News by Subject Biology

New research into Britain's fastest declining bird species has found that young turtle doves raised on a diet of seeds foraged from non-cultivated arable plants rather than food provided in people's gardens are more likely to survive after fledging. Ecologists at the University of Lincoln, UK, investigated the dietary habits of European turtle doves using DNA analysis of faecal samples and found significant associations between the body condition and the source of the bird's diet.

Researchers at the University of Montana recently discovered that hybridization played an important role in snowshoe hares' ability to match their environment.

A remarkably high diversity of goblin spiders is reported from the Sri Lankan forests by two researchers from the National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Nine new species are described in a recent paper in the open-access journal Evolutionary Systematics, where six are named after goblins and brownies from Enid Blyton's children's books. There are now 45 goblin spider species belonging to 13 genera known to inhabit the island country.

Short, synthetic peptides that disrupt bacteria's response to antibiotics boost antibiotic activity against high-density skin infections in mice, according to new research presented by Daniel Pletzer and colleagues at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

The evolutionary history and origin of syphilis, and other treponemal diseases, is a hotly debated topic by scholars. Scholars who theorize syphilis originated in the 'New World' and preceded the 15th century have been in fierce debate with scholars who theorize a multiregional origin followed by the 15th century pandemic spread. Both sides are supported by organic evidence found in contemporary genetic and skeletal remains across the globe.

It's a mystery how cleaner shrimp partner with would-be fish predators -- sometimes even climbing in their mouths -- without getting eaten. A new study reveals how the shrimp convinces fish not to eat them, and the fish conveys that it's a friend and not a foe.

An international team of researchers has discovered evidence of 27 previously unknown viruses in bees. The finding could help scientists design strategies to prevent the spread of viral pathogens among these important pollinators.