Ernst Mayr Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University

Fungus-resistant frogs. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/frog-survive-fungal-pandemic-bd-fungas?

A frog’s story of surviving a fungal pandemic offers hope for other species Evolving immunity to the Bd fungus and a reintroduction project saved a California frog. The key to rescuing other species might be in the frog’s genes.

Static electricity and pollination. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/static-electricity-pollination?

Static electricity may help butterflies and moths gather pollen on the fly Electrostatically charged lepidopterans could draw pollen out of flowers without touching the blooms, computer simulations suggest.

New study on the Charles Darwin's frog by MCZ's Jim Hanken and visiting researchers S.D. Biju and Sonali Garg.

From tree holes to trash—the breeding behavior of a frog endemic to the Andman Islands of India A team of biologists from the University of Delhi and Zoological Survey of India, Harvard University, and the University of Minnesota has discovered a unique breeding behavior in a species of frog endemic to the Andaman Islands of India. In a new study published in the journal Breviora, scientists d...

Humpback whale in Boston harbor. https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/07/30/whale-surprises-watch-tours-in-boston-harbor-near-logan-airport/?

Whale surprises watch tours in Boston Harbor near Logan Airport “Be mindful that the animal may be stressed, so to avoid approach and to not make this an opportunity to go see a whale close to Boston."

Arthropod larva fossil with organs intact.

'My jaw just dropped': 500 million-year-old larva fossil found with brain preserved The newly discovered Youti yuanshi larva fossil is so well-preserved that it provides a road map for arthropod evolution during the Cambrian period.

New analysis shows complex life evolved 2.1 billion years ago, 1.5 billion years earlier than expected.

Complex life on Earth began around 1.5 billion years earlier than previously thought, new study claims Environmental evidence of the very first experiments in the evolution of complex life on Earth, has been uncovered by an international team of scientists.

Jurassic mammal

Skye fossils reveal secrets of first mammals to walk the Earth The fossils hold clues as to how mammals that lived in the shadow of dinosaurs evolved to dominate the world.

"Dark oxygen" produced on the sea floor.

In a seafloor surprise, metal-rich chunks may generate deep-sea oxygen Instead of sinking from the surface, some deep-sea oxygen may be created by battery-like nodules that split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Spade-toothed whale

'World's rarest spade-toothed whale' washes up on New Zealand beach Experts believe they have identified the animal but could wait weeks for DNA results to come back.

New dinosaur species Fona herzogae.

A newly discovered dinosaur may have spent part of its life underground A new dinosaur has been discovered in Utah by North Carolina researchers and paleontologists. They believe it was a burrowing species.

Stegosaurus bought by Ken Griffin (Harvard class of 1989).

Billionaire collector Ken Griffin buys Stegosaurus skeleton for record $45m at Sotheby’s This is the most valuable fossil to ever sell at auction, as the market for dinosaur bones continues to climb

Ants "hitchhiking"

Invasive ants spread by hitchhiking on everyday vehicles Scotty Yang, assistant professor in the department of entomology, details in a recent publication how ants might spread to new locations by stowing away on everyday vehicles. Previously, this was thought to occur mostly on agricultural equipment.

MCZ's Adam Baldinger and efforts to restore the sunflower sea star species.

Scientists want to bring back one of the ocean’s most unexpected predators The sunflower sea star is functionally extinct. It could be key to saving our kelp forests.

Importance of taxonomy!

Opinion | To Save Life on Earth, Bring Back Taxonomy (Gift Article) Naming species has been a victim of a broad shift in our scientific priorities. But we need it more than ever.

Carpenter ants

Ants perform limb amputations on injured comrades to save their lives Limb amputations are performed by surgeons when a traumatic injury such as a wound from war or a vehicle accident causes major tissue destruction or in instances of serious infection or disease. But humans are not alone in doing such procedures.

New approach to prevent rhino poaching.

South African researchers test use of nuclear technology to curb rhino poaching Researchers in South Africa have injected radioactive material into to the horns of 20 rhinos as part of a research project aimed at reducing poaching.

Mass stranding of dolphins on Cape Cod

125 dolphins stranded in 'difficult' location on Massachusetts beach, animal welfare group says More than 100 dolphins are currently stranded on a beach near Wellfleet, Massachusetts, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Painted lady butterflies

In a world-first, researchers map a 4,200 km transatlantic flight of the painted lady butterfly In October 2013, Gerard Talavera, a researcher from the Botanical Institute of Barcelona at CSIC, made a surprising discovery of painted lady butterflies on the Atlantic beaches of French Guiana—a species not typically found in South America. This unusual sighting prompted an international study t...

New Brazilian bird species, the. northern silvery-cheeked antshrike https://www.sci.news/biology/sakesphoroides-niedeguidonae-13045.html?

New Bird Species Discovered in Brazil | Sci.News A multi-character systematic study led by the Universidade Federal do Pará shows that what ornithologists know as the silvery-cheeked antshrike (Sakesphoroides cristatus) actually represent two species rather than one.

MCZ curator Prof. Brian Farrell and the peregrine falcons. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/06/professor-saves-baby-peregrine-falcon-after-fall-from-harvard-tower/?

Professor saves baby falcon after fall from Harvard tower — Harvard Gazette When a walk across campus turned into a rescue mission, Brian Farrell drew on his early experiences with once-endangered peregrines.

National Academies publish official definition of Long Covid.

Federal Government, Clinicians, Employers, and Others Should Adopt New Definition for Long COVID to Aid in Consistent Diagnosis, Documentation, and Treatment Federal government, clinicians, medical organizations, public health practitioners, employers, and others should adopt new definition for Long COVID to aid in consistent diagnosis, documentation, treatment, and support for patients.

Fossil monotremes, egg-laying mammals. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/echidnapus-newfound-species-mammal?

'Echidnapus' hints at a lost age of egg-laying mammals The fossil discoveries double the number of known monotreme species during the Cretaceous Period.

White buffalo calf born in Yellowstone National Park. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna156688?

Reported birth of rare white buffalo calf in Yellowstone park fulfills Lakota prophecy A ceremony celebrating the calf’s birth is set for June 26 at the Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters in West Yellowstone.

Giant viruses may slow the melting of Arctic sea ice.

Could giant viruses slow the Arctic ice-melt? Arctic ice is shrinking by 13 per cent a decade, but newly discovered giant viruses could help slow some of the decline.

Wetland science in WWII.

D-day’s secret weapon: how wetland science stopped the Normandy landings from getting bogged down Scientists with expertise in mud and peat were a key part of planning the Normandy landings in 1944.

Joro spiders in the U.S.

Joro spiders are big and colorful, but they shouldn't be nightmare fodder Researchers say the creatures pose little threat to humans but they are concerned about the growing prevalence of invasive species — a problem made worse by global trade and climate change.

MCZ's Scott Edwards and the full genome of the bush moa.

Bringing back a long extinct bird — Harvard Gazette Scientists sequence complete genome of bush moa, offering insights into its natural history, possible clues to evolution of flightless birds.

Largest known genome in fern Tmesipteris oblanceolata.

New Caledonian Fern Species Has Largest Genome of Any Living Organism | Sci.News Tmesipteris oblanceolata is a rare species of fork fern found on the island nation of New Caledonia, an overseas French territory situated in the Southwest Pacific.

Welsh "dragon" fossils.

Large fossil discovery finally exposes origins of Welsh dragons A large fossil discovery has helped shed light on the history of dinosaurs in Wales. The find is reported in Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.