Biology

Giraffe neck as a result of sexual selection?

Giraffes and a life reconstruction of their primeval ancestors (front). © Yu Wang and Xiaocong Guo Why do giraffes have long necks? Until...

Water protection could have a toxic effect

Notorious streaks in the water: The explosive multiplication of cyanobacteria can enrich water bodies with toxins. © Colleen Yancey It seems paradoxical at first:...

New type of molecule in the atmosphere

Free-jet flow tube for the analysis of atmospheric reactions. © Tilo Arnhold/ TROPOS Highly reactive oxygen compounds play an important role in the earth's...

Drug candidates from coral

Some soft corals produce medicinally promising compounds. © Bailey Miller Corals contain numerous substances that could potentially be used medicinally. One problem with...

Dolphins do skin care with corals

Mother dolphin with her calf at the "medicinal" corals. © Angela Ziltener In the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, a wildlife biologist...

What “ghost fossils” reveal about past climate impacts

Nannofossil from sedimentary rocks on the Yorkshire coast. © SM Slater et al. How is global warming and the associated acidification of the oceans affecting...

How fungi attack plants

A research team at the University of Cologne is investigating how pathogenic soil fungi outsmart the defense mechanisms of potatoes, tomatoes and the like. Source:...

On the trail of communicative structure

Apparently, the vocalizations of chimpanzees are structured in a surprisingly complex way. © Liran Samuni, Taï Chimpanzee Project According to a study, the sound...

Storms can also protect sandy beaches

Strong storms apparently not only gnaw at sandy beaches, but can also contribute to their long-term stabilization. © yuran-78/iStock Fierce coastal storms are known...

Water mushrooms: Powerful unknowns in sight

In water, too, special fungi are involved in the decomposition of biomass and thus in the nutrient cycle. © H. Masigol Inconspicuous, hardly researched...

First growth tests in lunar soil

A tiny seedling grown on lunar soil is harvested for genetic analysis. © UF/IFAS photo by Tyler Jones Is the lunar surface material suitable...

Award-winning biodiversity research

the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung reports on the interesting work of the evolutionary biologist alexandre Antonelliwhich was awarded this year's Senckenberg Prize. Source: Senckenberg World

Brave monkeys learn faster

A male marmoset exploring a branch. © Vedrana Šlipogor Like humans, monkeys have the ability to use tools, display complex social behavior, and learn...

Flood protection with a multi-benefit effect

The success of dyke removal and renaturation measures can also be seen on the Elbe. Geogif/iStock Buffer areas are created for water...

Will microbial meat alternatives save our forests?

Beef like in this burger promotes deforestation and harms the climate. © dulezidar/ iStock In order to meet the high meat consumption of the...

Why sunscreen harms reefs

Apparently, those who smear themselves with certain sunscreens before swimming or snorkeling can give corals a phototoxic hit. © Cunfek/iStock Sunscreen that bathers release...

On the trail of South German primeval robbers

Reconstruction of Batrachotomus and its habitat in present-day southwest Germany. © SMNS, M. Rech The primeval horsetail forests of what is now south-west Germany...

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