Can microplastic-loving algae clean up water pollution?
An unexpected discovery laid the path for using genetically engineered algae to remove microplastics from water.
How do you find a ‘lost’ species?
A new journal documents species “lost to science.” Plus, a project to locate lost firefly species in the U.S. and Canada.
Why this lab studies the speed of bug pee and other curiosities
What do the hydrodynamics of insect pee, $1 hearing aids, and squid robots have in common? A lab organized around curiosity, not disciplines.
Some primates undergo even more extreme childbirth than humans
Scientists have long thought extreme childbirth was unique to humans. But some other primates appear to face similar anatomical challenges.
What do people eat? Plant and animal DNA in sewage provide clues
DNA signatures of plant and animal species remain behind even after they’ve been eaten, digested, excreted, and flushed down the toilet.
Dragonflies fly like fighter jets + Lake flies that dive like subs
What do a fighter jet and a dragonfly have in common? Plus, how lake fly larvae in Lake Malawi dive 600 feet deep without imploding.
Tracking shark populations, one shark at a time
A Florida research team catches and releases about 600 sharks a year to monitor their populations and study the health of marine ecosystems.
Asha de Vos’ journey from deck hand to marine science leader
In a 2025 story, Asha de Vos tells how she became the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD studying marine mammals, then built a biology program.
Beautiful botflies, luscious leeches, and the wonder of parasites
Sure, botflies are gross, but they also know just how to hitch a ride on a camel sneeze. An entomologist celebrates the wonder of parasites.
Tiny wasps emerge from a caterpillar, and reveal a hidden world
In “Hidden Creatures,” a young entomologist discovers the miraculous world of parasites when cocoons sprout from a caterpillar.