New Scientist
Jurassic Park to The Martian: 5 movies that get botany (mostly) wrong
From Jurassic Park to The Martian, botanist James Wong explores the major science fiction films that get botany spectacularly wrong
Categories: Fossils
Red squirrels were hosts for leprosy in medieval England
DNA analysis of remains found at medieval sites has identified closely related strains of leprosy-causing bacteria in the bones of humans and a red squirrel
Categories: Fossils
Protocells on early Earth may have been formed by squeezing geysers
Simulations of the crust of early Earth show that cycles of pressure caused by geysers or tidal forces could have generated cell-like structures and even very simple proteins
Categories: Fossils
Flies undertake epic migrations that may be vital for pollination
Migrating flies can carry pollen hundreds or thousands of kilometres, and this could help plants adapt to climate change
Categories: Fossils
Seven surprising things you may not know about roots
Plants are often celebrated for the parts that are easy to see – flower, leaves, fruit – but scientists are uncovering the secrets of their more mysterious underground networks
Categories: Fossils
Rising temperatures are cooking bumblebee nests and killing larvae
Climate change could be fueling bumblebee population loss by making hives too hot to handle
Categories: Fossils
Orangutan is first non-human seen treating wounds with medicinal plant
A male Sumatran orangutan chewed the leaves of a plant used in Indonesian traditional medicine and placed them on a wound on his face
Categories: Fossils
Here's an easier way to improve the drainage of heavy clay soil
Digging sand or grit into clay soils is a drainage fix that has been around for years, but James Wong turns to nature to find a less backbreaking solution
Categories: Fossils
These stunning close-up photos offer a window onto the world of bees
From an orchid bee to a violet carpenter bee, these images show the insects in amazing detail
Categories: Fossils
Odd bump on praying mantis chest is actually world’s weirdest tongue
A bristly bump on some mantises’ chests is a never-before-seen “gustifolium”, which may have evolved to help the insects with their highly specialised lifestyles
Categories: Fossils
Foxes' skulls are specially adapted for diving into snow
Red foxes and Arctic foxes dive headfirst into snow at up to 4 metres per second to catch small rodents, and the shape of their snouts reduces the impact force
Categories: Fossils