Blog Archive

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Hormones can get hairy. Find out 5 things you might not have known about these chemicals. Read More ›

With the summer heat comes the stench of death – but why does it smell so bad? Read More ›

Trypanosomes - A Weird Pathogen You Haven't Heard Of

Ever wonder what parasites are up to when they’re not bothering people? Take a look at the secret lives of parasites. Read More ›

A Beautiful 9/11 Tribute, but a Fiasco for Migratory Birds

“Manhattan’s dramatic Tribute In Light memorial to 9/11 unintentionally created a major hazard for birds during fall migration – learn all about it here!” Read More ›

Science for the Public – A Panel Discussion Hosted by TLS and OPD

TLS recently teamed up with the OPD to organize a panel with three science communicators. This post recounts a few of the highlights. Read More ›

Cats can have AIDS, too.

Did you know that HIV has a lesser known pathogen cousin: FIV? Read More ›

Why the sea salt fad could be very bad

Though it can be prettier and tastier than your average iodized salt, gourmet salt is unfortunately lacking a huge health benefit. Read More ›

Henry's Pockets: A Poem

A little rhyme about something I think about from time to time. Read More ›

Part 2: Does catching Pidgeys help you notice Pigeons? Interviews with Pokémon Go Researchers

“Remember when PokémonGo was a thing? Do researchers think '#PoGo' helped us appreciate both the pidgeys AND the pigeons?” Read More ›

Biodiversity in my Backyard: Encounters with Pidgeys and Dratinis, Part 1

Do you remember #PokemonGo? A first look at how #PokemonIRL may actually help us connect to and appreciate nature. Read More ›

Biology Superpowers: X-Ray Vision

Have you ever really looked at your hands? No, I mean really looked at them? Without all the skin and stuff in the way? Read More ›

Chasing Fire - One Scientist’s Mission to Photograph Her Study Organism

While many scientists handle their study organisms daily, wildfires can remain elusive. Read More ›

Field station memories

A photo journal of a short summer season in the Rockies– remembering to take in the beauty around the science. Read More ›

How to Expand Your Senses by Reading a Blog Post

You’ve been lied to. Let’s make you aware of all you can feel. Read More ›

What's up with bat echolocation?

Ever yell into a canyon and hear your voice echo back? Learn how bats use this property of sound to navigate at night! Read More ›

Fins, Limbs, Rays, and Digits – A Beginner's Guide to Terrestrial Living

Life’s transition out of the oceans changed some of the body’s most important structures. Recent research sheds light on this drastic shift. Read More ›

An Office in the Great Outdoors: The joys and challenges of being an aquatic ecologist

Being an aquatic ecologist means getting paid to explore some of earth’s most beautiful natural locations, but it also means dealing with the harsher side of Mother Nature as well. Read More ›

Five things that really stink about the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

“Marmorated stink bugs stink—literally and metaphorically. They are invasive, are damaging crops, and are spreading at an alarming rate.” Read More ›

Tricks but no Treats - An Orchid’s Guide to Making a Fool of Your Pollinator

From mimicry to pseudocopulation, orchids have many tools to trick pollinators. As the orchids say: 'If you are not cheating, you are not trying hard enough.' Read More ›

Seeing is Believing - How Can We Visualize Tiny Colorless Bacteria?

How this microbiologist makes her experiments look like teeny tiny raves Read More ›

Is Milk Bad for Me? Finding Scientific Truths in the "Post-Truth" Era

With so much false scientific information floating around online, how do I separate the truth from the dumpster fires? Read More ›

Tracking the lost years - where do baby sea turtles grow?

Locating the lost childhood photo albums of sea turtles Read More ›

Posing as a Bird Mama: the adventures of a researcher-turned-bird-parent

“I learned a new technique at a conference – sketch-noting! Take a look at sketch-notes I produced for two of the talks I saw there.” Read More ›

Ask your food for its DNA ID

DNA barcoding reveals seafood fraud. Read More ›

Hot moves and sexy sons › When Boys Become Men By Dancing

It’s hard to catch the attention of ladies sometimes. So why not do a little dance, to make a little love? Let’s catch up on some of the best courtship dances in the natural world. Read More ›

Saving water is no longer a matter of how short our showers are › Water balance in a man-made world

During the Anthropocene, conserving environmental flows for strategic ecosystems is not just about biophysical dynamics; water trade is becoming an undeniable influence Read More ›

Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Science Cafe

Join us this month at OEB Science Café - a free event where scientists and community members meet to share ideas and pizza. Read More ›

Double Digestion in Rabbits › Why Does Mopsy Eat Her Own Poop?

