Life

Paleontology

Fake fossil not one but two new species

A supposed missing link between dinosaurs and birds that was first unveiled in 1999, and revealed to be a forgery soon thereafter, was actually cobbled together from parts of animals from two new species.

Paleontology

Jumbled bones show birds on the menu

A fossilized pellet of partially digested bones of juvenile and baby birds provides the first evidence that birds served as food for predators.

Paleontology

First brachiosaur tooth found in Asia

A fossil tooth found along a dinosaur trackway in South Korea is the first evidence that brachiosaurs roamed Asia.

Paleontology

Dinosaur fossil yields feathery structures

Researchers believe they have found primitive feathers on the remains of Sinornithosaurus millenii, a 124-million-year-old raptor dinosaur from Liaoning, China.

Ecosystems

Fish Epidemic Traces to Novel Germ

A new mycobacterium, related to the one causing tuberculosis, is responsible for a mysterious epidemic sickening some of the Chesapeake Bay's most prized fish.

Plants

Lichen Lovelies

Should anyone dismiss lichens as so much gray-green crust, send the detractor to the lichen glamour shots in this Web site’s portrait gallery. The lush photography details shapes from goblets to anchors and colors from blue to neon Lycra-pants lemon. Other images illustrate the importance of lichens for other creatures (see the flying squirrel nest) […]

Paleontology

Extinctions Tied to Impact from Space

Evidence trapped in 250-million-year-old sediments may help researchers pin the ultimate blame for the massive extinctions that occurred then on the impact of an extraterrestrial object about 9 kilometers across.

Genetics

The Newly Sequenced Genome Bares All

The mapped human genome begins to reveal its secrets.

Paleontology

Did ancient superbees squash diversity?

The recent discovery of several dozen extinct bee species in ancient amber deposits has led one paleontologist to propose that the very success of some bees' social lifestyle led to today's dearth of hive-dwelling species.

Plants

The bladderwort: No ruthless microbe killer

A carnivorous plant called a bladderwort may not be a fierce predator at all but a misunderstood mutualist.

Plants

Dead pipes can still regulate plants’ water

Physiologists say they have demonstrated for the first time that dead xylem cells in plant plumbing can control water speed.

Paleontology

Genes Seem to Link Unlikely Relatives

Genetic markers on three proteins suggest a common African ancestor for elephants, aardvarks, elephant shrews, golden moles, and other animals.