Biological Fields

Ever looked closely into someone’s eyes and noticed a vibrant ring of color encircling the pupil, distinct from the rest of the iris? That eye-catching trait is called central heterochromia, and it's more common than you might think.

By Grant Virellan

Take a glance around any crowd and you’ll notice one thing: Noses come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. From sleek and straight to curved and prominent, the many types of noses play a big role in defining our unique facial features.

By Grant Virellan

Some types of mushrooms are delicious and nutritious, while others are deadly and should never be eaten. Learning how to tell them apart is essential for both food lovers and foragers; knowing the difference between edible mushrooms and poisonous mushrooms can literally be a matter of life and death.

By Grant Virellan

The natural world is a finely-tuned balance of biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components that shape our environments. Various biotic factors directly affect processes like population growth, plant growth and nutrient cycling.

By Ada Tseng

Have you ever wondered what the largest living organism on Earth is? Well, you might be surprised to learn that it's not a giant blue whale or a sequoia tree; it's a fungus!

By Mack Hayden

We're about to dive into the world of parasitology, taking a close look at one of the most common parasitic worms infecting humans: Ascaris lumbricoides. This large roundworm is responsible for a type of intestinal nematode infection that affects millions of people worldwide, especially in areas with poor sanitation.

By Mack Hayden

Jack Black does it. Wyclef Jean does it. And chances are, you do it, too. Everyone's a rock star in the bathroom. And there's a scientific explanation behind our soapy musical stylings.

By Debra Ronca

From tobacco smoke enemas to whirling chairs, doctors have tried almost everything to cure human disease.

By Maria Trimarchi

A funny thing happens when you live in complete darkness. You lose your eyesight. At least that's what's happened to the species that have evolved inside our deepest, darkest caves.

By Debra Ronca

They might look like piles of goop, but slime molds can think and seemingly make decisions without a brain.

By Jesslyn Shields

What are the chances there are still large, undiscovered animals on the planet? More likely than you might think.

By Diana Brown

On the surface, Antarctica may seem like a barren landscape. But underneath, in massive ice caves, life may be abundant.

By Amanda Onion

There are many myths and stigmas associated with leprosy, almost all completely incorrect. It's not a very contagious disease, and it's easily treatable. What else is wrong in the common beliefs about Hansen's disease?

By Maria Trimarchi

Commensalism is a form of cooperation among species in which one species benefits from another without the first one suffering any harm from the relationship.

By Jesslyn Shields

The nitrogen cycle is the system by which nitrogen is converted into different chemical forms, some usable to humans and animals and some not, as it circulates among the atmosphere, the land and the oceans.

By Jesslyn Shields

Amanita phalloides is non-native to the North American continent, introduced to California from Europe, and rapidly spreading.

By Tara Yarlagadda

Bezoars are concretions found in the stomachs of animals that were once believed to cure poisoning and plague.

By Loraine Fick

For years, speculation has surrounded the government's high security animal disease research center, which is slated to close in 2023.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Horseshoe crabs have blue blood that can detect toxins, a rare ability that's threatening their survival.

By Loraine Fick

A strange, but surprisingly accurate, ancient Egyptian pregnancy test survived for millennia and was spread around Africa and Europe because it was just that effective.

By Jesslyn Shields

Researchers say that Otzi, the ancient man found in the Alps in 1991, lived on a diet loaded with fat to maintain warmth and energy in his cold, high-altitude environment.

By Patrick J. Kiger

How do we consider a Thing with no edge? Ecosystem ecologists are always trying.

By Jesslyn Shields

There's a great need for people to donate their bodies to science but not many people think about doing it. What happens to your body after you make that decision?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Distilleries call this evaporative substance "angel's share" and promise that it's not dangerous, but nearby residents find it coating everything around them and aren't so sure.

By Patty Rasmussen

Heat waves are becoming supercharged as the climate changes. How hot is too hot for normal daily activity, even for young, healthy adults?

By W. Larry Kenney, Daniel Vecellio, Rachel Cottle & S. Tony Wolf