Have you ever seen a rabbit eat its own poop? It’s not uncommon, in fact it’s necessary to live! Read More ›

Should I say sex or gender? Pt. 2

Sex is often presented as a dichotomy as either being male or female, but there is beautiful diversity in how sex presents itself across the animal kingdom. Read More ›

Should I say sex or gender? Pt. 1

Some people use ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ interchangeably, but here are the reasons why there’s is a big difference between these terms. Read More ›

How To Catch Hard-to-Catch Fish?

Some fish are really hard to catch, but scientists need to study these hard-to-catch fish too. How do they do it? Read More ›

The hungry caterpillar in real life

Many of us read The Hungry Caterpillar as a kid. If you ever want to find a real life hungry caterpillar, look no further than eastern Massachusetts and the invasive winter moth. Read More ›

Mantis Shrimp Vision - Seeing in Secret Code

In the animal kingdom, mantis shrimps just might have the all-seeing eye. Read More ›

Finding the Perfect Partner

Flowers and pollinators, completely dependent on each other. A match made in heaven? Not so much. Read More ›

Art for Science - Science communication through art

Tackling huge scientific issues such as climate change with art can help form a cultural connection Read More ›

When It Comes to Bird Beaks - Size Matters

Small differences in beak size can have large energetic consequences when environmental conditions are hot and dry. Read More ›

Is your gut trying to kill your resolve? › Mind over microbe

Already broken your New Year's resolution? Can you blame it on your microbes? Read More ›

Why Do Mothers Mother?

You smell like my child, sweet child of mine. Read More ›

Finding wildfire’s niche in the Anthropocene

Are humans starting a new fiery relationship with nature in wetter climates? Read More ›

Recent talk of walls in the media has brought up a lot of emotions, but what do walls do in nature? › When a Wall is just a Wall

Take a break from arguing about political walls and learn what a cell wall can do Read More ›

A day of inspiration and learning at the Life Sciences Graduate Research › The Birds and the Beetles: Research Highlights from UMass Grad Students

Highlights from UMass Life Sciences Graduate Research Symposium, plus a Q&A with the two award winners. Get inspired! Read More ›

The Earth is a blue marble (and the world is green)

“You may have heard the Earth called the blue marble, but do you know why the world is also green?” Read More ›

GMO! The Places You'll Go!

Genetically modified organisms may seem like science fiction! What are the benefits and risks of this technology in our food and daily products? Read More ›

New-Fangled Paleontology › Really Old Fossils, Really Strong Predators, and Cool New Tech

Digital reconstructions of ancient mammal fossils help us understand that mammals rule and dinosaurs drool. Read More ›

A Brief History of Evolutionary Thought, part III

Evolutionary biology has made huge strides in the past 30 years, and yet, there’s still a long way to go. Read More ›

Saving face: transplanting our most distinctive features

The face switching of scifi is now reality – but it's not what you think! Read More ›

Four Unexpected Ways that Living in Cities Affects Wildlife

“Many people make cities home – But did you know that many species of wildlife do as well?" Read More ›

A Brief History of Evolutionary Thought, part II

Evolutionary biology has come a long way since the Origin of Species was published in 1859. Today we look at how the Modern Synthesis reconciled genetics and natural selection Read More ›

Bees are more than buzzing insects around you › May the Bees Be With You: Maintaining the Sweet Balance in Life

Without bees the world would look very different. Why are bees in decline, and what can we do to help them? Read More ›

DNA as a solution for data storage › DNA - Nature’s Hard Drive

In 60 short years we've discovered how to read, write, and edit DNA. Now could it be the answer to our data storage problems? Read More ›

A Crash Course in the Coolness of Mitochondria › Mitochondria: The Underrated Organelles

Think mitochondria are just little batteries for your cells? Think again. Read More ›

Neither a toad nor a worm › Nematodes: The super microscopic animal!

