Monthly Archives: October 2018

Honeybees at risk from Zika pesticides

Up to 13% of US beekeepers are in danger of losing their colonies due to pesticides sprayed to contain the Zika virus, new research suggests.

Zika -- which can cause severe brain defects in unborn children -- is spread by mosquitoes, so the insects are being targeted in the southern US where Zika-carrying mosquito species live....

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Bigger = better: Big bees fly better in hotter temps than smaller ones do

Arizona State University researchers have found that larger tropical stingless bee species fly better in hot conditions than smaller bees do. Larger size may help certain bee species better tolerate high body temperatures. The findings run contrary to the well-established temperature-size "rule," which suggests that ectotherms -- insects that rely on the external environment to...

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Smell and behavior: The scents of taking action

In all animals, including humans, smell -- the oldest of the five senses -- plays a predominant role in many behaviors essential for survival and reproduction. It has been known since ancient times that animals react to odours.

Yet researchers are just beginning to elucidate the neural pathways and mechanisms responsible for odour-induced behavior. . A...

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Fruit fly study challenges theories on evolution and high-carb diets

A single mitochondrial DNA mutation common in animals could play a role in obesity and other health problems associated with a diet high in carbohydrates.

This was one of the implications of research led by UNSW scientists who looked at how different diets affected fruit fly populations. The researchers observed a surprising difference between two sets...

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Baby's tears and mom's libido

A substance in young mice's tears makes female mice more likely to reject male sexual advances. This research is part of ongoing efforts at the University of Tokyo to understand how animals communicate using chemicals called pheromones.

Direct connections between human and mouse behavior cannot be made because pheromones are highly species specific.

"If humans can detect...

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