Clever cockatoos learn through social interaction

Scientists have shown that cockatoos, an iconic Australian bird species, learn from each other a unique skill — lifting garbage bin lids to gather food. The research confirms that cockatoos spread this novel behavior through social learning. This beha…

Eco-friendly plastic from cellulose and water

Plastics offer many benefits to society and are widely used in our daily life: they are lightweight, cheap and adaptable. However, the production, processing and disposal of plastics pose a major global threat to the environment and human health. Howev…

Toxicity testing on the placenta and embryo

Researchers have developed a cell culture test to detect substances that are directly or indirectly harmful to embryos. Based on an existing test used for developing new drugs and chemicals, the augmented version is designed to help reduce the number o…