Nematodes are the greatest animal of which you most likely have never heard! Read More ›

A Pollinator’s Job Description and Why We Should All Care About Them › Pollination 101

Pollinators are not only beautiful but are also integral to our food system. Unfortunately, pollinators are in trouble. Read More ›

An American Graduate Student in France

Graduate school can be challenging, but it has its perks. Getting to travel and do science abroad is one of the best! Read More ›

You May Say I’m Biased, But I’m Not the Only One

Being human, otherwise known as the art of making decisions without sufficient data. Read More ›

Snap! Flash! Bang! Find out how ocean-dwelling pistol shrimp fire bubble ‘bullets’ to stun their unsuspecting prey. › How Pistol Shrimp Kill with Bubbles

Pistol shrimp are aptly named. Despite their small, unassuming presence, they carry with them an impressive weapon that can discharge powerful underwater ‘bullets’ capable of stunning or even killing prey. Read More ›

The evolution of one of the greatest medical discoveries in history. › The Path of Least Resistance: Our Relationship with Antibiotics

They think they can beat us with their antibiotics?! Silly humans... Read More ›

Science may be a universal language, but for international students, many other things are lost in translation. › Science - A Universal Language

Studying abroad is an opportunity for advancing in a scientific career; it is also a test to one’s endurance. Hear from those who decided to embark on this journey. Read More ›

Celebrating 117 Years of Christmas Bird Counts › 'Tis the Season for Citizen Science

The nation’s longest-running citizen science project is both a scientific and cultural treasure. Read More ›

Mother Nature’s History Book › Estimating the Age of Life Long-Gone

T. rex lived 68 to 66 million years ago. How do scientists know the ages of things that lived long before humans existed? Read More ›

Why fish deserve our research money › Fish are friends AND food

Many people don’t think about fish beyond what’s in their tanks or on their plate. Fish are actually a valuable and important focus for research efforts. I have trillions of reasons why! Read More ›

Proprioception as a vital sense › Know Your Limb-its

Detecting the location of your own fingertips without seeing them is a sense we should all appreciate. But what do we know about this sense in other animals? Read More ›

Man’s Best Artificially-Selected Friend › Your Dog is a GMO Wolf

Call of the wild becomes call of the squeaky toy through artificial selection. Read More ›

Integrating knowledge of microbial ecology into building architecture. › Building with Microbes (In Mind)

Human microbiome studies have demonstrated how crucial bacteria are to our health. Will microbiome of the built environment be as important? Read More ›

Better Safe Than Sorry: The Pesticide Industry is Getting a Revamp

Did you know that some pesticides are not hazardous? The industry is shifting towards safer formulations that mitigate non-target impacts. Read More ›

Who needs males after all?

Meet these all female lizards who propagate their species with some diversified cloning and lady lovin’. Read More ›

Sometimes scientists have to get creative in order to effectively do science – especially on a budget. › The Bizarre Shopping List of a Determined Scientist

Why would a scientist need a selfie stick? What use is a bunch of scrap chicken bones from the butcher shop? Science isn’t only accomplished with high-tech equipment -- read below to find out how everyday items are used by scientists in non-traditional ways! Read More ›

Ecology and Behavior of Woodchucks › Opposition Research on My Garden’s Greatest Nemesis

Even if a woodchuck could chuck wood, it would still rather eat your garden! Read More ›

Insects Get Sick Too: The Study of Insect Pathology

Understanding the diseases insects get has implications for protecting our beneficial insects, managing pest species, and modeling our own diseases. Read More ›

I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again

As a researcher, you can’t be afraid of failure. This is the #1 rule you should stress when mentoring in a lab setting. Read More ›

Our teeny tiny friends and their huge potential › Employee of the Month - Hire a Microbe to Do Your Work

Thought that microbes were only important for our health and making food for us? Turns out these little factories still have a lot more to offer. Read More ›

Vision in Jumping Spiders › Watching Your Every Move

Jumping spiders can change the direction of their gaze without changing their body’s position. If you think about it, it’s just like a creepy painting with eyes that follow you across a room… Read More ›

Slimed and Consumed - The Blob is Real!

