ASU researchers finds novel chemistry at work to provide parrot's vibrant red colors
...hemically responsible for the colors of birds, and defies previous assumptions and explanations for color variations in parrots, said Kevin McGraw, an assistant professor in ASU's School of Life Sciences. "Evolutionary biologists have not really thought hard about parrot coloration," said McGraw. "This res...Marine biology mystery solved: Function of 'unicorn' whale's 8-foot tooth discovered
...f theupper jaw and is an evolutionary mystery that defies many of the knownprinciples of mammalian teeth. The tooth's unique spiral, the degree of itsasymmetry to the left side, and its odd distribution among most males andsome females are all unique expressions of teeth in mammals. The narwhal isusually 13...Diverse tropical forests defy metabolic ecology models
...t structure among tropical sites. This complexity defies simple characterization '" its explanation requires consideration of the diversity of environmental conditions and species traits in tropical forests, and complex feedbacks and interactions among species and resources. Muller-Landau and Condit are c...Researchers give name to ancient mystery creature
... and a description to an ancient mammal that still defies classification. The findings, published recently in the Journal of Paleontology provide the first and only comprehensive account of the creature, named Horolodectes sunae, for the unusual shape of the crowns of the teeth. Horolodectes lived about 60...Protein fragments sequenced in 68 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex
...mere existence of such exceedingly ancient protein defies a longstanding assumption. When an animal dies, protein immediately begins to degrade and, in the case of fossils, is slowly replaced by mineral. This substitution process was thought to be complete by one million years. "For centuries it was belie...Healthy reefs hit hardest by warmer temperatures
...a link to warmer ocean temperatures, coral disease defies predictability, with puzzling variations between years and locations. The international research team, led by UNC-Chapel Hill, tracked an infection called white syndrome in 48 reefs along more than 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) of Australias coastline...Mule deer moms rescue other fawns
...utside that distance. The behaviour of mule deer defies traditional explanations that parental care, kin selection or reciprocity play a part in the defence of fawns other than their own. But while the study's findings seem to point to mule deer as superior mothers, the motivation for looking out for othe......eeding of grains and other feed supplements, which defies conventional thinking on equine weight matters. The majority of horses examined in the study were fed primarily pasture and hay with very little grain and concentrate. Instead of overfeeding of grain and concentrates, the evidence indicates that i...