Plants & Animals

Reef-building corals use a previously unknown mechanism involving chloride to ‘see’ visible light

Self-healing hydrogel, Cool crawler, AI and world's longest crop experiment & Freeze-framing cells. Plus how media interest helps engineers and society. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

This news article reports on a study revealing the importance of the proboscis monkey's large nose in vocal communication. Researchers used CT scans and computer simulations to demonstrate that the nose's shape modifies the resonant frequencies of calls, creating unique vocal signatures for individual monkeys. This discovery highlights the role of the nose in enhancing vocal identity and provides insights into the evolution of communication, not just in proboscis monkeys but potentially in other species as well. The collaboration between scientists and the Yokohama Zoo Zoorasia opens exciting new avenues for understanding the link between physical traits and social behaviors in the animal kingdom.

Researchers from Japan found that macro-heterogeneity (the presence of multiple cell types) and micro-heterogeneity (variability in cell behavior within a cell type) are crucial for muscle breakdown and rearrangement in the pupal stage of fruit fly development. Computational modeling of cell interactions suggested that designing heterogenous robot swarms based on similar principles could improve their ability to multitask.

A new study highlights how machine learning can effectively identify key factors influencing rice yield for over five decades, emphasizing the importance of tailored management practices and varietal replacement as a response to climate change.

Changing the interval between fertility drugs boosts fertility even in rats that typically respond poorly

NGOs in the Malaysian state of Sabah want oil palm companies and other land managers to plant Ficus species to increase habitat for threatened wildlife

Can understanding these differences help researchers breed better crops suited for a changing climate?

Sensitive region detection for improved non-invasive cattle monitoring

Lingnan University's science and innovation teams have achieved outstanding results at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 (SVIIF) in their first-ever participation. All 13 participating projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, and intelligent transportation, won awards, including 8 gold and 5 silver medals. One of the projects, the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), also received a special award ⸺ Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association (IFIA), making Lingnan the Hong Kong higher education institution that won the highest number of total awards and gold medals at this year’s festival.

What appears to be silver-blue pigment is actually structural coloration—an optical phenomenon that Encephalartos horridus creates through light-scattering wax crystals sculpted from a lipid compound that may date back to the dawn of land plants.

The five-day 12th South-South Forum on Sustainability, hosted by the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong and co-organised by the Centre for Cultural Research and Development of Lingnan University, the Global University for Sustainability, the Centre for Film Studies and Cultural Studies of Peking University, and the Tsinghua Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences of Tsinghua University, and coordinated locally by the Shangyou County People’s Government, is currently being held in Shangyou County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China, the first time the Forum has taken place in Jiangxi.

Environmental conditions affect reproduction times in model fish

Prognosis indicators may be detectable in canine test results

Bacteria in the digestive system may work to maintain balance directly and indirectly

Echoes of grief, Unexpected mineral, Insulin on edge, Fingerprinting bacteria, Beefing up taste & Power of glass. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

When fermented with plant-derived bacteria, stevia leaf extract is toxic to pancreatic cancer cells but not to healthy kidney cells

A study by The University of Osaka and the National Institute for Environmental Studies aimed to understand how different rewards influence citizen contributions to biodiversity data. Using the Biome app, 830 users joined a one-week experiment offering either cash, donation-based, or no incentives for posting nature photos. Cash increased total posts, while donations encouraged sharing of rare species. The study reveals how tailoring incentives can improve both the quantity and quality of biodiversity data collected through citizen science.

Lingnan University’s Science Unit recently published Hong Kong’s first-ever scientific Hong Kong Newt Roadkill Survey Programme. Their findings show that over 1,400 Hong Kong newts were killed by vehicles in two months, accounting for more than 90 per cent of total wildlife carcasses found. The severity of the threat posed to this local species is aggravated after heavy rainfall, and the research team is calling on the government to introduce conservation measures urgently, including eco-friendly road construction, traffic control, and raising public awareness about wildlife conservation.

Ateneo biologists confirm invasive tinfoil barb in Laguna de Bay, warning it could disrupt native fish and harm local ecosystems.

Chinese and Australian scientists have reported the discovery of twenty new bat viruses in research published this week.

After nearly a decade of laboratory work, the research team has confirmed three new forest mice species. This raises the number of endemic mammals on Mindoro to twelve, cementing the island as the smallest known island where mammal speciation has taken place.

Researchers from The University of Osaka observed the reactions of Japanese macaques to the deaths of their companions. They found that some macaques remained near and even groomed the dead, especially if they had been close companions. These findings suggest that macaques, like humans, may exhibit emotion-based responses to death.

Stress-responsive gene pushes pancreatic insulin-producing cells toward dysfunction, fueling diabetes

Using iPS cells, veterinary medicine has made a step forward in creating a stable MSC supply

Near the eastern coast of Luzon, Philippines is the Benham Bank, an underwater seamount taller than the country's highest peak, Mt. Apo. Researchers from the University of the Philippines' Marine Science Institute discovered that it is a thriving ecosystem full of unique, untouched biodiversity.

Researchers at the RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) / RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have successfully used insects as mini molecule-making factories.

Continuous 24-hour observations clarify time these fish engage in courtship, spawning

Guaiazulene is a compound that gives off a beautiful blue colour, and it is often found in topical creams for skincare. It has also been touted as a potential food coloring agent. Yet this has been stymied because of its poor water solubility and color degradation under acidic conditions. A group of researchers overcame this common stumbling block by introducing guaiazulene into a hydrophilic poly(allylamine).

Mutant protein protects against mildew, but leaves turn yellow and age sooner