Ants know exactly where they came from, even if they travelled there by somewhat untraditional (for humans, anyway) means, like crawling backward or sideways. A new study found that ants can tell the difference between the direction their body is facing and the direction of travel. These findings challenge the notion that insects operate solely […]
The mechanism behind Namibian “fairy circles”
Self-organization of plants or fungi into distinct geometric patterns, such as “fairy circles”, has been fascinating to scientists. One such example in the Namib Desert consists of patches of bare sand from one to 25 meters in diameter, surrounded by desert shrubs and tall grasses. The mechanism behind its pattern has been disputed for a […]
Stingless bees are more vulnerable to pesticides than honeybees
Some chemicals used in agriculture can be a threat to key pollinators like bees, which can put entire plant species at risk of extinction. A new study tested the effect of insecticides, fungicides and their various combinations on two bee species: the Africanized honeybee and the stingless bee. Results showed that the stingless bees are […]
Calorie restricted diets help monkeys live longer
A few years ago, two research teams set out to answer the same question: how does a low-calorie diet affect rhesus monkeys’ health and survival? Researchers initially arrived at slightly different answers; however, after a recent collaboration and re-evaluation of pooled data from the two studies, they can say with certainty: when it comes to […]
Marine protected areas need expansion to prevent shark, ray and chimera extinction 
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are established all over the world to help preserve imperiled species. But the process of identifying these areas doesn’t always prioritize species most at risk of extinction. A new study focuses specifically on the endangered chondrichthyans (such as sharks, rays and chimeras) and their representation in the existing MPA network. Results […]
Newly discovered groups of dwarf galaxies can help scientists understand galactic growth
Galaxies are thought to form by the process of several smaller galaxies merging together. Now, scientists might be able to observe the process firsthand, after a recent discovery of seven groups of dwarf galaxies in the dark skies. The researchers used the largest optical survey of the night sky, as well as four different telescopes, to identify […]
Effects of climate change on the inhabitants of Borneo’s tropical rainforests
As global temperatures rise, unique ecosystems within tropical rainforests need to adapt to the changes. A new study looked at several species’ activity at each hour at each location on the landscape and projected how the spatio-temporal habits might change in a warmer environment. Results predicted a negligible effect on large animals; but smaller animals, […]
A third of Canadian adults recently diagnosed with asthma don’t have it
Asthma is often diagnosed purely on the patient’s self-reported symptoms and the physician’s observations, a recent study found. But 33% of adults recently diagnosed with the respiratory disease didn’t actually have active asthma, and over 90% of these patients were able to stop taking medication and remain safely off it for a year. The study […]
The real reason why female killer whales go through menopause
Killer whales are one of only three species to survive long past their reproductive years. It was thought that the main reason for menopause in female whales was family collaboration, since older females play a crucial role in helping find food for the younger family members. But a new study shows that older females’ calves […]
Exposure to low oxygen levels as embryos shapes adult zebrafish behavior
As a result of climate change, low-oxygen or hypoxic areas have spread to many fish habitats over the past few years. A new study attempts to understand the effect of the exposure to hypoxic conditions during embryo development in zebrafish on their behavior later in life. Researchers found that zebrafish that were exposed to […]
Extinct shelled fossil finds its true niche
Hyoliths, extinct sea creatures from the Cambrian period known for their cone-shaped shell and unusual appendages, have long been mistaken for a type of mollusc. However, a recent discovery by a U of T undergraduate student revealed that hyoliths belong to a group called lophophorates. The main trait that defines living lophophorates, such as brachiopods […]
Dinosaur eggs resemble those of reptiles more than birds
Birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, which is why it was long assumed that dinosaur eggs developed similarly to avian embryos. But new research found that the incubation period for dinosaur embryos was approximately 3 to 6 months, which is closer to the development of reptile eggs. Researchers came to this conclusion after […]
INFOGRAPHIC | New climate target could bring in six million tons of fish annually
If countries are able to meet the Paris Agreement global warming target of 1.5 degrees Celsius, potential fish catches could increase by six million metric tons per year. Researchers found that for every degree decrease in global warming, potential fish catches could yield an annual increase by more than three million metric tons. According to […]
Warmer temperatures and increased CO2 levels don’t stimulate tree growth
Warmer temperatures and higher levels of carbon dioxide associated with climate change were supposed to bode well for tree growth. But a recent study shows that this advantage isn’t seen in the trees of Canadian boreal forests. Researchers collected and analyzed tree-ring data and satellite images to determine how the changing temperatures and CO2 emissions […]
Unique Arctic Inuit adaptations to cold temperatures a gift from ancestors
Previous research has identified potential genes that help the Greenland Inuit generate heat from a specific type of body fat. A new study analyzed a large sample of genetic data to trace origins of these adaptations. The genomic data used in the study was collected from nearly 200 Greenlandic Inuits and compared to the 1000 […]
Are you a risk taker? Your brain structure might hold the answer
The older we get, the less likely we are to take risks – and this preference for familiar things may be caused by a change in our brain structures. A new study shows that risk aversion may be associated with an increase in grey matter in the right posterior parietal cortex. Researchers asked a group […]
