Inside the shark nursery: the evolution of live birth in cartilaginous fish
A new study reveals that egg yolk proteins may have been co-opted to provide maternal nutrition in live-bearing sharks and their relatives.
The social code: deciphering the genetic basis of hymenopteran social behavior
The authors of a recent study published in Genome Biology and Evolution set out to uncover early genetic changes in bees and wasps on the path to sociality.
Inside the genome of the world’s weirdest octopus
The greater argonaut, Argonauta argo, has a reputation for being the world’s weirdest octopus and indeed may be one of the most unusual and mysterious creatures to roam the ocean.
Good news for honey bees from 150-year-old museum specimens
The past several decades have been hard on Apis mellifera, the Western honey bee. Originally native to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Western honey bees have spread worldwide thanks to the nutritional and medicinal value of their honey, pollen, beeswax, and other hive products.
Unique adaptations allow owls to rule the night
As the only birds with a nocturnal, predatory lifestyle, owls occupy a unique niche in the avian realm. Hunting prey in the dark comes with a number of challenges, and owls have evolved several features that leave them well-suited to this task.