Caribbean parrots thought to be endemic are actually relicts of millennial-scale extinction
In a new study published in PNAS, researchers have extracted the first ancient DNA from Caribbean parrots, which they compared…
Hundreds of Andean bird species at risk due to deforestation: New research shows how to protect them
Birds native to the tropical Andes, many of which cannot be found anywhere else, are threatened by increasing agricultural development…
Ancient DNA reveals an early African origin of cattle in the Americas
Cattle may seem like uniquely American animals, steeped in the lore of cowboys, cattle drives and sprawling ranches. But cattle…
Wormlike animals are first amphibians shown to pass microbes to their offspring
Caecilians are an elusive type of amphibian that primarily live underground and look like a cross between a worm and…
Marine fossils are a reliable benchmark for degrading and collapsing ecosystems
Biologists attempting to conserve and restore denuded environments are limited by their scant knowledge of what those environments looked like…
New fish species discovered after years of popularity in the aquarium trade
With just a few clicks of a mouse, you can purchase your very own redtail garra, a type of fish…
It takes a village: Study shows community is key to a sustained passion for science among adolescents
The results of a yearlong science program show that one of the best ways to instill a lasting interest in…
Weather anomalies are keeping insects active longer
As Earth’s climate continues to warm due to the emission of greenhouse gasses, extreme and anomalous weather events are becoming…
Move over, armadillos. There’s a new bone-plated mammal in town
Mammals are a bit odd when it comes to bones. Rather than the bony plates and scales of crocodiles, turtles,…
Butterfly tree of life reveals an origin in North America
About 100 million years ago, a group of trendsetting moths started flying during the day rather than at night, taking…