Peruvian hairless dogs—a medium-sized elegant Indigenous breed with pointy ears—are widely represented in ancient Andean coastal pottery. Celebrated as a national symbol, they were declared part of Peru's cultural heritage in 2000. A new study published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology examining dog skeletal remains and a mummified dog, provides the first physical evidence of Peruvian hairless dogs from the only Wari Empire site found to date, on the coast of northern Peru, known as Castillo de Huarmey. 

How does a fly react so fast to danger? A new study reveals the first complete neural blueprint showing how specialized brain connections help coordinate split-second escape behaviors. Using a fully reconstructed fruit fly nerve cord, researchers discovered a highly efficient communication network that rapidly directs movement and motor control. The findings offer new insight into how neural circuits shape behavior and could advance future brain research across species, including humans.

Climate change is reshaping protected area management. A large-scale survey across Europe found that more than half of Natura 2000 protected area managers already perceive climate change as a threat to biodiversity, with the majority accounting for its impacts when planning management practices. However, perceptions vary between regions: managers in the Mediterranean region are more concerned than those in the Boreal region. Encouragingly, many managers are not only trying to resist the effects of climate change, but also dynamically adapting to it and acknowledging that it transforms ecosystems. The European Commission's new guidance also strengthens adaptation strategies for the Natura 2000 network. However, managers call for more actionable scientific knowledge and financial resources to implement these strategies.

When rain falls on snow in the Arctic, ice layers can form on top of and within the snowpack. This increasingly common dynamic can influence the ability of animals, including caribou and muskoxen, to forage and move across the landscape. That, in turn, affects the people who rely on wildlife for subsistence, culture, wellbeing and income. Given the widespread impacts of rain-on-snow events, Colorado State University researchers are studying and modeling their effects in Arctic systems. The work is especially important considering the rapid rate of climate change across the region