It's the season of darkness - rationalize your fear of those strange creatures found at your every turn Read More ›

Halloween Tales from the Ocean › A thorny, venomous creature is terrorizing coral reefs

When you’ve got venomous thorns and you eat innocent beautiful coral for breakfast, I think you qualify as a new kind of monster. Read More ›

The Evolution and Ecological Impacts of Cats › Lion in Sheep's Clothing

Cats may seem cute and cuddly, but hunting is in their blood. Domestic cats evolved from wild cats and are now shaping animal populations in nature. Read More ›

A Brief History of Evolutionary Thought - Part I

Evolutionary biology has come a long way since the Origin of Species was published in 1859. Today let’s discuss the history of evolutionary thinking, focusing on the earliest, and often surprising, roots of the science. Read More ›

Science Outreach: “Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart & bold” with Plant Science!

Our 1-day and 3-day workshops on Plant Science were described as “lit” by the Eureka! Girls. Read More ›

The Effects of Custom Build Paradise › Artificial Islands

Artificial islands have been build all around the world for a variety of reasons. But what is their impact on the local ecological communities? Read More ›

What happens when frogs have to compete for acoustic space and a chance to be heard? › Struggling to be Heard - Competition in a Complex Soundscape

When a loud, invasive frog species acoustically overpowers native frog calling, important communication can be blocked. Then what? Read More ›

To B(PA) Or To Not B(PA): Regulating Endocrine Disruptors

To B(PA) or not to B(PA) - what about this environmental toxicant is so concerning? Read on to find out why regulating BPA is important. Read More ›

Think Genghis Khan and Napoleon were the most successful invaders? Think again. › Invasive Species and Invasion: Part 1

Confused about invasive species? Read on to learn more about the how, what, and why of invasive species. Read More ›

When, and how, terror birds invade

When the Earth changes, it can bring unexpected visitors. Read More ›

8 Reasons Plants Are Amazing

From chemotherapies to smelling like carrion, plants have an amazingly diverse skillset. Here are 8 reasons to get excited about the plant kingdom. Read More ›

Bioluminescence truly looks like it is nothing short of sorcery, and although this naturally occurring phenomenon is well studied and explained, that does not take away from its beauty. › Fireflies of the Ocean: Lighting up the Dark with Science

If you’re perfectly happy thinking of bioluminescence as the result of sheer magic, do not read this post. If you’d like to understand the biological mechanism behind it, however, this post is for you. Spoiler alert: it’s not magic (and the tooth fairy isn’t real either…) Read More ›

Too Clean for Comfort › How our obsession with cleanliness might be hurting our health

The old adage “a little dirt never hurt” might actually be good health advice after all! Find out how our obsession with being “clean” might be doing more harm than good for our health. Read More ›

The magic of in-between places along the Appalachian Trail › Walking through Transitions

#Walking isn’t just good exercise, but a great way to be in many places at once! #ecotone #AppalachianTrail Read More ›

Stop, evaluate, and listen - serotonin surges when a female is present

A brain region involved in hearing surges with serotonin in male mice when a female is present but drops if the mouse is romantically rejected. Read More ›

How are forest insect outbreaks like wildfires?

Wildfire and insect outbreak both affect our forest in complex and interconnected ways. Learn more in this post. Read More ›

No Teeth, Long Tongue, No Problem - Adaptations for Ant-eating

A strict ant diet plus convergent evolution leads to cool adaptations. Read More ›

Part II - Cases of altruism in the animal kingdom › Charity cases in nature - when are animals more likely to be altruistic?

