Kyoto, Japan -- Bright colors in animals are beautiful but often considered risky because they are more obvious to predators. However, conspicuous colors can also serve defensively, signaling toxicity or even luring predators away from more vulnerable body parts.

Previous studies have shown that the presence of predators such as dragonfly nymphs can induce tadpoles to develop bright orange tail coloration, an ability called phenotypic plasticity. But how this color change helps them avoid predation has not been clear. While observing tadpoles of the East Japan tree frog, Dryophytes leopardus, a team of researchers at Kyoto University was inspired to investigate how their predator-induced orange tails function as a defensive trait.

"After seeing these tadpoles with orange tails at the university's experimental farm, I wondered what role such a bright tail could have," says corresponding author Akihiro Noda.

An international team of researchers from Japan and Malaysia has shown that wild orangutan juveniles continue to consume their mother’s milk continuously until at least six and a half years of age, the longest breastfeeding period known among mammals. Using a new technique called fecal proteomics, the team detected milk-specific proteins in the feces of wild Bornean orangutans in Malaysian Borneo. The study also suggests that prolonged breastfeeding supports intestinal defenses and a healthy gut microbiome, helping sustain orangutans’ slow reproductive rates and lower juvenile mortality.

There’s a conundrum that has perplexed biologists since Charles Darwin himself. Why do some exotic species take off as invasive pests while others don’t?

Weak electromagnetic fields show an unexpectedly long-lasting effect on migratory behaviour, according to a recent study by an international research team published in the journal Science. The researchers led by Dr Oliver Lindecke of the University of Oldenburg, Germany, report that broadband radio-frequency fields, ranging from long- to ultra-high-frequency bands, disrupt the orientation of soprano pipistrelle bats.

When intestinal lining breaks down, it can allow harmful gut bacterial antigens to slip into the bloodstream alongside nutrients. This breach in the gut’s protective barrier, known as "leaky gut," is more than a digestive issue – it’s a sign of inflammatory bowel disease and has been increasingly linked to a number of chronic conditions. 

A team of researchers working in the lab of UNLV cellular biologist Prasun Guha has uncovered a key mechanism underlying leaky gut and identified a promising and natural way to repair it. In a new study, the team shows how phytic acid, a natural compound found in whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier.