When you've doubled your genes, what's 1 chromosome more or less?

EurekAlert: "For animals, an extra chromosome can result in major problems, but plants are another matter. Many plants can survive an extra copy of their entire genome (polyploidy), and this process often results in a new species, making it an important mechanism in evolution. In fact, over 80 percent of plants may be a product of polyploidy. This research examines how polyploidy and genomic change can lead to evolutionary change, and affect plants' fitness and vigor."

Remarkable Creatures: A Feared Predator, Its Origin Evolving

NY Times: "Great whites, most experts now believe, are not descended from a megatoothed megashark, but from a more modest relative of mako sharks."

Evidence points to conscious 'metacognition' in some nonhuman animals

EurekAlert: "J. David Smith, Ph.D., a comparative psychologist at the University at Buffalo who has conducted extensive studies in animal cognition, says there is growing evidence that animals share functional parallels with human conscious metacognition -- that is, they may share humans' ability to reflect upon, monitor or regulate their states of mind."

Listeria L-forms: Discovery Of An Unusual Form Of Bacterial Life

ScienceDaily: "Researchers have discovered a new life form of Listeria, an opportunistic pathogen responsible for serious food poisoning. These bacteria can reproduce and proliferate as so-called L-forms. The methods to detect these bacteria should now be adapted."

Migrating birds chill to fatten up

EurekAlert: "Most migrating birds can't carry enough fuel to reach their destinations, so refuel en route. However the aviators expend twice as much energy during stopovers as they use in transit. Wondering whether migrating blackcaps save energy by dropping their body temperature during stopovers, Michał Wojciechowski and Berry Pinshow measured the bird's temperatures as they refuelled and found that they drop their body temperatures at night by up to 30 percent to conserve energy and fatten faster."

Worker Bees In 'Reproductive Class War' With Queen, New Research Discovers

ScienceDaily: "Bee colonies are well known for high levels of cooperation, but new research demonstrates a conflict for reproduction between worker bees and their queens, leading some workers to selfishly exploit the colony for their own needs. The study focused on Melipona scutellaris -- a Brazilian species of highly social stingless bees, found throughout the Atlantic rainforest. Colonies contain around 1,500 workers and are headed by one single-mated Queen."