Blog Archive

Click on a headline to read more.

Going on Autopilot? Thank Your Place Cells
Why do we go on autopilot when we travel somewhere we’ve been a thousand times? How do our brains snap out of this routine when we need to change it up? Read More ›

Living below sea level: Dutch engineering marvels
Us: Living near water and below sea-level is a bad idea. The Dutch: Challenge accepted. Read More ›

Why are some primate infants brightly colored?
“In some primate species, infants are born with conspicuous coats that fade to normal adult coloration over time. What could be causing these uniquely colored infants? What do species with natal coats all have in common?” Read More ›

Technological Advancements…. Thanks to Ferrets?
Ferrets did what? The surprising use of ferrets for solving technological problems. Read More ›

Immunohistochemistry: One man’s illness is another man’s experimental verification method
How do neuroscientists make a certain population of cells stand out from a sea of them squished together in the brain? The tools are already in nature, no need to reinvent the wheel. Read More ›

Are palm trees really trees?
Palm trees are quite unique, and to be honest, a little funny looking. Are they actually trees? And why are they the way they are? Read More ›

The Power of Fear: Four Ways Being Scared Affects Wildlife
Fear is a powerful driver of wildlife behavior, here are five ways animals respond to fear. Read More ›

How Climate Change Affects Your Seafood
The ocean is shifting along with a changing climate. What does that mean for the local seafood on your plate and in the market? Read More ›

Managing Up
Why might your advisor become distant from your work and how can you bring them back into it? Read More ›

The Eastern Spotted Newt: A Wandering Teenage Identity Crisis
The Eastern Spotted Newt has three dramatically different looks as it grows from egg to adulthood. Read More ›

Survival by Aposematism and Mimicry: The Evolution of Bright Color Patterns
Sometimes the best defense from predators is to stay in plain sight. Read More ›

The crime-fighting field of forensic palynology
“The distinct diversity of pollen grains has many uses - including helping detectives around the world piece together the details of a crime.” Read More ›

The Traveling Field Biologist
“What does it take to get to the remote field sites where so many biologists collect their data?” Read More ›

Bioremediation - One Species’ Trash, Another’s Treasure?
How microbes can help address one of the long-term issues associated with waste disposal. Read More ›

Brain Surgery… It’s Not Rocket Science!
“Brain surgery is surprisingly simple. Aside from the risk of death, here’s all there is to it.” Read More ›

More Tales from Trails
A tale of carnivores, camera traps, and camaraderie straight from the grasslands and woodlands of Africa. Read More ›

Sifak-huh?
What type of an animal is a sifaka? What makes them unique? And how in the world do you pronounce ‘sifaka’? Read More ›

Changing the climate change conversation
My lessons learned from NNOCCI’s keys to successful climate change conversations - let’s solve this together! Read More ›

Is Science for Women?
“What are the implications of a male dominated field for women, whether they are in that field or not?” Read More ›

Money Doesn’t Grow on Monsteras: The Economics of Indoor Plants
#indoorplants don’t just look great on Instagram; they also tell us about economic tradeoffs, priorities, and a changing economy Read More ›

Tales from Trails: Field Dispatches from Africa
“A postcard from a field biologist still a bit stunned about landing her dream location in southern Africa!” Read More ›

Climate change impacts on our health and safety
What to know about the major impacts of climate change on our health and safety, and what we’re doing to limit them. Read More ›

So Many Choices… The Challenge of Selecting Trees for the Urban Environment
“With seemingly endless tree species available, how can you decide which one to plant?” Read More ›

Should I Apply to Graduate School?
“Thinking about the next steps in your life? If graduate school is one of those potential options, here’s some things you should be thinking about.” Read More ›

Why does alcohol make you dizzy?
“How does drinking alcohol lead to lack of balance? What are the physiological processes underlying this phenomenon?” Read More ›

You are a fish
Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? Because that's exactly what you are. Read More ›

