In the city, frogs do not feel as comfortable as in the wild nature because of dirty water, a lack of food, and dangers at every turn. That is why the life of frogs in urban areas is shorter. However, they do not leave these habitats, but adapt to them. Apparently, there are two ways to adapt: either become more tolerant or increase the number of progeny.

Every spring from 1998 to 2001, Elena A. Severtseva and her colleagues from the Biological Faculty of the Moscow State University

They did not work with people; instead they examined rats of two lines. The rats of the first line were more anxious by their nature. Some rats were kept in groups, while others were kept in single cages. It is known that solitude is an unfavourable factor for rats.

The animals were given 0.1% solution of caffeine when they were thirsty. To measure the anxiety level the researchers examined the behaviour of animals in a cage with two sections: light and dark. More time the animal sp

Fungi that trigger allergies go under scrutiny.

Industry researchers have produced the largest study yet of airborne fungi in US buildings. The fungal fingerprints may help scientists understand their role in triggering allergies and other medical conditions.

Exposure to spores released by moulds is known to cause or worsen allergies and trigger asthma episodes in sufferers. Spores enter buildings through air ducts or open windows and can thrive in moist indoor conditions.

A crayfish’s urine scares off its enemies.

A well-timed blast of urine is the key to winning a crayfish fight, say researchers. The chemical aggression intimidates opponents into backing down.

Ecologist Thomas Breithaupt injected freshwater crayfish with a dye that made their urine glow green. He and his colleague Petra Eger staged fights between blindfolded crayfish ( Astacus leptodactylus ), to replicate the animals’ nocturnal habits1.

The eventual

Satellite sensors operating in the visible wavelength region are now in use for the monitoring of oceanic waters.

For the first time ever, Finnish scientists have demonstrated the practical usability of satellite data for the simultaneous monitoring of water quality in large lake and coastal regions. The project was carried out by the Laboratory of Space Technology of the Helsinki University of Technology in cooperation with the Finnish Environment Institute.

The attached fi

In the past five weeks two asteroids have passed close by Earth, at distances of 1.2 and 3 times the distance to the Moon. Another asteroid has recently been shown to be on course for a collision with Earth in 2880.

Monitoring known asteroids allows astronomers to predict which may collide with Earth. But that is only true for the asteroids we know of. What about those that lie in the asteroid blind spot between the Sun and Earth? The European Space Agency is studying ways in which its miss