Evolution and nature

Ants vs. Humans: The Maze Challenge

Group decision making makes ants smarter. With humans, on the other hand, sometimes it is better to be alone
Facial expressions of cats. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The Facial Language of Cats: How Facial Expressions Affect Communication and Social Bonding

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A new international study led by researchers from the Tech4Animals laboratory at the University of Haifa succeeded with the development of artificial intelligence to diagnose that cats quickly imitate the facial expressions of other cats, especially in positive situations." pattern recognition
A block of metal emits oxygen. Illustration by Avi Blizovsky, using DALEE The illustration should not be seen as a scientific image.

The dark oxygen puzzle

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Natural lumps of metal emit oxygen in the dark depths of the ocean, in the absence of photosynthesis, until now it was believed that there was no oxygen production in them at all
Evolution of man: display of skulls of our ancestors. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New research may explain why the human brain is so large and developed

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A new study conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem presents an innovative method for inferring DNA methylation patterns in tissues that did not come from ancient skeletons, and provides a deeper understanding of the evolutionary processes that shaped the human brain and its functions
Don't look in the jar. A view of the sponge Theonella conica at a depth of 27 m at the Katsa site, Eilat (Photo: Shani Shoham)

The original and prestigious way of the sponges in the Eilat Bay to keep predators away

The sponges use a precious metal to warn: beware! We are toxic
bats Illustration: depositphotos.com

Eyes closed: Bats are able to navigate long distances using sound alone

The researchers found that they were also able to produce a sound map of the area in their minds
The desert locust (Schistocerca Gregaria). Illustration: depositphotos.com

The 'good enough' principle in nature: how evolution saved resources in the digging paws of the female locust

The female locust can dig 4-3 holes to lay eggs and then her organs that are intended for this wear out
C. worm Elegance. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Grab the model by the throat

The swallowing organ of a transparent worm reveals the potential inherent in mathematical tools for the study of biological systems
Corpse flower (Amorphophallus Titanum). Illustration: depositphotos.com

Why does the corpse flower smell like rotten meat? Scientists unravel the mystery

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Antibiotic resistant bacteria. Illustration: depositphotos.com

An innovative approach to dealing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria

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Born in Papua, in the province of Papua in Indonesia. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Early humans interbred with three different extinct species of Denisovans

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Genes from extinct human species allow the Tibetans to live in a low-oxygen environment, the Papuans got a good immune system and the Inuit (formerly called Eskimos) cope thanks to these genes with the arctic cold
bird of prey Illustration: depositphotos.com

Podcast: The nature of the environment - why did the buzzard become Israel's national bird?

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The Tel Aviv 360 podcast of Tel Aviv University with the participation of Prof. Yossi Leshem (Hebrew only)
Closed from the corona drug. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Did the corona closures lead to the disappearance of a strain of flu?

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The Arizona mountain kingsnake, which is non-venomous but similar to a venomous coral snake, enjoys a survival advantage by deterring potential predators that avoid colorful coral-type snakes. Photo: University of Arizona

The Big Evolutionary Bang of Threat, Camouflage and Courtship Colors in Animals

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Evolution, color signals, animals, courtship, warning, peacock, poisonous frogs, communication between animals, signals in plants, evolutionary biology
Researchers from the Southwest Florida Conservation Society watched a 4.5-foot-long Burmese python swallow a 35-pound moose in Everglades National Park. Credit: Ian Bartoszek/Southwest Florida Conservation Society

A Burmese python swallows a whole stag weighing 35 kg

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Research on giant snakes that infiltrated the wild in Florida: the size of the mouth of the Burmese pythons is larger than expected, allowing them to devour huge prey - with significant consequences for the ecosystem in Florida
Chimpanzee typing on a computer. Illustration: depositphotos.com

It would take far longer than the lifetime of the universe for a typing chimpanzee to randomly generate the works of Shakespeare

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Birds migrate in the skies of northern Israel. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The complex language of birds

Studies from Israel and abroad have found that birds do not chirp only for courtship purposes, and that they have a complex language that affects their choice of who to communicate with and how - even during migration
Eastern wasp. Photo: Shahar Shahar, Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

Wasps are the only animal that can drink alcohol without limit

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malaria. Illustrative infographic: depositphotos.com

to look directly into the dark crystal of the malaria parasite

The malaria-causing parasite exacts a bloody toll from humanity, not least thanks to its ability to produce unique, dark crystals inside our blood cells. New research fully deciphers the structure of these crystals and calcns
A female chimpanzee with her baby. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Sad chimpanzees give birth: childbirth is also a challenge for great apes