With the understanding that true altruism never benefits an individual, let’s explore some of these interesting cases of altruism in nature. Read More ›

Sharing the ecosystem with wildlife - why getting outside is more important than ever

Backyard bears and flying fish - Human’s sometimes misguided approach to wildlife control Read More ›

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Predators, Parasitoids, and Parasites

What Simba didn’t know about the circle of life - parasitoids, predators and parasites Read More ›

Part I - Why true altruism is a rare behavior in the animal kingdom › Being selfish means staying alive

When I say altruism, you probably think of giving to others. As humans, we admire when someone acts altruistic and consider altruism to be a good personality trait. Why then, is true altruism in the animal kingdom rare? Read More ›

Penguins and other strange things we study from space

How scientists use satellites to answer questions about life here on planet Earth. Read More ›

How Mercury in Fish Could End Up in Your Dish › The Mercurial Path of Mercury to Aquatic Ecosystems

The trophic transfer of mercury has bearing on my life. I eat fish regularly, but select small species. Let me explain why. Read More ›

How our microbiome affects our health and vice versa › If you don't care for your microbiome, you might want to start

Microbes are estimated to have a nearly 1:1 association with the human body. That’s 1 microbe for every 1 human cell. Do we ever get sick because of these microbes? Read More ›

Nicotine Dreams - Baby Birds Protected by Cigarettes

Birds know how to fumigate for unwanted pests! Read More ›

Finding new ways to grow bacteria to progress science › Culturing the Least Cultured Members of Society

Bacteria are everywhere, and we are very effective at growing billions of them in our guts, on our shower curtains, and on our food. But those bacteria we think about every day cover just a tiny fraction of the diversity of bacteria that exist in the world. How do we learn about all these other bacteria? Read More ›

Hit the Road Jack

Picture swimming in a pool of honey. Not the easiest of tasks right? This is how microbes feel moving through water! Read More ›

Pseudoreplication and the Art of Biological Statistics

Ever wondered how biologists learn about the world? They use statistics. Learn more about the use (and misuse) of stats in biology! Read More ›

What Happened to Your Nose?

Fancy schnozzes have surprising functions across the mammal family tree. Read More ›

A reflection about the value of water and the forest › Drinking from the rivers and eating from the forests

Environmental disasters are happening around the world and most of us are not even aware. Read More ›

What is wrong with my tomatoes?...And other plant disease questions › Why did orange prices increase?

Citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing or Dragon Yellows, is causing devastating losses to citrus trees in Africa, Asia, Brazil, and the southern United States. Plant pathologists are working hard to combat this disease and keep oranges on our tables (and at a reasonable price)! Read More ›

Good intentions sometimes lead to unfortunate outcomes › 4 ways humans harm the environment (when they are trying to help)

There’s no question that human activities impact the natural environment. Some human activities have devastating consequences on the environment, while others have the sole purpose of improving or restoring the environment. Unfortunately, the latter occasionally has negative results, despite having positive intentions. Read More ›

Building better plants - Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution

There are a lot of hungry mouths to feed in the world. How did modern agriculture come to support such a large population? Read More ›

Love Songs for Nobody - Birdsong in Winter

We typically understand singing in birds to function in mate attraction and territory defense, two behaviors closely tied to breeding. But sometimes birds sing far from their breeding grounds and outside of their mating season, when singing doesn’t seem to make biological sense. So what the heck is going on? A recent study sheds light on this long-debated topic! Read More ›

How fecal microbiota transplants can improve lives and possibly save them › The Wonders of Fecal Transplants

Fecal microbiota transplantation is the new ‘it’ treatment. Here’s why you should give a s**t. Read More ›

Catch-and-release anglers catalyze conservation for the prized golden dorado fish › Fishing Towards Conservation

Anglers are vital advocates for their beloved waters; some decide to leave fish in the rivers and off the dinner table. Read More ›

Marvel at Larval - An Appreciation for Young and Developing Fish

Below the surface, fish live fascinating and complex lives! Read More ›

We know we get infections from time to time. Why does this happen? › The Evolution of Virulence

Have you ever wondered why pathogens, or microorganisms that cause disease, exist? Why do these microbes choose to attack our bodies? What is fascinating is that pathogenic microbes are typically not—at least initially—looking for their next target. Instead, these microbes are generally just really good survivors. Read More ›

How cheese rinds may be a valuable tool for microbial discovery › The Unseen World – On Cheese?

