Ferns finally get a genome, revealing a history of DNA hoarding and kleptomania
Ferns are notorious for containing massive amounts of DNA and an excessively large number of chromosomes. Defying all expectations, a…
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Frog forelimbs may be adapted for love and war as well as jumping
Hold out your arm with your palm facing downward. Now rotate your hand 90 degrees to give a thumbs-up without…
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Plants that pull nitrogen from thin air thrive in arid environments
After a comprehensive study of plants across the United States, researchers have arrived at the unexpected conclusion that plants able…
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Researchers use AI to create a treasure map of undiscovered ant species
E. O. Wilson once referred to invertebrates as “the little things that run the world,” without whom “the human species…
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Oldest DNA from domesticated American horse lends credence to shipwreck folklore
An abandoned Caribbean colony unearthed centuries after it had been forgotten and a case of mistaken identity in the archaeological…
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Moths enlist additional troops in an evolutionary arms race
While a clear night sky might seem quiet and peaceful to us, empty of everything but stars, this nocturnal world…
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New hawk moth species are among the smallest ever discovered
Hawk moths are known for being some of the largest night fliers in the insect world. With wingspans of more…
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Chanchita may have the highest cold tolerance of all non-native fish in central Florida
When Florida Museum ichthyology collection manager Rob Robins brought home fish samples from central Florida in 2017, he didn’t anticipate…
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Indigenous communities used the Caribbean Sea as an aquatic highway
With some 7,000 islands and cays and a 7,000-year history of human habitation, the Caribbean Sea is practically synonymous with…
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Miniature frogs set record as first vertebrates to lose the ability to balance
Amphibians are exceptionally good at being small. There are salamanders the size of your thumb nail, pygmy newts that live…
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