Biggest fish in the sea are girls
By Tayyibah Aziz, science writer Whale shark girls overtake the boys to become world’s largest fish Female whale sharks grow more slowly than males but end up being larger, [...]
Life Science
Poetry in motion: engineers analyze the fluid physics of movement in marine snails
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer In a new interdisciplinary study that combines intellectual curiosity with awe, researchers show in detail that the swimming and [...]
Reef manta rays make long-term use of marine-protected areas
By Peter Rejcek, science writer Understanding the key areas where migratory species like the reef manta ray like to congregate is crucial for their future conservation. A new [...]
Bacteria could survive the travel from Earth to Mars, and vice versa, when forming aggregates
By Lucie Sammicheli, science writer The hypothesis called “panspermia” proposes an interplanetary transfer of life. Microbes inside shielding material such as rocks could [...]
Ancient gene family protects algae from salt and cold in an Antarctic lake
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Two species of Chlamydomonas algae from the ice-covered, hypersaline Lake Bonney in Antarctica use variants of an ancient gene [...]
Plastic debris releases potentially harmful chemicals into seabird stomach fluid
By Conn Hastings, science writer A recent study has found that plastic ingested by northern fulmars, a common seabird, could release potentially toxic chemicals in their [...]
Bird and reptile tears aren’t so different from human tears
By K.E.D. Coan, science writer Vision is essential for the survival of most animal species and tears provide potentially life-saving protection for the eyes. A new [...]
Bird nests attract flying insects and parasites due to higher levels of carbon dioxide
By Nora Belblidia, science writer Researchers in Spain have examined bird nests in order to understand how flying insects and parasites detect gases as a way to locate their [...]
Tracking humanity’s latest toxins in stranded whales and dolphins
By K.E.D. Coan, science writer As humanity develops new types of plastics and chemicals, researchers are constantly trying to keep up with understanding how these [...]
Grooming behavior between dairy cows reveals complex social network
By Peter Rejcek, science writer Like humans, cattle are social creatures with complex relationships that change as group dynamics evolve. New research into social grooming [...]
Studying COVID-19’s envelope protein
By Carolyn E. Unck | KAUST Discovery A likeness between genes of the SARS and COVID-19 viruses could inform research into potential treatments Understanding any similarities [...]
Pangolins may possess evolutionary advantage against coronavirus
The exotic animal’s genome could point to possible treatment options for COVID-19 in humans: Frontiers in Immunology [...]
An inexpensive and fast clinical test that can save human lives and spares at-risk populations of horseshoe crabs
New method could save hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs per year and enable life-saving clinical uses for humans: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
German scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
A group of bacteria is capable of ingesting toxic organic compounds as a source of carbon, nitrogen and energy: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Big brains or many babies: how birds can thrive in urban environments
Birds can thrive in cities either by having larger brains or breeding more often: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. [...]
Engaging locals could make grizzly conservation policies more bearable
Involving locals could reduce frustrations and make such policies more successful: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Space lettuce
Nutritious and safe crops would be a dietary supplement to assist remote space missions: Frontiers in Plant Science [...]
Taking a bite out of food waste
Scientists re-purpose wasted bread as a more sustainable starter for the food industry: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Ancient gut microbiomes could shed light on human evolution
A new study offers hypotheses about the influence of microbes on our early social and daily lives: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Small marsupials in Australia may struggle to adjust to a warming climate
Temperature experiments found that a shrew-like species may not be able to respond to prolonged heat waves: Frontiers in Physiology [...]
New image analysis method shows how giant viruses infect amoeba
Time-lapse microscopy reveals how amoebae react to infection by giant viruses: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Recreational fishers catching more sharks and rays
Catches of these fishes have increased over the last six decades around the world: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
New species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in infected wound
A hitherto unknown antibiotic-resistant bacteria species, in the same family as E. coli and Salmonella spp., has been found: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Lazy moths taste disgusting
Scientists find that unappetizing moths make less effort to escape attacking bats: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Spot the difference: Two identical-looking bird species with very different genes
Similar birds actually diverged 500,000 years ago: Frontiers in Genetics [...]
