Articles for category: Biology & Genetics, Disease & Medicine

Drosophila fly

Drunk Drosophila: Why Fruit Flies Love Happy Hour Too

Maria Faith Saligumba

Picture this: you’re enjoying a warm summer evening with friends, sipping a cool drink, and suddenly, a tiny fruit fly dives straight into your glass. It’s not just after your fruit salad—these little party crashers are after something far more intoxicating. Believe it or not, fruit flies have a real taste for alcohol, and their ...

Sacculina carcini.

This Parasitic Barnacle Castrates Crabs and Then Controls Their Bodies

Trizzy Orozco

Picture a world where a tiny invader slips quietly into another creature’s body, hijacks its mind, and takes over its life in ways that seem almost supernatural. This isn’t the plot of a sci-fi thriller—it’s the shocking reality for thousands of crabs living along coastlines worldwide. Their tormentor? A parasitic barnacle named Sacculina, whose twisted ...

a white butterfly sitting on top of a red flower

How Symbiosis Plays a Role in Evolution and Species Survival

Maria Faith Saligumba

Symbiosis is a fascinating interaction between different biological species that live closely together, often adding value to each other’s lives. These interactions are crucial for survival, adaptation, and evolution. Symbiotic relationships can be classified mainly into three types: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. In mutualism, both species benefit; in commensalism, one benefits without harming the other; ...

Black Dog Turns White

Solid Black Dog Turns White Due to Rare Genetic Condition

Linnea H, BSc Sociology

Discover the incredible story of Buster, a black dog from Oklahoma who turned completely white due to vitiligo. Buster’s Unexpected Transformation Buster is a cute four-year-old dog from Oklahoma. But he has undergone a surprising change that has caught the attention of many.  He was initially recognized for his solid black coat. But as time ...

Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops).

The Birds in Italy That Drop Stinky Bombs as a Defense Strategy

Trizzy Orozco

Have you ever imagined walking through a sun-drenched Italian countryside only to suddenly be hit by a foul, unexpected smell from above? It’s not just your imagination—Italy is home to some remarkable birds that have mastered the art of dropping stinky “bombs” as their ultimate defense strategy. These birds have turned the act of repelling ...

Scientist wearing face mask and goggles examining samples through a microscope in a lab.

The Role of Genetic Engineering in Conservation: Cloning and the Future of Extinct Species

Annette Uy

Genetic engineering, a frontier in modern science, is increasingly playing a vital role in conservation efforts worldwide. As the diversity of life on Earth faces unprecedented threats from human activities and climate change, scientists are turning to innovative techniques to preserve species. These techniques include cloning and resurrecting extinct species, ventures that bridge the realms ...

a skull on a table

Ancient Skull Sparks Debate: Hybrid of Modern Human and Neanderthal?

Suhail Ahmed

A skull pulled from deep time can still jolt the present. Curators whisper about its mix of features; researchers argue over what, exactly, those features mean. Is this the face of an encounter between modern humans and Neanderthals, or just the tricky overlap of traits we’ve long learned to expect in the Pleistocene? The mystery ...

CORPSE FLOWER!

California Has a Plant That Smells Like a Dead Body (And Tourists Love It)

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine strolling through a sun-drenched Californian garden, birds chirping and flowers blooming—when suddenly, an overwhelming stench of rotting flesh stops you in your tracks. Your nose wrinkles, your curiosity spikes, and you’re not alone: around you, a crowd gathers, smartphones out, all drawn by the same bizarre aroma. Welcome to the wild world of the ...