It’s Not Science Fiction, Chimeras Are Real
All of our cells have the same DNA… right? Not always. Genetic chimeras shatter our ideas of identity and blur the lines between self and non-self, siblings, and sexes. Read More ›

The Tale of A Conspicuous Invader and Inconspicuous Field Sites
A trip to scout field sites is thwarted when a notorious invasive grass refuses to live by the rules of a scientist’s study design. Read More ›

Things That Glow Pink in the Night: Why do some animals have fluorescent coloration under ultraviolet light?
“What could be the meaning behind squirrels with pink fur and puffins with electric blue beaks?” Read More ›

When You Call a Fish a Frog
When the way fish look remind us of another animal, why not name them that way? You can decide for yourself whether these fish really look like a lizard, hog, or frog! Read More ›

A Peanut A Day Keeps the Allergist Away
**Undergraduate Writing Contest Spring 2019 WINNER** Read More ›

Pipettes and Paintbrushes 2019
The second annual collaborative art/science exhibit was featured last month on the UMass Amherst campus. Check out this work in our virtual art gallery under the Events tab. Read More ›

The Rise of Sourdough and Mason Jar Ecosystems
Science-up your everyday life with some kitchen microbiology, starting with the secret lives of microbes in sourdough! Read More ›

Who’s Got the Biggest Genome of Them All?
The answer may surprise you... Read More ›

Radioactive Bananas, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Greenhouse Gases, OH MY!
Here's a closer look into Radiation: the facts, the myths, and the bananas… Read More ›

Uncharted Intellectual Territory: Science Isn’t Linear
Federally-funded science has been ridiculed as wasteful spending, citing bizarre methods out of context… but silly methods ≠ silly science! Read More ›

It’s a Trap! How Looks Can Be Deceiving in Habitat Selection
Ecological traps are an important concept in conservation biology. Let’s talk about what it means for wildlife. Read More ›

A Day - and Night - in the Life of a Bat Biologist
Most scientists work in the day and sleep at night, but scientists who study nocturnal animals don’t get that luxury! Read More ›

The Feelings that Linger: Good vs. Bad
Why can bad things be so overpowering of the good? Evolution might give us some insights. Read More ›

The Biology of Booze ft. Tequila
This is a brief biological story involving the agave plant and its pollinators that are instrumental in the birth of tequila! Read More ›

Mangroves: at your service
The services mangrove forests provide are priceless, so why are these ecosystems threatened? Read More ›

Dying Tomatoes, Healthy Kittens, and the EMP500: Why you should care about the International Society for Microbial Ecology
Microbes can kill us - but they will also save us. Read More ›

The Purebred Poodle Problem
The hidden risks behind that pedigree certificate. **Undergraduate Writing Contest Fall 2018 WINNER** Read More ›

Go With Your Gut...
...Unless Your Gut is Going Against You. **Undergraduate Writing Contest Fall 2018 RUNNER-UP** Read More ›

Pleistocene Rewilding: A Controversial Idea in Conservation Biology
Some conservationists dream of returning to an ancient past of free roaming elephants and lions in the U.S. - let’s explore the controversial and intriguing idea of Pleistocene rewilding. Read More ›

Mangroves: where blue meets green, brown, and every other color under the sun
Trees may seem a bit out of place at the edge of the ocean, but mangroves know what they are doing. Read More ›

Live Fast, Die Young: Why Some Animals Die After Mating
Some have termed it “suicidal mating,” when adult animals die shortly after mating for the first time. How could it be beneficial to live a short life and only reproduce once? Read More ›

Diversity in the Forest
We know the importance of diversity in the environment, but what’s at risk by neglecting the levels of diversity in forestry’s workforce? Read More ›

Let It Glow
A closer look at some species that use bioluminescence to glow. Read More ›

I’m Likin’ That Lichen
Don’t miss the diversity of lichen that provide a colorful cover for many surfaces across the world. Read More ›

New Culture, New Microbiome, New Problems
How adopting an “American” diet can be detrimental for the health of many immigrants. Read More ›

