How drought-tolerant grasses came to be. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, November 22, 2011. If you eat stuffing or grain-fed turkey this Thanksgiving, give thanks to the grasses — a family of plants that includes rice, corn and wheat. Now, a new grass family tree may help scientists develop more drought-tolerant grains.
Communal living of the insect kind
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Communal living of the insect kind. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, November 16, 2011. The social lives of ants, wasps and bees have long been a puzzle to scientists. How did complex insect societies — colonies ruled by a queen and many workers — come to be? A new model adds to discontent with old ideas.
Bigger birds are harder hit by human noise
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Bigger birds are harder hit by human noise. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, November 9, 2011. A growing body of evidence shows that man-made noise is bad for birds, but some species are harder hit than others — particularly bigger birds with low-frequency songs, finds a new study. Picked up by Science Magazine, Discovery News, Southern California Public Radio and National Geographic.
Tracking touch-the-ground running
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Tracking touch-the-ground running. Raleigh News and Observer, November 7, 2011. Some argue that running barefoot – or close to it – improves form and reduces injury. Could they be right?
Patrolling for pollution with robotic fish
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Synchronized swimming: patrolling for pollution with robotic fish. Scientific American Guest Blog, September 19, 2011. In landlocked East Lansing, Michigan, you’re unlikely to swim with dolphins. But you can swim with robotic fish, thanks to a team of scientists who are developing underwater robots that swim in schools to monitor water quality.
Microbe-managing your life
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Microbe-managing your life. Raleigh News and Observer, September 19, 2011. Can gut parasites be good for you? It may sound far-fetched. But for those with off-kilter immune systems, scientists are finding hope in some unlikely allies.
The future of a fog oasis
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The future of a fog oasis. Scientific American Guest Blog, August 19, 2011. In a fast-disappearing desert oasis, scientists are trying to bring a forest back to life – and discovering the imprint of a lost civilization amidst the vanishing trees.
Hummingbirds catch flying bugs with the help of fast-closing beaks
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Hummingbirds catch flying bugs with the help of fast-closing beaks. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, July 19, 2011. The shape of a hummingbird’s beak allows it to snatch up flying insects in a mere fraction of a second — with greater speed and power than could be achieved by jaw muscles alone.
Building a better strawberry
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Building a better strawberry. Raleigh News and Observer, June 27, 2011. Scientists and chefs team up to breed a hardier, tastier North Carolina strawberry.
Stable temperatures boost montane biodiversity
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Stable temperatures boost biodiversity in tropical mountains. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, June 8, 2011. The diversity of plants and animals in tropical mountain ranges may have something to do with the stable seasonal temperatures found near the equator relative to higher latitudes.
Songbirds tweak their tunes in different ways to cope with clamor
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Songbirds tweak their tunes in different ways to cope with clamor. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, May 26, 2011. Some birds that live near noisy sites can alter their songs to deal with din. But closely related species with similar songs may tweak their tunes in different ways, says a new study. Picked up by US News and World Report and Science Magazine.
Eat your fruit; it’s good for you
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Eat your fruit; it’s good for you. Raleigh News and Observer, May 16, 2011. Plant scientist Mary Ann Lila hopes to pinpoint the natural compounds in blueberries and other fruits that explain their medicinal powers.
Coping with climate change
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Coping with climate change. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, May 11, 2011. Can we predict which species will be able to move far or fast enough to keep up with rising global temperatures? A new study says the secrets to success in the face of a warming world are still elusive.
Marine snails get a metabolism boost
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Marine snails get a metabolism boost. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, May 3, 2011. Most of us wouldn’t consider slow-moving snails to be high-metabolism creatures. But at one point in the distant past, snail metabolism sped up, says a new study in the journal Paleobiology.
Toxic frogs are more physically fit
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Treadmill tests for poison frogs prove toxic species are more physically fit. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, March 29, 2011. The most toxic, brightly colored members of the poison frog family may also be the best athletes. Story picked up by Wired Science, Discovery Channel, and MSNBC News.
New study pinpoints why some microbial genes are more promiscuous than others
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New study pinpoints why some microbial genes are more promiscuous than others. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, March 16, 2011. A new study of more than three dozen species — including the microbes responsible for pneumonia, ulcers and plague — settles a longstanding debate about why bacteria are more likely to steal some genes than others.
To age is primate
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To age is primate. Duke Today, March 10, 2011. For a long time scientists thought that humans aged more slowly than other animals, especially given our relatively long life spans and access to modern medicine. But now, the first-ever comparison of human aging patterns with those in chimps and other primates suggests the pace of human aging may not be so unique after all. Picked up by Discovery News, US News & World Report, ABC News, MSNBC, Science Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, and NPR’s Science Friday.
Evolution drives many plants and animals to be bigger, faster
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Evolution drives many plants and animals to be bigger, faster. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, March 7, 2011. For the vast majority of plants and animals, the ‘bigger is better’ view of evolution may not be far off the mark, says a new study of natural selection.
The secret life of yeast bread
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The secret life of yeast bread. Raleigh News and Observer, January 31, 2011. Have you ever wondered why bread rises? Why sourdough bread tastes different from French? A chemist demystifies the science and craft behind one of our most familiar foods.
Biological clock ticks slower for female birds who choose good mates
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Biological clock ticks slower for female birds who choose good mates. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, January 18, 2011. In birds as in people, female fertility declines with age, but some female songbirds can slow the ticking of their biological clocks by choosing the right mates. Picked up by MSNBC.
The worms within
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The worms within. Scientific American Guest Blog, December 17, 2010. Some of the worms and germs we’ve been warding off may actually keep us well. One solution, some scientists say, is to welcome them back.
Primates are more resilient than other animals to environmental ups and downs
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Primates are more resilient than other animals to environmental ups and downs. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, December 1, 2010.What sets mankind’s closest relatives — monkeys, apes, and other primates — apart from other animals? According to a new study, one answer is that primates are less susceptible to seasonal ups and downs. Picked up by TIME Magazine.
Scientists look at crops, bugs and animals
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Scientists look at crops, bugs and animals. Raleigh News and Observer, November 8, 2010. When most people think about genetic engineering, they usually think of genetically modified crops like corn and soybeans. Now, the debate over transgenics is turning from plants to mosquitoes and other pests.
Single parenthood doesn’t pay off for plants
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Single parenthood doesn’t pay off for plants. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, November 8, 2010. Plants that can pollinate themselves are more likely to go extinct, says a new study of the nightshade plant family.
N.C. Zoo works without borders
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N.C. Zoo works without borders. Raleigh News and Observer, September 20, 2010. Researchers at the NC zoo use high tech tracking tools to save wildlife and wild places far beyond the park gates.