Biology

A new study has identified rare genetic variants associated with male pattern hair loss. In addition to increasing our understanding of the condition, the findings may pave the way for personalized therapies.

Scientists have successfully extracted RNA from an extinct species for the first time. This was achieved in the thylacine, a species of carnivorous marsupial that roamed Australia until a century ago – and may again one day, if current plans bear fruit.

Almost 200 years on from when Charles Darwin observed his Galapagos Islands finches, which became the emblems of his theory of evolution, birds in the region are again in the news for what many scientists warn could be the source of the next pandemic.

Hijacking the body of another animal is nothing new in the opportunistic world of parasitism. But for the first time, scientists have observed how one crafty flatworm can switch ‘zombie mode’ on and off, leaving its host ant stuck between life and death.

More than 400 footprints across a diverse range of species have been identified in incredible detail for the first time, with researchers enlisting a trio of expert indigenous trackers to help solve the mystery of these 5,000-year-old records.

Believe it or not, male sexual desire actually begins in the brain. Scientists have found the neural circuit that triggers mating behaviors and the ensuing pleasure and reward feedback in mice. They hope it can lead to new drugs to treat dysfunction.

Burmese pythons are famously known for being capable of swallowing pigs whole, but you have to keep in mind, the snakes themselves are pretty darn big. When it comes to snake-to-prey-size ratio, however, nothing beats the Gans' egg-eater.

They weigh about an ounce, spend their lives underground and are unlikely to be shortlisted for any cute animal calendars, but the fascinating naked mole-rat continues to offer clues that it holds the key to anti-aging under its pale, wrinkly skin.

In what might be a surprise for some, the male sex chromosome is far more complex than its female counterpart. This is why it’s taken scientists so long to work out exactly what makes a male a male. Now, they've completed the elusive Y chromosome map.

A study has found that glitter negatively affects the growth of cyanobacteria, an important player in aquatic ecosystems and a key component of marine food webs, highlighting the importance of reining in the use of this stealthy microplastic.

With grim predictions that all polar bears may be wiped out by the end of the century, it’s vital scientists find a way to better monitor the beasts to see if conservation efforts are having any impact. So they decided to 'fingerprint' them using DNA.

Normally, staying up for extended time periods leads to the need for extra sleep. But researchers have just found that activating astrocyte cells in mice caused the rodents to stay awake for six hours longer than usual, with no noticeable sleep debt.

Scientists have found a massive area the size of 1.5 football fields, now dubbed "The Coliseum," which was once a popular thoroughfare to water for multiple species of prehistoric beasts over many generations some 70 million years ago.

Farmers have long known that it's a good idea to rotate crops. A Swiss study now indicates that wheat yields are boosted when those crops are planted in fields previously used to grow maize, which altered the soil's microbiome.

As coral reefs become increasingly decimated, predatory fish have fewer places to hide when stalking prey. A new study now suggests they're adapting, by using other fish as mobile hunting blinds.