Geoffroy's cat, a small wild feline from South America, has a forepaw built for both running and climbing. This makes it a bit of a mystery. Scientists wanted to understand how its muscles work and how they compare to other cats and similar animals. They studied three adult Geoffroy's cats. They ca
Octolasion tyrtaeum is a worm that has caused quite the stir in the scientific community. It all began with a description by Savigny back in 1826. He named it Enterion tyrtaeum. However, the type specimen, which is the original example of the species, went missing. This loss led to a lot of confusio
Fire blight, a nasty bacterial disease that affects plants like apples and pears, is caused by a germ called Erwinia amylovora. This disease spreads fast and can kill the plants it infects. Korea first spotted this bacteria in 2015, and since then, it's been spreading across the country. Scientists
Understanding when bacteria first emerged on Earth is a big puzzle, mainly because bacteria fossils are rare. Scientists have found a new way to solve this puzzle by looking at ancient partnerships between bacteria and other life forms. They used genes found in mitochondria–the tiny powerhouses insi
Scientists often use genetic data to figure out how closely related different organisms are. One common way they do this is by using something called a Markov substitution model. This model helps them understand how changes, or substitutions, happen in molecular sequences over time. The general time
Scientists have been puzzled by the identity of a tiny parasite in the Gulf of Mexico. Known as Diplomonorchis, this creature has been causing confusion among researchers. A recent study has shed new light on this little worm. It turns out that what was thought to be one species is actually several.
