A new study of great white sharks reveals that young sharks spend much of their time as bottom-feeders rather than hunting near the surface. Shark attacks on humans are rare but they do happen, so finding where the creatures hunt is vital to understanding why attacks happen. The researchers say that the data they gathered …
A corpse plant is blooming at a greenhouse in New York City, and you can watch it happen live right here. Corpse plants only blossom 7-10 years after they are initially planted, making this a rare sight. As the name suggests, the plant is known for smelling like rotting flesh. With people still practicing social …
Coral bleaching occurs when ocean waters get too warm, driving algae away from the reef and prompting a change in the coral. Sometimes, bleaching leaves reefs pale white, while other times the coral takes on bright, neon shades. Researchers believe this is due to a natural protective mechanism within the coral. Coral bleaching can be …
A team of scientists from the United States and Hong Kong has built a “bionic eye’ that mimics a human eye in shape and function. The eye, currently in its prototype stage, could one day be used as a prosthetic to restore vision in blind people. The scientists note that the eye could also be …
There’s a secret bumblebee trick that can trigger plants to flower a month earlier than they would otherwise. Researchers in Switzerland discovered that when bumblebees chew a specific pattern into the leaves of a plant, it flowers up to 30 days early. Attempts to replicate the phenomenon by damaging the plants in a similar manner …
A deadly virus has been found in rabbits in several US states, and it could pose a risk to populations of various species across the country. The disease causes internal bleeding, leading to death, and is considered to be highly contagious. The virus can spread between rabbit species, but it’s not thought to be a …
A species of flightless bird went extinct over 130,000 years ago but then appeared again after evolution gave it a second chance. The birds evolved independently, thousands of years apart, but did so on the exact same island. When species evolve twice it’s known as “iterative evolution.” Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories. When an …
Scientists built a climate model to simulate puddles of salty water on Mars which could hold life. The data doesn’t favor the existence of life as we know it, and the puddles are believed to only exist during certain times of the year. Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories. Of all the planets in our …
Scientists have found a multicellular organism capable of surviving without oxygen. The creature, a tiny parasite that lives inside of salmon, doesn’t have the genes for mitochondria, which power our cells and allow for cellular respiration that uses oxygen. Researchers still aren’t sure how the creatures are surviving, so this won’t be the last you …
Cape honey bees in South Africa reproduce without sex, and are even capable of producing female larvas that become queens. Researchers have pinpointed the gene responsible for this incredible reproductive power, and hope to use it against the bees, which frequently drive away other bee species. Going forward, the power to control the ability of …