Read More ›

Find Me Where the Wild Things Are

Take a minute and think - what do you consider “wild things”? Would bacteria count in your book? Click to explore the tiny world of microbes and learn about some fundamental microbial ecology! Read More ›

A commentary on how to make science more ‘clickable’ › You won’t believe this simple trick to tell if your coral is healthy or not

The internet is a big place. Amidst intense competition for readership online, could scientists make their research feel more ‘clickable’? Should they? Read More ›

Why I care about ecology and you should, too! › Why I chose to be a field ecologist

Think everyone who works outside likes dirt? Think again! Read More ›

Some species hide in plain sight, but scientists have ways to suss them out › Cryptic Species Hide in Plain Sight

The advent of affordable DNA sequencing has put molecular techniques at the forefront of species discovery. For the sake of biodiversity, ecological conservation, public health, and pest management, let’s hope that “new age of [species] discovery” has only just begun. Read More ›

Minuscule Hitchhikers Pinch a Ride › Creature Feature - Pseudoscorpions

These small arachnids are all around us, and may even live in your house! Read More ›

Some Australians consider kangaroos to be pests. Surprised? So was I.

Kangaroos, posterchildren for the Australian outback, are considered by some to be pests in their homeland. In fact, most tourists have experienced the availability of kangaroo meat and leather in parts of Australia. How did this come to be? Read More ›

re: thoughts about something you’re going to write anyway… › Five Sentence Emails

Brevity is the soul of email. Here’s the buzz about writing emails that are concise, elegant, and logical Read More ›

The scientific facts behind the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccines › Calling the Shots - Discussing Vaccines

You’ve probably encountered memes, celebrities, and blogs vilifying childhood vaccines - let’s dive into some facts that will hopefully help clarify just how safe and effective the science community agrees vaccines to be. Read More ›

World Fish Migration Day 2016!

Each year, in rivers all around the world, several fish species make an all-or-nothing trek from sea to freshwater (or vice versa) in order to reproduce. Join us in celebrating the second ever World Fish Migration Day on May 21st! On World Fish Migration Day, we celebrate the ecological, economical, and cultural importance of these fish through education and outreach in order to promote a better future for all of the organisms that rely on migratory fish (including ourselves). Read More ›

A World without Birdsong

What would the world be like if it weren’t for natural sounds? Are we facing an imminent extinction of the natural soundscape experience? Read More ›

Juggling teaching, research, and outreach › Life in the balance

I’m a up-and-coming molecular biologist, and I study genetics, evolution, and development. But what do I actually do all day? Read More ›

3D Printing for Fun and Science

Almost any conceivable object can now be 3D printed into reality. The process is fun and futuristic, but it’s also opening new doors for biological research. Read More ›

Walking With Giant Anteaters

Do you know anteaters? Read More ›

What is wrong with my tomatoes?...And other plant disease questions › What is Phytopathology?

Plants, including tomatoes, are constantly under attack by microscopic organisms, like bacteria and viruses, and larger organisms, like insects and deer. Phytopathology is the study of plant diseases with the aim of keeping our plants from becoming sick. Read More ›

Welcome To That's Life [Science]

All we knew is that we wanted to make an outreach blog. We weren’t sure how or who would be willing to help with such an endeavor. Read More ›

Why we should care about sea turtles › When A Sea Turtle Balanced Earth

What about sea turtles instills a power of captivation over so many people -- to the point even, that conservationists would sacrifice their life to save them? Why should we be alarmed that this ancient species is disappearing from the globe? Read More ›

What happens when a researcher steps outside the lab and into the public sphere? › Unexpected Encounters of the Human Kind

Research in a lab setting allows for control over many environmental variables and conditions, but can be limiting due to the unnatural context. Research in a field setting can be more natural and realistic, however that tight control over the environment is lost. One unpredictable source of a challenging field environment? People. Read More ›

Medical Mysteries Still Surrounding Zika Virus

The challenges of understanding, diagnosing, and treating Zika virus: there are more questions than answers. Read More ›

A closer look at species diversity in the tropics › It's Standing Room Only At The Equator

Ever wonder why the tropics have more plants and animals than places closer to the poles? You aren't alone. Read More ›