As infants, humans naturally learn new words and their associations—like the fact that forks are related to bowls because both are used to consume food. In a study publishing in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on September 18, a team of animal behavior experts demonstrate that dogs can categorize objects by function, too. In a series of playful interactions with their owners, a group of Gifted Word Learner (GWL) dogs were able to distinguish between toys used for tugging versus fetching, even when the toys in question didn’t share any obvious physical similarities—and then could remember those categorizations for long periods of time, all with no prior training. 

The hormone-free drug elinzanetant slashed the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats while also reducing sleep disturbances and improving overall quality of life.

Each winter, red hind groupers gather under the full moon, grunting low-frequency calls to attract mates and defend territory. But a 12-year underwater audio archive – one of the most extensive ever for a reef fish – reveals those calls are changing. Courtship sounds are fading, aggressive grunts are surging, and spawning patterns are shifting – potential signs of deeper population changes. These underwater signals aren’t just fish talk – they’re vital clues, helping scientists track change simply by listening.

Humans have long viewed themselves as the pinnacle of evolution, labeling other species as “primitive” or using terms like “higher” and “lower” animals. Modern evolutionary biology and genomics debunk these myths, showing there is no hierarchy in evolution. All species alive today, from bacteria to chimpanzees, are cousins with equally long lineages, rather than ancestors or descendants. Terms like “living fossils” misalign with our understanding of evolutionary trees and life’s diversity. Kevin Omland’s new book, Understanding the Tree of Life, challenges these outdated notions, offering a clearer view of evolution’s complex, interconnected history.

New research findings from the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen bring us one step closer to understanding why defects in certain genes can cause kidney disease, obesity and diabetes.

A new lizard species, Diploderma bifluviale, has been discovered in the upper Dadu River Valley in Sichuan Province, China. Found at the confluence of two rivers, it inhabits semi-arid shrublands between 2,100 and 2,500 m. At 6–7 cm long with a wheat-colored tongue and distinct markings, it's the 47th Diploderma species recorded in China. The discovery highlights the region’s underexplored biodiversity. The study was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

A new study has revealed the 3D structure of a barley root protein that protects plants from toxic aluminum in acidic soils. Unlike most transporters, this protein exports citrate—an anion that binds to harmful aluminum ions—thereby shielding the roots. The findings offer fresh insights into how plants adapt to hostile soils and could help guide the breeding of crop varieties capable of thriving on acidic farmland worldwide.