Biology

11 Emerging Scientific Fields That Everyone Should Know About

There was a time when science could be broken down into neat-and-tidy disciplines — straightforward things like biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. But as science advances, these fields are becoming increasingly specialized and interdisciplinary, leading to entirely new avenues of inquiry. Here are 11 emerging scientific fields you should know about. Top image: An artistic…

io9 George Dvorsky

Get to know the friendly side of tongue-eating parasites

In this video from NOVA, you’ll learn about how the isopods known colloquially as tongue-eating parasites aren’t just about, well, eating tongues. They also have a cool reproductive cycle, complete with hermaphroditism. Plus, you’ll get some helpful advice about checking the mouths of your favorite fish for these strange invaders.

io9 Annalee Newitz

Scientists discover that eating Mediterranean food can prevent heart disease

Eating a Mediterranean diet that contains olive oil and nuts can leave you with a healthier heart. In a randomized trial of nearly 7,500 people at risk of heart disease in Spain, researchers discovered that people who stuck to what they called the “Mediterranean diet” — supplemented either with extra virgin olive oil or nuts…

io9 Annalee Newitz

This is probably the most disgusting thing you’ll watch this week, but it’s also absolutely fascinating

Fair warning: this video is graphic right off the bat. Probably NSFW, unless you’re a butcher or a taxidermist (intestines, bile, and blood abound). But, if you’ve got the stomach for it, this is really captivating stuff. Watch it if you can. Seriously. The video above is one of the more recent installments in an…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Lanternshark is part shark, part lightsaber, all awesome

Measuring only about a foot and a half long, the lanternshark may seem distinctly less impressive than its larger shark cousins. But this diminutive fish has mastered the art of bioluminescence, concealing themselves from prey while challenging any potential predators. Because they are deep-sea fish, it’s not surprising that lanternsharks have bioluminescent abilities, but they…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Fruit flies bathe their young in alcohol to keep them healthy

Reaffirming that age-old maxim that alcohol is the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems, fruit flies have devised an ingenious strategy to protect their unborn young from parasites. They simply lay their eggs in alcohol, and somehow that solves everything. The researcher who decided to expand that “somehow” into, you know, an…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Baby Sloths: Adorable AND Generous

Matthew (aka “Matty”) the baby three-toed sloth bestows upon his handler/the luckiest woman on Earth (aka “Claire”) a single hibiscus petal at the Sloth Sanctuary/Miracle Factory in Costa Rica. WHAT I WOULDN’T GIVE TO BE YOU, CLAIRE. DO YOU EVEN KNOW? Thanks, Kat!

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Flowers Communicate with Electricity

Flowers may be silent, but scientists have just discovered that electric fields allow them to communicate with bumblebees and possibly other species, including humans. It’s well known that color, shape, pattern and fragrances allow flowers to connect with pollinators, but the new study, published in the journal Science, adds electricity to this already impressive lineup.…

io9 Jennifer Viegas - Discovery News

The 8 Incredibly Gross Powers Superman Doesn’t Even Realize He Has

Everyone knows about Superman’s ability to blow ice breath. Anyone who’s seen Superman IV remembers the scene where a single strand of Superman’s hair holds up a half-ton weight. And more than comic nerds have heard about the legendary “Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex” conundrum, which posits if Superman has sex with Lois Lane,…

io9 Rob Bricken

Giant goldfish are breeding in Lake Tahoe

Conservationists from the University of Nevada are increasingly finding oversized goldfish in Lake Tahoe— and they’re attributing it to the practice of aquarium dumping. The hardy goldfish, a relative of the asian carp, can grow to 1.5 feet or longer, and they’re starting to become a menace to the lake’s ecosystem. And as the biologists…

io9 George Dvorsky

When cats are outlawed, what animals should replace them as pets?

We have learned that cats appear to be environmental murderizers. Some people even want to ban them as pets. Let’s say we have to do that for the sake of the Earth. What local, replacement pets would make good replacements for domesticated cats? Here are a few good ideas. https://gizmodo.com/domestic-cats-are-destroying-the-planet-5979891 Let’s face it. Domestic cats…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Our first glimpse ever of a baby giant armadillo

For the first time ever, scientists working in the Brazilian Pantanal have documented the birth of a giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). These solitary creatures, which can weigh as much as 110 pounds (50 kg), are so elusive that some consider them more myth than reality. But when a team of biologists suspected that a female…

io9 George Dvorsky

The science of porn addiction

Hey you. We see what you’re looking at in that private browser window. Don’t be ashamed. Everyone knows the internet was made for porn (well… porn, cats and social media, to be exact — and sometimes all three at once). Just remember to be careful out there — internet porn addiction may not be officially…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Don’t be fooled: dolphins are actually huge assholes

