Birds, like other animals, need safe and warm places to sleep. Cozying up in groups can be an effective way to maintain vigilance, conserve heat, and gather information about where to find their next meal. A new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research titled “Use of GPS Telemetry System to Study Communal Roosts in a Neotropical Raptor”tracked 24 Chimango Caracaras (Milvagro chimango) to study their resting, or “roosting” behaviors during the breeding season. Studies like this shed light on what is called the “spatial ecology” of an animal, meaning how organisms are distributed, how they use and move through space, and how interactions between other caracaras and other species unfold as a result. Such information helps biologists understand the importance of particular habitats, as well as how species adapt to changing landscapes.  

Dr. John Apolzan, director of the Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, published an editorial on the importance of fruit intake to vascular health in the Journal of the American Heart Association, a leading peer-reviewed publication focused on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health research.

The editorial, “Fruit-Rich Dietary Pattern Improves Endothelial Function: Implications for Food Is Medicine,” is a commentary on the study “Effects of Increasing Total Fruit Intake With Avocado and Mango on Endothelial Function and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Adults With Prediabetes,” which reinforced existing evidence that diets higher in fruit intake improve nutrient status and health outcomes.

Long believed to be a single species hopping along stream banks across Borneo, a common rainforest frog is revealing itself to be several different species. It’s also leaving scientists with questions about just how many unrecognized species have been hiding in plain sight, and how to protect biodiversity in the evolutionary “gray zone.” 

A 13-year study led by Anne Bernhard, professor of biology at Connecticut College, found that prolonged drought in southeastern Connecticut was associated with reduced stability in key nitrogen-cycling microbes in a coastal salt marsh. The research, published in Estuaries and Coasts, examined microbial communities from 2006 to 2019, including a severe drought from 2013 to 2018.

While most microbial groups declined during dry periods, ammonia-oxidizing archaea and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria showed the largest fluctuations in abundance. Archaeal amoA gene abundances were nearly 35 times higher in wet conditions than in dry conditions. After drought conditions eased, abundances returned to levels more similar to those observed before the dry period.

The findings provide long-term field evidence that extended drought can alter the stability of microbes central to nitrogen cycling in coastal marshes.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) proudly announces Kyle M. Loh, Stanford University School of Medicine, as the recipient of the 2026 ISSCR Early Career Impact Award, recognizing his transformative contributions to human pluripotent stem cell biology and his exceptional commitment to mentorship and inclusion. The award is supported by the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute, and Dr. Loh will present his work during ISSCR 2026 taking place on 8-11 July in Montréal, Canada.

Luna Labs has selected UNC Greensboro (UNCG) chemistry professor Nicholas Oberlies to lead a NASA-funded project exploring whether fungi can be grown into building materials for construction on the moon and Mars. The project will investigate whether certain fungi can be combined with regolith — loose rock and soil found on the surface of the moon and other planets — to create materials that could one day support construction in places other than Earth.