Eureka!
My neuroscientist friends at UMass Amherst and I led a workshop with Girls Inc. to encourage curiosity among local middle school girls. Read More ›

If Only There Were a U.S. Census Question About Biodiversity…
Have you ever wondered why some streets in your city or town have more trees than others? Read this post to find out more… Read More ›

Celebrate the Holidays with a Decorative Parasite
As the winter holiday season approaches, will you be decorating with this festive parasitic plant? Read More ›

Sleeping One Hemisphere at a Time
“Did you know it’s possible for only half of your brain to sleep while the other half stays awake? Why would anyone do that?” Read More ›

Through the Mycologist's Hand Lens: Deceptive Decomposers
Fungi are fascinating! You can find them just outside your door, and some wild varieties are edible. But be careful - these decomposers can be deceptive! Read More ›

Standing on the shoulders of giants
“Scientific discovery is incremental and extends beyond the lifespan of a single researcher. But whose shoulders do I stand upon?” Read More ›

3 Reasons Why What You Grow in Your Garden Matters
Planting a flower from your local nursery seems innocuous enough, but where that flower comes from is an important consideration that often gets overlooked. Read More ›

Tails from the Field: Studying Lemurs in Southwestern Madagascar
In one of the most ecologically unique regions in the world, I had the chance to get up close and personal with lemurs! Read More ›

Frankenstein: A ghost-story about scientific ethics and work-life balance
Happy Halloween! Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein turns 200 this year. Let’s take a closer look at this ghost-story about science gone wrong. Read More ›

Scottish Summer Surprises - Part 2!
Scottish wildlife postcard from the Highlands! Read More ›

Lessons from My First Conference
I attended my first mega-conference as a graduate student, and I learned a few things along the way... Read More ›

How a cattle vaccine helped save giraffes
Find out how a vaccine for cattle resulted in a rebound in giraffe populations on the Serengeti. Read More ›

Scottish Summer Surprises (Part 1)!
Scottish wildlife postcard from the Highlands! Read More ›

How An Invasive Plant Helped Fuel The Largest Wildfire You’ve Never Heard Of
Currently, there are roughly 50 large wildfires burning in the U.S. We’re taking a look at how one of this season’s fires got so big. Read More ›

The Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
What does the largest neuroscience conference have to offer an early career researcher, from undergrad to grad student? Read More ›

Life Science in Outer Space!
Humans have been occupying outer space for decades, but what other species have made it beyond Earth’s atmosphere? Read More ›

How Many Botanists Does it Take to ID an Orchid?
I tagged along with the New England Botanical Club to explore plants of the Pioneer Valley. Come check out some photos! Read More ›

A Baby Photo Book – For Fish!
You know how new parents always post photos of their babies? Well this is that, but with fish. Read More ›

Do we have all the data needed to make safe choices about seafood?
Every year, fish consumption advisories are published to help us make healthy seafood choices, but how good is the data used to construct these advisories? Read More ›

From Bill Nye to the ‘Average Joe’: The changing face of science communication
The science of communicating. Read More ›

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Rats
Rats have pretty surprising features. You’ll be shocked to find how similar they are to people in some ways and different in others. Read More ›

Watermelon Snow
What looks like a slushy, feels like a slushy, but makes you wish you hadn’t eaten it? Read More ›

Critter Candid Cam
Travel to this fabulous landscape in India’s wild west to encounter camels, carnivores, people, livestock, and more! Read More ›

Three Cool Plants in Hot Places
We’re taking a closer look at three interesting desert plants. But don’t get too close; they may prick you! Read More ›

Research Highlight - Making Brain Cells
Research Highlight - As a Ph.D. student, I get to grow brain cells! Read More ›

A parasite only a moth could love
Did you know that a parasite can have a parasite, which in turn can have a parasite of its own? These interactions can influence our ability to control pest insect species. Read More ›

Telling tales of plants and their names
Every plant has a Latin and a common name, both of which come with a story. Come find out how some plants get their quirky callings! Read More ›