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Researchers simulated childbirth in chimpanzees and humans and measured the distance between the bony birth canal and the fetal head. The study shows that narrow birth canals relative to the size of the baby's head are not unique to humans
Terrestrial animals display a wide range of limb structures - from 'spread', in which the limbs are held alongside the body, as in lizards, to 'upright', in which the limbs are held below the body and close to the midline of the animal, as in dogs, cats and horses . An upright body structure is a characteristic of most modern mammals, but when did this key feature evolve? Credit: Peter Bishop

How mammals achieved their upright posture 

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A new study reveals the twists and turns and complexities in the evolution of mammals, from a spread body structure (legs tending to the sides like in reptiles) to an upright body structure where the feet are stable on the ground
Lateral transfer of genes between bacteria and plants. The image was prepared using DALEE and is not a scientific image

Strengthening plant health: the role of gene exchange with bacteria

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New research has revealed how plants and bacteria swap genes to boost plant health and development. These genes affect key processes such as carbohydrate metabolism and hormone synthesis
A graphic illustration of the S2 meteorite impact and its immediate effects. Credit: Nadia Drabon

The asteroid the size of four Everests that changed the course of life on Earth

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It turns out that these giant meteorites actually had a positive effect on life compared to the later extinction-causing meteorites
The study presents the drawing of the meclist owl from the Hawaiian island of Kauai, in which three species are shown that have become extinct at the hands of man (the meclist owl, the grousebeak's wahi, and the Kauai ʻōʻō). Credit to avian paleontologist Julian P. day.

Due to the extinction of many bird species, the variety of roles they played in the ecosystem was eliminated

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The multi-layered structures of two different biological species: the cuticle (cuticle), the external skeleton of the scorpion, and the spicule (spicule), the internal skeleton of the sea sponge (the zoom level in the diagram increases from left to right)

The scorpion and the sponge present: food for thought

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists draw inspiration from nature in developing new materials for a greener future
vaccinations. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New options for vaccine development against hepatitis C virus

A study conducted at the Faculty of Medicine of Bar Ilan University in Safed discovered antibodies found in the bodies of people who have recovered from the virus. The research insights will lead to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches, also for other viral diseases
Colonies of ants began growing mushrooms when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago. This damage caused mass extinction but also created ideal conditions for fungi to flourish. This is how an evolutionary partnership was created that became even closer 27 million years ago and continues to this day. Credit: Don Parsons

Ant farming began 66 million years ago following the asteroid that doomed the dinosaurs

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Smithsonian Institution scientists compiled and analyzed an extensive genetic database, and found that some mushroom crops became completely dependent on ants 27 million years ago, a process created 65 million years ago by an event
This is how the bloom collapses: four giant hexagon-shaped viruses that have replicated in a unicellular alga (the rough texture on the right) are on their way out to infect more algae. Three of the viruses are normal and ready for action - and one is white and empty of DNA. Photo: Dr. Daniela Shatz

The hunt for giant viruses in the ocean

Sea robin (Prionotus carolinus). Credit: Annick Grierson, Harvard University

A fish with legs

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Sea robin as an evolutionary model for trait development
Couple therapy of bacteria. Weizmann Institute illustration

in couples therapy

Crow in the desert. Photography: Ran Natan

Wise from the source: the surprising minds of the desert crows

The crows have become a routine part of our landscape. How smart are they really, and why is one species more successful than another?
Common dust sources that contribute particulate matter to the atmosphere and natural systems. From right to left: Fire ash emitted during a forest fire in the state of California, USA in 2009. Photo: Dom Riccobene, volcanic ash erupting from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, April 2010 Photo: Árni Friðriksson, and end

"Honey, don't dust the leaves"

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How can we fertilize plants using dust and save humanity from nutrient deficiency in tomorrow's atmosphere?
The list of crystals in the zebrafish: in the gill covers (top row) - long and narrow crystals, in the eye of the fish (middle row) shorter crystals, and in the skin (bottom row) - the shortest

The animals' secret recipe book for creating colorful and versatile crystals has been revealed

The size of a bus, a whale shark. Photo: Miron Segev, Sharks in Israel

The sea giant is in danger: what threatens the whale shark?

Photo 4: The life cycle of the blooming sea lily Edwardsiella carnea. a. Mature male and female polyps release gametes into the water column. b. Free-swimming planula formed after fertilization. c. The planula infects the comb host Mnemiopsis leidyi and develops into a worm-like parasitic stage. d. Planula after the parasite stage exits the comb host to the water column (e), where it can either settle on the sea floor (f) and develop into a polyp (a) or infect another comb host or a scyphozoan host such as Rhopilema nomadica or Rhizostoma pulmo (hypothetical parasite spillover) (gh) . A planula after the parasite stage may leave the scyphozoic host and move through the water column (i), where it may settle on the sea floor (f) and develop into a polyp. The dashed line represents an alternative route.

