Lesser black-backed gulls from the colony at the Dutch island Neeltje Jans appear to avoid the wind farm off the Zeeland coast, with the exception of some males. NIOZ ecologist Rosemarie Kentie and her colleagues suspected the gulls were attracted by fishing boats outside the windfarm, and their bycatch thrown overboard. This turned out not to be the case: even during weekends, when there is little fishing, the birds rarely visit the wind farm. They published their findings in the Journal of Animal Ecology. “Why the gulls still avoid the wind farm fascinates me immensely.”

A groundbreaking genomic study in Molecular Biology and Evolution has reshaped our understanding of the evolutionary history of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Led by researchers at the University of Sydney and Texas A&M University, the comprehensive analysis reveals that the iconic Australian marsupial experienced severe population declines long before the arrival of human populations on the continent.

In a new study, Northwestern University scientists developed a 90s-style video game to help chronic stroke survivors regain lost arm function. While wearing a small device on their impaired arm and using a laptop computer, players use their arm muscles to complete tasks such as flying a helicopter around the screen to hit a moving target. The muscle retraining helps separate the brain’s uncoordinated movement signals, enabling muscles to work independently again.

A groundbreaking genomic study has reshaped our understanding of the evolutionary history of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), revealing the iconic Australian marsupial experienced a severe population decline around 100,000 years ago, before the arrival of humans on the continent. All modern koalas descended from a single ancestral population that survived major climate fluctuations, including severe glacial periods.

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) will lead a new national effort to grow and strengthen America’s seafood supply through aquaculture research. After a highly competitive application process, UNH, which has a long history of innovation in the farming of aquatic species, was selected to oversee the first-of-its-kind NOAA Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM). With approximately $13.5 million in initial funding, CIFARM will support research and partnerships that will make it safer, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective to produce seafood domestically.