giraffes and chimpanzees, “grieve” over deceased group members. But canids are notably — and surprisingly — absent from the list of mourners. For the first time, researchers have now documented a wild dingo mother showing “care-giving behavior” towards a dead pup. Is this evidence…

io9 Joseph Bennington-Castro

Could you outrun a Tyrannosaurus rex?

Just how quick was the great tyrant lizard, exactly? Experts in biomechanics think she was pretty damn quick – but still probably not as fast as you think. Researchers have been debating over the speed of dinosaurs – and T. rex, specifically – for years. Reconstructions of dinosaurs toward the end of the 19th century…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Upstream Color is the first masterpiece of the year

Shane Carruth created an uncompromising mind-bender with his first movie, Primer. But with his second film, Upstream Color, he’s done something harder and weirder. Upstream Color uses striking images and sounds to unmoor you from reality, even as it tells a powerful, emotional journey. No spoilers below… The meme you’re going to hear a lot…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

Scientists Can Print Synthetic Tissue Using Just Water and Oil

3D printing isn’t all about making guns and toys—some researchers are using it to make real medical advances. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Oxford has managed to create a 3D printer that can produce synthetic tissue using just water and oil. 3D printers have been produced in the past that can…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe

Doctors keep skin grafts in place using parasitic worms

Allen’s rule and the physics of evolution

Is there a “shadow biosphere” on Earth?

The Science of Sperm Collecting

A major step towards transplantable lab-grown organs

Gelada monkey’s yodel-like gurgling could reveal origins of human speech

Can ants predict earthquakes?

People from the South aren’t the fattest – they’re just more honest

Whoa, Francis Crick’s DNA letter has sold for $5.3 million!

The Truth About Why Microbes Make You Sick

Latest science shows that size really does matter to women

Deep Sea Fauna with Googly Eyes

This scaleless Antarctic fish has crystal clear blood

Fill in the blank: A gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a ________ of whale sharks

Monkeys are the most stressed when they’re stuck in the middle

Dramatic diagrams of cell biology and atomic structure belong in a beautiful textbook

Is This Dingo Mother Mourning Her Dead Pup?

Could you outrun a Tyrannosaurus rex?

Upstream Color is the first masterpiece of the year

Scientists Can Print Synthetic Tissue Using Just Water and Oil

Artemis 2 Live Updates: Countdown to the Moon 🔴

Amazon eero WiFi 7 Router (3-Pack) Keeps Its Spring Sale Price, Covering Up to 120 Devices Across 6,000 Sq. Ft.

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