Jellyfish under attack: Researchers have found parasitic sea lilies in jellyfish for the first time

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Researchers have discovered for the first time the existence of parasitic planoles (sort of larvae) of the sea lily that grows in jellyfish in the Mediterranean Sea that allow the sea lily to spread beyond the immediate environment, a finding that may affect ecosystems
Aedes aegypti mosquito sucks blood. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Deadliest Predator: How Mosquitoes Use Infrared to Hunt Humans

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A large eagle flies in the sky of the Israeli mountains with a tracking device on its back. Credit - Tubla Salomon

Like humans: in old age, eagles also go out less to "hang out" and prefer to "stay at home"

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The coral reef in Eilat, under artificial night lighting. Photo: Shaf Ben Ezra

Contaminate the DNA - how does artificial lighting harm fish?

Israeli researchers examined the effects of light pollution on reef fish and found that sleep disturbances are not a problem reserved only for humans
The milky way is used by the dung beetle for navigation at night. Image: University of South Australia

Innovative artificial intelligence sensor draws inspiration from dung beetles for night navigation using the Milky Way

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Dung beetles use the milky way at night to navigate. Engineers used the same technique to develop an artificial intelligence sensor for low-light navigation
Behumi and Bell mother and daughter credit David Omer's laboratory

Monkeys mark each other with names and open a new window for understanding the development of human language

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Groundbreaking research reveals that marmosets mark each other by name using unique calls, an ability that until now was thought to be the exclusive preserve of a limited number of species. The findings provide new insights
wandering thread. Photo: Amir Yurman, Haifa University

The swarms of the common jellyfish in Israel, the wandering cord, swim towards the west and do not drift randomly in different directions

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An artist's impression of star formation in the early universe, a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. (Image credit: (Adolf Schaller/Space Telescope Science Institute, NASA)

Pursuing Science Chapter 8: Astrophysics and Particles - The Surrounding Sea of ​​Stars

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Dr. Yasmin Maroz in the hothouse. Photo: Tel Aviv University spokeswoman

The sunflower dance party

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In their growth, the sunflowers "dance" so as not to hide the sun from each other. The surprising study sheds light on a scientific puzzle that has occupied researchers since Darwin's day
Monkey pox. Illustration: depositphotos.com

A surge in the incidence of monkeypox in Africa - what must be done to prevent a global epidemic

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Aquaponics, growing fish and vegetables in a circular economy. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Combining fish and vegetables - not only on the plate

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A circular economy is becoming a strategic asset in everything related to food security. Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev propose a circular method for recycling water, food and energy that allows fish and vegetables to be grown together efficiently
Eilat national monitoring survey photos - Kadrit - Interuniversity Institute

The coral reef in Eilat is in a very sad state

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This figure appears in the annual report of the National Monitoring Program of the Bay of Eilat for the year 2023 of the Ministry of Environmental Protection; The report indicates that the sea level continues to warm at a rate 2.5 times higher than the average
Link to a photo of the PL 18 derivative after 72 hours with tubes simulating a catheter - photo credit Yael Schlichter Kadosh

A new type of antibiotic: long pepper

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Bacteria resistant to antibiotics are increasing, while the number of types of antibiotics under development is decreasing. Now, the research group of Prof. Ariel Kushmaro from the Biotechnology Engineering Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and partners from India decided to focus
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus illustration: depositphotos.com

The Asian tiger mosquito - are you to blame for West Nile fever in Israel?

Asian tiger mosquitoes are also responsible for West Nile fever but also for other serious diseases, and the proliferation of these mosquitoes and mosquitoes in general is closely related to the climate crisis
Molecular Systems Biology portal showing eCIS injects AI-predicted toxins. Artist's impression by Dr. Yitzhak Yadgari

Identifying new toxins using machine learning

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New research at the Hebrew University reveals how bacteria use a special mechanism, like a tiny syringe, to inject toxins into other organisms. Using artificial intelligence, the researchers identified over 2,000 possible toxins that may be injected through
A bird stores its food to use when needed. The drawing was prepared using DALEE

A mechanism was discovered that allows animals to store food and find it when needed without relying on memory

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Researchers from the Hebrew University have proposed a new theory about how animals store and recover stored food. Their research, published in Scientific Reports, challenges traditional notions of animal storage behavior
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