Sea urchins keep on trucking while other marine life languishes in the Florida Keys
In the summer of 2020, Florida Museum researchers Tobias Grun and Michał Kowalewski dove into the shallow waters off the…
Read More
Rare and iconic Atala butterflies retain ancient pattern of wing symmetry
Nature seems to have an inexhaustible supply of inspiration when it comes to butterflies. With over 18,000 species, each with…
Read More
Tracking the origin of southern California’s latest invasive pest
In 2012, a crop of California’s most prized ornamental trees was overrun by an invisible invader. The growing shoots of…
Read More
Tropical insects are extremely sensitive to changing climates
Insects that are adapted to perennially wet environments, like tropical rainforests, don’t tend to do well when their surroundings dry…
Read More
North America’s rarest snake found biting off more than it could chew
North America’s rarest snake, Tantilla oolitica (rim rock crowned snake), was recently spotted in a park in the Florida Keys…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More