Human Eye Structure Makes No Sense…Or Does It?
The reason visual information begins processing at the back of the eye. Read More ›

Extract DNA from any living thing
DNA Extraction is easier than you might think - you can even try it in your kitchen at home! Read More ›

Is it possible to eat too much fish?
Seafood is part of a healthy diet, but it’s not a perfect health food. Let’s discuss fish consumption advisories and how they can help you avoid eating unhealthy seafood. Read More ›

The Colorful World of Primate Hair
Black, yellow, red, and white—what makes primates the most colorful mammals? Read More ›

Celebrity Sightings while Science-ing
Sometimes science brings you to obscure locations and equips you with binoculars – in New York City, it’s a perfect setup for rare celebrity sightings in the concrete jungle! Read More ›

Breaks on Campus
What happens when everyone goes on vacation during school breaks? Why would someone choose to stay and work? Read More ›

Awe-inspiring, but relatable – the goal of any science communication effort
Journey with TLS author Dina Navon to the 2018 annual meeting of the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, and learn more about the ways scientists think about communicating their work! Read More ›

Where do fish go in winter?
When the weather gets unbearably cold and the waters freeze, what do the fish do? Read More ›

You Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours
Curious cases of cooperation, coexistence, and camaraderie in creatures great and small. Read More ›

Secrets of the Soil: Searching for Stories from a Warming Climate
Get the “dirt” on one grad student’s “hot” work. Read More ›

The Price of Pigment on Your Immune System
Although tattoos are safe for most everyone, here are two unique cases of a person’s body responding poorly to this form of body art. Read More ›

Alien Microbes: How studying hyperthermophiles can help us discover life on other planets
How do the microorganisms that live in hot springs, deep sea floors, and volcanos survive? Read More ›

Life, the universe, and everything: Dreams of being a biophysicist
When physics and biology come together to figure out life Read More ›

Midnight Snacks Could Be the Death of You
What time you’re eating may be more influential than what you’re eating, according to a collaborator of Nobel Prize recipients. Read More ›

Bug Sleuth – One Entomologist’s Mission to ID a Mysterious Swarm of Wasps
This past fall, I came across a swarm of wasps and did not know what they were. For an entomologist, that’s scarier than the swarm itself, so I did some sleuthing. Read More ›

Single Large or Several Small? The Ongoing Debate in Nature Preserve Design
Should we use limited resources for fewer large nature preserves, or a patchwork of smaller ones? Read More ›

Lobster Fight Club
Learn the ins and outs of combat in one of the ocean’s fiercest fighters, the American lobster. Read More ›

A Fishtastic Journey Abroad
While much of my summer was spent in a lab, I snuck away for two splendid weeks in Bergen, Norway – for research! Read More ›

Greetings from Michigan: American Ornithology Conference 2017
Scientists are often alone in their labs, at remote field sites, or staring at computers – but once a year, they get together to nerd out! Read More ›

Moving away from monoculture in aquaculture
Can aquaculture farming successfully break free from conventional monoculture practices? Read More ›

What do cockroaches, power tools, and pollinator gardens have in common?
This fall, TLS teamed up with local Girl Scout troops to learn about the importance of animal habitats. Here is what happened! Read More ›

Grad Students Meet Girl Scouts Part 2: Conserving Local Bee Habitats, One Person at a Time!
Girl scouts learn about why bees are in trouble and what they can do to help maintain local bee populations. Bee the Change! Read More ›

A graduate student in elementary school
When your research is about environmental education, you end up spending all your time at school! Read More ›

Horny and Hungry: The Dilemma of Sexual Cannibalism
In some species, the phrase “I could eat you up” between lovers has a very literal meaning. Let’s check out the stories behind sexual cannibalism, the strange and intriguing behavior where males become meals! Read More ›

TLS Writing Contest
TLS is hosting a writing competition where the winning article will be posted on our blog! Details here. Read More ›

Minding my Moth and Meandering in Malaysia
I never thought I’d get the chance to go to Malaysia, but I went for a scientific meeting and it was an experience of a lifetime. Read More ›

Distilling Complexity in Three Minutes - The UMass 3MT Competition
The UMass 3-Minute Thesis is back! During 3MT competition, grad students explain their research in 180 seconds. Find out more, plus insights from a finalist last year! Read More ›

All My Friends Are Dead - A Day in the Museum Basement
For an anatomist, museum basements are a magnificent scientific wonderland full of skulls, bones, and biodiversity! Read More ›

A Day In the Life of a Bird Nerd
Have you ever wondered what graduate students actually do? While every day is a new adventure, here’s a sample of one of my Wednesdays… Read More ›

Salameandering – Searching the Southern Appalachians for Gummy Lizards
In the Southern Appalachians, salamander diversity is tops. I went to see how many species I could find. Read More ›

Making a Murderer - A Matter of Biology?
As technology advances, we are gaining a better understanding of how biology underlies human behavior. When it comes to crime, can we blame someone’s biology? Read More ›

Some people just love plants (as long as they can afford them...)
This post will finally answer all the questions you never had about why your sister has so many plants in her house. Read More ›

You Are What You Eat – Measuring the Impact of Diet on Jaw Bone Growth in Fish, part I
Building a face requires a delicate interplay between genes and the environment! Read More ›

Got Lactase? Breaking Down the Enzyme
We've been told that dairy is a miracle food for good health and strong bones, but most of the human population can't even digest it. Read More ›

Who’s who? The elusive difference between butterflies and moths
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a butterfly and a moth? Me too. This is what I found out. Read More ›

Tuberculosis - A Romantic Disease?
A survey of an unlikely pair - Tuberculosis and art Read More ›

Ode to a Few Arachnids
Limericks honoring my favorite class in the animal kingdom Read More ›

Spooky Science: When Nightmares Become Reality
It’s Halloween - but what if the thing you fear most is your own research? Read More ›

Spooky Science: When Nightmares Become Reality
It’s Halloween - but what if the thing you fear most is your own research? Read More ›

Why Do I Shiver When It’s Cold?
Body shivering, teeth chattering, why does our body descend into a twitching mess in the cold? Learn how odd behaviors work to keep us warm! Read More ›

What I wish I had known: advice about graduate school (and life) to my younger self
Intrigued by graduate student life? If so, read on to discover the 6 things I wish I had known when I started grad school. Read More ›

Life on the Edge: 3 Important Ways that Habitat Edges Affect Forests
“Edges exist in nature, but what happens when humans continue to fragment habitat?" Read More ›

Monotropa uniflora - This wildflower is pretty wild
Check out this plant with an amazing set of pipes! Read More ›

Crap you didn’t really need to know
“How do you count an animal you can’t see, hear, or find? By its poo of course!” Read More ›

You Can't Observe A Lot Just By Watching
“Are you watching closely? Abracadabra.” How magicians use our brains against us. Read More ›

Are we running out of invasives?
Have we already experienced so many invasive species that we’re exhausting the pool of potential species? Read More ›

Eavesdropping in the Animal Kingdom: Sneaky Creatures Just Trying to Get Ahead
Humans aren’t the only nosy creatures out there – animals eavesdrop too! Read all about eavesdropping in the animal kingdom Read More ›

Trickle-Down Academics - Facing the Loss of the NSF DDIG in Biology
Losing the NSF DDIG in biology will have lasting ramifications on graduate student independence…here’s why. Read More ›

What Do You Do When It's Too Hot to Move?
If there’s not enough ice cream in the world to cool you off, here are some tips from nature on coping with the heat! Read More ›

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

Death stinks - literally
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 ›

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 ›

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
Read More ›

Sketch-noting the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology 2017 Meeting
“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 ›

Sketch-noting the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology 2017 Meeting
“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 Bpa Or To Not Bpa Regulating Endocrine Disruptors Tzintel
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 ›