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Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. The term biodiversity hotspot specifically refers to 25 biologically rich areas around the world that have lost at least 70 percent of their original habitat. The remaining natural habitat in these biodiversity hotspots amounts to just 1.4 percent of the land surface of the planet, yet supports nearly 60 percent of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.
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Plants & Animals News
May 13, 2026
May 12, 2026 Scientists at UBC Okanagan have uncovered how plants produce mitraphylline, a rare natural compound with promising anti cancer potential. The team identified two enzymes that work together to build the molecule’s unusual twisted structure, solving ...
May 12, 2026 Researchers created a special kind of algae that can grab microscopic plastic pollution out of water almost like a magnet. The algae produce limonene, an orange-scented oil that helps them bind to water-repelling microplastics, forming ...
May 10, 2026 Scientists at the University of Rochester pulled off a remarkable experiment: they transferred a longevity-related gene from the famously long-lived naked mole rat into mice, and the mice ended up healthier and lived longer. The special gene boosts ...
May 9, 2026 Scientists studying axolotls, zebrafish, and mice have uncovered a shared set of genes that may one day help humans regrow lost limbs. By identifying powerful “SP genes” involved in regeneration, ...
May 8, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising way to influence the bacteria living in our mouths — not by killing them, but by interrupting how they “talk” to each other. Researchers found that dental ...
May 8, 2026 Beneath the beauty of coral reefs lies a hidden universe of microbes unlike anything scientists expected. Each coral species supports its own specialized microbial partners, many of which have never ...
May 7, 2026 A little-known tree from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest may hold a surprising weapon against COVID-19. Researchers discovered that compounds called galloylquinic acids, extracted from its leaves, can attack SARS-CoV-2 on multiple fronts—blocking the ...
May 3, 2026 Long before humans spread across the globe, a deadly disease may have quietly shaped where our ancestors lived—and even how we evolved. New research reveals that malaria didn’t just threaten early human survival; it actively pushed populations ...
May 2, 2026 Crabs’ famous sideways walk may trace back to a single evolutionary moment 200 million years ago. Researchers found that most modern crabs inherited this trait from one ancestor—and never looked back. The movement likely gave them an edge, ...
May 1, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a tiny wall-dwelling spider named Pikelinia floydmuraria, inspired by Pink Floyd. Despite its size, it’s a fierce predator that hunts ants much larger than itself and helps reduce common urban pests like mosquitoes and ...
May 1, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising new layer of complexity in Cannabis, identifying dozens of previously unknown compounds—including the first-ever evidence of rare molecules called ...
Apr. 28, 2026 A new study suggests Neanderthals didn’t go extinct simply because of climate change or competition with Homo sapiens. Instead, the key difference may have been social connectivity—Homo sapiens formed stronger, more flexible networks that helped ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
May 13, 2026 Cacti may look like slow, stubborn desert survivors, but they’re actually evolving at lightning speed. Scientists studying more than 750 cactus species discovered that what really drives the ...
May 12, 2026 A bizarre new giant dinosaur discovered in Argentina is giving paleontologists a fresh look at how Jurassic titans evolved in the Southern Hemisphere. Bicharracosaurus dionidei stretched about 20 ...
May 12, 2026 Scientists revisiting mysterious 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil have overturned a major idea about early animal life. What were once thought to be trails left behind by tiny worm-like ...
May 12, 2026 Scientists may have found a powerful new way to hunt for alien life — not by searching for specific molecules, but by looking for hidden patterns in how those molecules are organized. Researchers ...
May 9, 2026 Scientists may have found a smarter, safer way to wipe out termites hiding inside homes. A chemical called bistrifluron prevents drywood termites from forming new exoskeletons during molting, killing ...
May 9, 2026 Fur seals may look like they’re simply resting after exhausting hunting trips at sea, but their bodies are secretly working overtime. Scientists ...
May 7, 2026 A routine experiment with a new single-cell DNA sequencing method turned into a surprising scientific twist when researchers stumbled upon a bizarre genetic code in a microscopic pond organism. ...
May 6, 2026 A forgotten fossil hidden inside a garden wall has turned out to be one of Australia’s most remarkable prehistoric discoveries. Scientists have now ...
May 5, 2026 Oak trees have a surprising trick to fight back against hungry caterpillars: they simply wait. When trees are heavily attacked one year, they delay leaf growth by just three days the next ...
May 5, 2026 A surprising genetic twist shows that boosting a seemingly ordinary “housekeeping” gene can dramatically improve fruit quality without any trade-offs. By increasing the activity of a tRNA-related ...