Published in Current biology : CB
Screaming is arguably one of the most relevant communication signals for survival in humans. Despite their practical relevance and their theoretical significance as innate [1] and virtually universal [2, 3] vocalizations, what makes screams a unique signal and how they are processed is not known. Here, we use acoustic analyses, psychophysical exper...
Published in Current biology : CB
Interview with Noah Whiteman, who studies adaptations that arise from species interactions. Copyright © 2022.
Published in Current biology : CB
The molecules of life can be double-edged, performing both beneficial and detrimental roles depending on the environmental context. New work reveals how the Jekyll and Hyde nature of nitric oxide shapes complexity in microbial biofilms, from ecological interactions to spatial structure. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in Current biology : CB
Preserved lipid biomarkers provide a unique window onto the biology of fossil organisms. A new study uses lipids to assess the gut contents of three fossils from the 'dawn of animals' in the Ediacaran, with implications for their feeding behaviors. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in Current biology : CB
A single CRISPR-generated mutation in a MYB transcription factor in Petunia leads to a dual phenotype. This in turn has a dual effect on potential pollinating insects, deterring the original pollinator while increasing the visitation of a possible replacement. Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in Current biology : CB
Predators can cause selection that drives the evolution of various anti-predator defenses in prey1,2,3. Some prey species have evolved specific defensive devices, while others simply use body parts that evolved for reasons other than defense to repel predators1. For example, many animal species have strong canine teeth or mandibles to kill prey and...
Published in Current biology : CB
Carolyn Dunford introduces the poisoning of big predatory felids, which causes significant conservation concerns. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in Current biology : CB
Phylogenetic studies have traditionally placed the simple Xenoacoelomorph worms as the sister group of all other animals with bilateral body symmetry. A new study shows that misidentification of orthologous genes might have been the source of at least some support for this placement. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in Current biology : CB
Marine tetrapods occupy important roles in modern marine ecosystems and often gather in large aggregations driven by patchy prey distribution,1,2 social or reproductive behaviors,3,4 or oceanographic factors.5 Here, we show that similar grouping behaviors evolved in an early marine tetrapod lineage, documented by dozens of specimens of the giant ic...
Published in Current biology : CB
