The Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) is found all over the U.K. These orchids produce tiny seeds that can be carried anywhere by the wind, yet they often appear in clumps with small seedlings growing near mature plants. This phenomenon has puz

UCLA biologists have some good news and some bad news for lovers of urban wildlife in Los Angeles. The good news? Unexpected pockets of biodiversity pepper the city. The bad news? It will be a challenge to elevate the level of overall biodiversity of the

Although zebrafish are much smaller and less famous than their terrestrial namesakes, the tiny fish possess a unique ability: They can rapidly change the color of their characteristic stripes from blue to yellow when they're distressed.

Drought is the most devastating environmental stress that farmers face worldwide. With the added pressures of climate change, drought years have become less predictable, more frequent and more severe.

The new measure, termed "evolutionary heritage," highlights the importance of unique species traits—which include physiological adaptations, like beak variations in different birds—when assessing the richness and complexity of life.

Packrats, also known as woodrats, are the original hoarders, collecting materials from their environment to make their nests, called middens. In deserts throughout western North America, for instance, packrat middens can preserve plants, insects, bones an

Stem cells play a vital role in repairing damaged tissue, whether it's a scraped knee or a scarred uterus following pregnancy. New stem cell research has identified the molecules that the cells produce to promote the healing process.

Consider the sea urchin. Specifically, the painted urchin: Lytechinus pictus, a prickly Ping-Pong ball from the eastern Pacific Ocean.

The single-cell parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of deadly diarrheal disease in young children, and a recent outbreak in the United Kingdom highlights how vulnerable the water supply is to this pathogen.

For centuries, civilizations have used naturally occurring, inorganic materials for their perceived healing properties. Egyptians thought green copper ore helped eye inflammation, the Chinese used cinnabar for heartburn, and Native Americans used clay to

New research by the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) proposes using soil bacteria to cut greenhouse gas emissions from food production. The research is published in the journal N

A new study has used drone technology and cutting-edge analytical methods for the first time to map the intertidal coral reefs of the Rowley Shoals off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia.