Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) examined the mechanical wear on digging valves located at the tip of the female locust’s abdomen, used to dig pits for laying eggs, and found that, unlike organs with remarkably high wear resistance such as the mandible (lower jaw), the valves wear down substantially due to the intensive digging…. Read More
A new study by Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History has proven for the first time that bats can navigate in nature over many kilometers using only echolocation without relying on any of their other senses. The researchers say that it’s well-known that bats are equipped with a natural sonar,… Read More
A new study from Tel Aviv University (TAU) has revealed that the Oriental hornet is the only animal in nature capable of consuming alcohol chronically and in high concentrations with almost no negative effects on their health or lifespan. The research team says, “This is a remarkable animal that shows no signs of intoxication or… Read More
A new Tel Aviv University (TAU) study has revealed that vultures, much like humans, experience changes in movement habits and social relationships as they age. Young vultures frequently move between roosting sites and “hanging out a lot with their friends.” In old age, however, vultures scale back on socializing, preferring to “stay home.” The study,… Read More
A new study from Tel Aviv University (TAU) found that sponges in the Gulf of Eilat have developed an original way to keep predators away. The researchers found that the sponges contain an unprecedented concentration of the highly toxic mineral molybdenum. In addition, they identified the bacterium that enables sponges to store such high concentrations… Read More
A new study by Tel Aviv University (TAU) in collaboration with the University of Colorado, Boulder, found that plants that grow in dense environments, where each plant casts a shadow on its neighbor, find a collective solution to help them discover optimal growth directions with the help of random movements. The research sheds light on… Read More
Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) relied on principles of origami, the Japanese art of paperfolding, to position sensors inside 3D-bioprinted tissue models. Instead of bioprinting tissue over the sensors, which proved to be impractical, they designed and produced an origami-inspired structure that folds around the fabricated tissue, allowing the insertion of sensors into precisely… Read More
Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) tracked free-ranging Egyptian fruit bats to answer a long-standing scientific question: Do have high and complex cognitive abilities, previously attributed only to humans? Their findings suggest that they do. In particular, the study focused on the traits of episodic memory, mental time travel, planning ahead, and delayed gratification, and… Read More