Sleep is a biological phenomenon found in nearly all animals. However, sleep duration, architecture, and physiological characteristics can vary greatly among species and even among individuals within the same species. Why animals have evolved such diverse sleep patterns remains unclear. The interplay between sleep and sociality in wild animal groups. Shown is a sleeping troop of olive baboons（Image source：Chakravarty, P et al. (2024). Illustration by Javier Lázaro.， CC BY 4.0

Rhythmic drumming is found in every known human culture and is thought to be one of the earliest forms of musical expression to evolve. Human rhythmic drumming also displays several key characteristics, including differences among individuals and regions, as well as widespread structural features shared across musical traditions, such as non-random rhythmic organization and isochrony. Studying drumming behavior in our closest living relatives may help reveal the evolutionary

The Mediterranean planarian Schmidtea mediterranea is a highly regenerative flatworm belonging to the phylum Platyhelminthes. Its body contains a population of cells known as neoblasts, which are adult stem cells and form the foundation of planarian tissue turnover and regenerative capacity. These cells divide continuously, replenishing cells that must be replaced throughout the body and supplying new cells required for regeneration after injury. Mediterranean planarian（Image

High altitude is often associated with labored breathing and physiological strain, yet people living at high elevations generally show lower blood glucose, better glucose tolerance, and a reduced risk of diabetes. This pattern has been reported repeatedly across high-altitude populations, including residents of Tibet, Peru, Ecuador, and Nepal.

Many animals do not rely solely on instinctive behaviors. Instead, they can acquire new behaviors through observation and interaction with others. This transmission of information and behaviors through social learning, often referred to as animal culture, can enhance individual survival and improve a population's ability to adapt to environmental changes. Consequently, understanding these behaviors has important implications for biodiversity conservation. Among the various be

The Australian bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is able to produce small, cube-shaped fecal pellets. At first glance, this seems like a curious and almost puzzling biological trick. Yet it raises a serious mechanical question: how can a soft intestine sculpt soft fecal material into a shape with flat faces and distinct corners? Australian bare-nosed wombat（Image source：Paul J. Morris， CC BY-SA 4.0 ） Early explanations were largely speculative. Some suggested that the fece

Some animals are masters of camouflage not because they vanish, but because they stand in plain sight and persuade you not to see them. Leaves, twigs, stones, patches of necrosis—by resembling such ordinary features of their surroundings, many insects turn the environment itself into a protective disguise. One such leaf-masquerading insect is Arota festae, a katydid native to Panama, Colombia, and Suriname. It is about 2.7 centimeters long and weighs roughly 1 gram. With broa

Sleep is a form of rest that animals use to recover energy. For many species, adequate sleep is essential. When animals fail to obtain enough rest, they often show slower reactions and poorer judgment, which can negatively affect survival and performance.

When people think about long-lived animals, creatures such as sea turtles that can survive for more than a century or whales that may live for two or three hundred years often come to mind. Compared with these organisms, the average human lifespan of roughly seventy or eighty years seems relatively short. Throughout history, many individuals have searched for ways to extend life, hoping to discover a secret that could delay aging or even achieve immortality. Scientists have l

Galls produced by the gall wasp Diplolepis polita （Image source：Dean Morley， CC BY-ND 2.0 ） When walking outdoors, you may sometimes notice strange structures appearing on plant leaves. Such unusual swellings can arise from various causes. In some cases they are produced by infections from viruses, bacteria, or fungi. In other situations, organisms such as nematodes or arthropods—including insects—can also trigger the formation of bizarre structures on plants. Among these p