Birds exploit a wide variety of pigments to produce dramatic effects, and their vivid plumage has always fascinated man. By using the reflective properties of the feather's materials, birds have extended the range of visual effects by creating `structural colours' that produce shimmering iridescent effects. These structural colour effects are produced by reflection, in a similar way to the brightly coloured rings in oily patches. Daniel Osorio realised that although a great deal was known about the pigmented colouring,no one had a systematic understanding of the reflected spectral properties of feathers. If he was going to get any idea of how birds exploited their extended pallet of colours, he had to develop some way of systematically analysing a feather's reflected spectra. Together with graduate student Abi Ham, they built an optical system where they control the feather's orientation under a moving light source to collect the definitive spectral signatures(p....
Harnessing physiological research for smarter environmental policy
In their Perspective, Alexia Dubuc and colleagues discuss strategies to strengthen collaboration, communication and engagement between physiological researchers and environmental policy makers to ensure that conservation strategies address the threats posed by climate change.
JEB grants to support junior faculty
Learn about the grants that we launched in 2023 to support junior faculty from two of our awardees: Erin Leonard, Early-Career Researcher (ECR) Visiting Fellowship recipient, and Pauline Fleischmann, Research Partnership Kickstart Travel Grant recipient. The next deadline to apply is 28 November 2025.
Early testing could make risky falls a thing of the past for elderly people
Falls cost healthcare systems billions each year, but there may be a solution. Jiaen Wu and colleagues of Stanford University, USA, suggest that measuring the way someone walks before they get old might let doctors know who is at risk for a potentially life-threatening fall in the future.
Ecosystem engineers on tropical reefs in transition
Giant barrel sponges (GSBs) remain robust to rising seawater temperatures and have rapidly populated reefs stripped of coral cover by climate change. GBSs may be poised to become the dominant habitat-forming organisms in tropical reef ecosystems of the future. In this Review, Joseph Pawlik provides an integrative and critical assessment of research on giant barrel sponges.
Fast & Fair peer review
Our sister journal Biology Open has recently launched the next phase of their Fast & Fair peer review initiative: offering high-quality peer review within 7 working days. To learn more about BiO’s progress and future plans, read the Editorial by Daniel Gorelick, or visit the Fast & Fair peer review page.
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