Iron availability in seawater key to explaining amount and distribution of fish
Large areas of the ocean may have insufficient iron for most fish: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
Video games offer clues to help curb animal disease outbreaks
As Asia and Europe battle African swine fever, University of Vermont research shows how farmers' risk attitudes affect the spread of infectious animal diseases and offers a first-of-its kind model for testing disease control and prevention strategies; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]
Skin bacteria could save frogs from virus
Ranavirus can wipe out entire common frog populations, but researchers say their latest study could help the species; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Wolf-dog ‘swarms’ threaten Europe’s wolves
A new study reveals that scientists are divided on issues such as how to remove hybrids and free-roaming dogs, and whether they should be kept captive, sterilised and released or killed; Frontiers in Ecology in Evolution [...]
Cometh the hourglass: Why do men prefer a low waist-to-hip ratio?
Waist-to-hip ratio can signal sex, age, pregnancy, parity -- as well as capacity for offspring brain development; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
Exploring the origins of the apple
The wild apples in the Tien Shan Mountains represent the main ancestral population for our modern apple. These trees produce large fruits, which are often red when ripe and [...]
Winter is coming: a stark divide in red-neck phalarope migration
Red-neck phalaropes split between the Pacific Ocean and the Arabian Sea for the colder months, researchers discover; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Altering how cyanobacteria capture light from the Sun can impact their health
Researchers have identified a gene mutation in cyanobacteria that creates resistance to free radicals, and could be used to accelerate cell growth in biotech applications; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
What’s your poison? Scrupulous scorpions tailor venom to target
Scorpions adapt their stinging, stingers and sting contents to minimize the costs of venom use; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Cardiorespiratory fitness of farmed Atlantic salmon unaffected by virus
The respiratory systems of Atlantic salmon function normally despite them carrying a virus that infects red blood cells; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
Vaccine for African swine fever may save our bacon
New study shows wild boar can be immunized against the most significant worldwide threat to the swine industry by a vaccine administered via their food; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]
Honey, I ate the kids: the sweet side of filial cannibalism
Why do some animals eat or abandon their offspring? According to researchers at the University of Tennessee and the University of Oxford, these might actually be forms of parental care; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Love Island: Flamboyant males get the girls on Madagascar
In two new species of rare giant stick insects, males turn livid blue or multicolored at sexual maturity; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Quantum physics and origami for the ultimate get-well card
Scientists have combined the simplicity of paper with the complexity of quantum physics for point-of-care testing in low-resource environments; Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology [...]
Slower runners benefit most from high-tech shoes
Researchers re-examined treadmill studies of runners dating back decades, recalculating the effect of performance strategies to account for things like air resistance and oxygen uptake velocity; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
What can worms tell us about human aging?
A community-developed blueprint of worm metabolism holds promise for greater understanding of aging; Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences [...]
Muscle memory discovery ends ‘use it or lose it’ dogma
New research shows that extra nuclei gained during exercise persist even after a muscle shrinks from disuse, disease or aging -- and can be mobilized rapidly to facilitate bigger gains on retraining; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
Better understanding of dog body language could make interactions safer
A new study shows that both children and parents frequently misinterpret canine behavior, but a short training session can bring substantial and lasting improvements; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]
It’s not trails that disturb forest birds, but the people on them
Frequently used forest trails have fewer birds and not as many species - even when the trails have been used for decades: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Marine Protected Areas overlook a large fraction of biodiversity hotspots
Lack of knowledge when designating MPAs lets ecologically important species slip through the net, but small, targeted changes can have big effects on protected area efficiency: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
10 ways your research shaped the last decade
As Frontiers celebrates its 10th anniversary, we look back at 10 ways our authors' research has contributed to, and built on, breakthroughs of the past decade. [...]
What makes a good working dog? Canine ‘aptitude test’ might offer clues
New study demonstrates canine intelligence tests can predict top learners, making training of working dogs cheaper and faster; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]
Potential markers identified for early detection and prevention of liver cancer
A shift in glucose metabolism hails progression from liver cirrhosis to liver cancer: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology [...]
Researchers discover deepest known underwater volcanic eruption
Scientists used remotely operated vehicles to explore an eruption 4,500 metres below the surface of the Pacific Ocean; Frontiers in Earth Science [...]
Army scientists develop computational model to predict human behavior
A new model predicts how individuals adapt to group behavior -- reducing this social influence to a single number; Frontiers in Physics. [...]