The crew of marine-minded misfits running the show at Deep Sea News recently posted a rebuttal to Treehugger’s well-meaning, but ultimately ingenuous, list of 10 Reasons Why Dolphins Are Undeniably Awesome. DSN’s list? 10 reasons that dolphins are raging assholes. “[Treehugger’s] list is all nice and well but… does overlook some key aspects of dolphins…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Ex-Lab Chimps Show Remarkable Improvement After Treatment With Anti-Depressants

One can only imagine the psychological and emotional states of research chimpanzees who have been poked, prodded, and confined for a good portion of their lives. No doubt, once relieved from the burdens of medical testing, many chimpanzees have a difficult time adapting to “normal” life. But as a recent small-scale experiment has shown, anti-depressants…

io9 George Dvorsky

If you can make it through this video without yawning, you’re probably a wizard

We’re really loving this yawn compilation exercise in sympathetic yawn repression. It’s a video by filmmaker Daniel Mercadante (titled “Yawns,” naturally). Assembled from clips of the best yawn footage the internet has to offer, it may be the most definitive proof ever that yawns are contagious. Seriously — we defy you to sit through this…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Traces of anxiety drug in rivers make fish braver and less social

Swedish researchers have discovered that the anti-anxiety drug oxazepam is having a noticeable effect on the behavior of aquatic life. Traces of this popular pharmaceutical get flushed into rivers and other waterways where they remain biochemically active. But until this new study, it wasn’t known if these chemicals had an effect on the behavior of…

io9 George Dvorsky

This sea slug has a detachable penis

Sea slugs are weird. But their sexual habits are even weirder. Take Chromodoris reticulata for example. It’s a “simultaneous hermaphrodite,” meaning it has both male and female sexual organs which it uses at the same time when mating (making it the envy of the animal kingdom). Even stranger, however, is how its penis detaches after…

io9 George Dvorsky

Penguins teach humans to walk on ice without getting injured

Loving this little graphic from the folks at TABLET Infographics (see below for the full image). The penguin’s waddle is an age-old and oft-cited technique to avoid seriously injuring yourself while walking on ice, but be advised: moving like a penguin can be exhausting. Penguins are estimate to expend about twice as much metabolic energy…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Zoologists watch as monkey midwife delivers baby

Human labor is long and difficult, so it’s only natural that someone be there to lend a helping hand — that’s where the midwife comes in. It’s not the kind of thing that’s typically observed among other animals, however. Imagine the surprise of these zoologists working in southwest China when they witnessed the birth of…

io9 George Dvorsky

11 Emerging Scientific Fields That Everyone Should Know About

Get to know the friendly side of tongue-eating parasites

Scientists discover that eating Mediterranean food can prevent heart disease

This is probably the most disgusting thing you’ll watch this week, but it’s also absolutely fascinating

Lanternshark is part shark, part lightsaber, all awesome

Fruit flies bathe their young in alcohol to keep them healthy

Baby Sloths: Adorable AND Generous

Flowers Communicate with Electricity

The 8 Incredibly Gross Powers Superman Doesn’t Even Realize He Has

Giant goldfish are breeding in Lake Tahoe

When cats are outlawed, what animals should replace them as pets?

Our first glimpse ever of a baby giant armadillo

The science of porn addiction

Don’t be fooled: dolphins are actually huge assholes

Ex-Lab Chimps Show Remarkable Improvement After Treatment With Anti-Depressants

If you can make it through this video without yawning, you’re probably a wizard

Traces of anxiety drug in rivers make fish braver and less social

This sea slug has a detachable penis

Penguins teach humans to walk on ice without getting injured

Zoologists watch as monkey midwife delivers baby

Beats Powerbeats Fit Drops Below Black Friday Pricing Across All Colorways as Amazon Continues to Cut Prices on the Earbuds

Artemis 2 Live Updates: Countdown to the Moon 🔴

Google Pixel 9a Hits a Record Low on Clearance, With Trade-In Making It Nearly Half the Price of Pixel Buds Pro 2

James Cameron Could Remake ‘Fantastic Voyage’ Before He Works on ‘Avatar 4’

Forget Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, Samsung B-Series Soundbar With Built-In Subwoofer Still Under $100 for Post-Spring Sale

Apple M4 MacBook Air Is Still at Its Spring Sale Low as Amazon Moves Into Clearance Mode, No Need to Wait for Prime Day

They’re Already Trying to Baby Yoda Rocky From ‘Project Hail Mary’

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Just Got Cheaper Again After Spring Sale, With 3 Months of Game Pass Included at No Extra Cost

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

Let us help find what you are looking for...