Begonia pingxiangensis. Credit: Xi Houcheng Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae, which includes more than 2,000 species. In China, 288 species, including subspecies, varieties and natural hybrid species have been recognized. In a study published in Taiwaniaresearchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences […]
Map showing the geographical range of the extant giraffe species and subspecies as well as representative male skulls of each subspecies in lateral view. Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315043 The University of Cape Town, along with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, have conducted a large-scale study identifying significant cranial shape differences between four genetically distinct […]
Pitchers and habit of Nepenthes pongoides. (a) Rosette pitcher of immature plant showing highly developed peristome column. (b) Pendent pitcher of a scrambling plant. Note ventral attachment of tendril and scattered large nectar glands of same. (c) Large terrestrial pitcher. (d) Mature rosette emergent from humus-filled fissure between ultramafic boulders; a cutting from this rosette […]
A rainfrog, an amphibious mouse, and a “blob-headed” fish are only some of the 27 new species discovered deep Peru’s Amazon rainforest. During a survey in 2022, a team from Conservation International recorded 2,046 total species living in this lush and heavily forested landscape, many of whom are endangered. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, […]
Brian Handwerk Science Correspondent Life is short, the old saying goes, but in the world of animals, we humans are pretty fortunate: Our species is quite long-lived. With 122 being the oldest documented age, humans can enjoy decades more life than most fish, birds and mammals—including our primate relatives. But we’re not alone in experiencing […]
A male humpback whale crossed at least three oceans in search of sex, a new study shows. The whale’s journey is the longest great-circle distance between two sightings ever recorded for the species (Megaptera novaeangliae), scientists said. Great-circle distance refers to the shortest distance between two points on Earth as measured on the planet’s spherical […]
The wild rabbit is endangered in its European homeland. In other parts of the world, such as Australia, this species has been introduced and is present in large numbers. Credit: Alexis Lours Non-native species introduced by humans are among the main causes of global species decline—they were partly responsible for 60% of the species that […]
You are in a lush forest. Sunlight filters through the bright green canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Towering trees rise over delicate ferns, wildflowers, and colorful mushrooms. A deer slinks behind a shrub. But there are subtle signs of human intervention: small electronic devices gathering vital data on potential threats such as drought […]
Almost one-third of species around the world would be at risk of extinction by the end of the century if we continue to churn out greenhouse gases, according to a new study. The study found that if global temperatures rise to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above the pre-industrial average temperature, exceeding the target […]
An aerial view shows a research team standing alongside the fossil footprint trackway at the excavation site on the eastern side of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, 2022. Credit: Louise Leakey via AP Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbors some 1.5 million years ago. […]
