Biology

Hydrodynamics and competition guide the architectural design of biofilm fortresses.

Mathematical insights into how RNA helps viruses pull together their protein shells could guide future studies of viral behavior and function.

Sex might help natural selection purge excessive mistakes from our genes.

New techniques expose unexpected diversity within seemingly uniform tissues.

The evolutionary biologist Jessica Flack seeks the computational rules that groups of organisms use to solve problems.

If gut bacteria can sway their hosts to be selfless, it could answer a riddle that goes back to Darwin.

An unexpected mechanism allows wasps to rapidly co-opt genes for new toxic functions.

A definitive explanation for why plants evolved spines remains elusive, and human biases compound the problem.

The legendary marine biologist discusses why she’s excited about the coming era of ocean science, the shortsightedness of maritime exploitation and diving in the Arctic in her 80s.