Queen

More than 100 queen ants destined for Laos seized in Mexico

Authorities in Mexico’s Jalisco state seized a parcel containing 105 queen harvester ants concealed in toys on July 9. The shipment, sent from El Salto in Jalisco and destined for Laos, was falsely labeled “collectible figures,” authorities said in a press release. The parcel delivery company reported a suspicious package to Mexico’s Federal Attorney for […]

Mongabay · 7/27/2026

Scientists discover the hidden brain switch that assigns bees their jobs

Researchers found that specific brain circuits help decide which jobs bees perform as they age. When those circuits were switched off, older worker bees began caring for the queen again instead of carrying out their normal later-life duties. The findings reveal that a bee colony’s complex division of labor may be guided by neural switches hidden inside each bee’s brain.

ScienceDaily Plants & Animals · 7/23/2026

Going with the flow: Renewable energy battery breakthrough

A 3D-printed battery designed at Queen's University Belfast could speed up energy storage research.

BBC Science & Environment · 7/20/2026

Scientists just discovered a lost branch of Australia’s marsupials

Fossils from Queensland suggest a newly recognized marsupial order may have survived in Australia for around 35 million years, rewriting part of the story of how the continent's unique mammals evolved. The discovery challenges the idea that Australia's marsupials all came from a single straightforward ancestral lineage.

ScienceDaily Plants & Animals · 7/19/2026

Queen’s powerful smell suppresses rivals in naked mole rat colonies

In naked mole rat colonies, only the queen can breed – and now we have found out how she maintains control

New Scientist Life · 7/15/2026

Fears Queenslanders could be forced to pay for mine cleanup as LNP reviews environmental ‘red tape’

Mining minister Dale Last says the state has an ‘enormous opportunity’ to become a global leader in critical minerals Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Queenslanders are being warned they could be left to pay for the clean up of abandoned mines if rehabilitation laws are weakened, after the state government announced a bid to cut environmental “red tape” for resources companies. The state’s treasurer, David Janetzki, and the mining minister, Dale Last, this week announced a review of a scheme that requires resources companies to provide surety to cover remediation and rehabilitation costs when mines close. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 7/5/2026