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« Back to NewsDid elephant energetics decide Hannibal’s Alpine crossing route?
8 July 2026
A new analysis sheds light on the most likely route for the Carthaginian general’s famous crossing of the Alps. The study, led by the University of Oxford and iDiv/Friedrich Schiller University Jena, reveal that the Col de la Traversette would have been the least energy-intensive route.
Bees avoid ‘too much of a good thing’ by balancing nutrients in pollen
17 June 2026
New Oxford University-led research reveals that bees can regulate their feeding to avoid over-consuming certain essential nutrients – and that honeybees make a specialist ‘baby food’ that gives their larvae a better-balanced diet.
New study reveals that Sabah's ferret badger is found nowhere else on Earth
12 June 2026
Oxford biologists have helped to lead the most comprehensive assessment to date of the endangered Bornean ferret badger (Melogale everetti) – an elusive mammal is found only in the mountain landscapes of western Sabah, in the northern part of the island of Borneo.
Ancient genome duplications laid the foundations of complex brains
10 June 2026
A new study led by researchers from the Department of Biology and published in Nature has found that genetic doubling events that occurred over 450 million years ago helped kick-start the evolution of complex brains.
MPLS researchers elected Fellows of the Royal Society
27 May 2026
Twelve Oxford researchers have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to advancing scientific knowledge.
Academy of Medical Sciences elects five Oxford researchers as new Fellows
26 May 2026
Professor Oliver Pybus FRS, Professor of Evolution and Infectious Disease in the Department of Biology is one of five researchers elected as a Fellow to the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Expert Comment: Inside the race to invest in nature - why conservation science needs to be in the deal
18 May 2026
DPhil student Harrison Carter and postdoctoral researcher Dr Sophus zu Ermgassen, from the Department of Biology, argue that if economic systems are to support nature recovery, ecological and social expertise must be at the table from the start.
Fungi found to be the crucial ingredient for restoring tropical islands
29 April 2026
Oxford researchers have contributed to a new study which has demonstrated that symbiotic fungi play a critical role in maintaining and restoring tropical island ecosystems. The findings offer new insight into how some of the world’s most biodiverse and fragile environments can recover from human disturbance.
New study finds that stored sperm deteriorates across the animal kingdom
25 March 2026
Current WHO guidelines typically recommend 2–7 days of abstinence before taking semen samples or assisted reproduction. However, a new study led by Department of Biology researchers suggests that regular ejaculation – whether through sexual activity or masturbation – results in higher quality sperm, with less DNA damage.
New study suggests ultrasound could help save hedgehogs
11 March 2026
New research from the Department of Biology shows for the first time that hedgehogs can hear high-frequency ultrasound, raising the possibility that ultrasound repellers could help reduce road deaths.
Study shows that digital treatment with Tetris-like gameplay can dramatically reduce trauma memories
2 March 2026
New research involving Oxford researchers has shown that a simple digital intervention that includes gameplay can dramatically reduce intrusive memories of trauma in a month, even to the point of being symptom-free after six months.
Rice gene discovery could cut fertiliser use while protecting yields
27 February 2026
Researchers from the University of Oxford, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (Chinese Academy of Sciences) have finally identified the master regulator in plants that balances root and shoot growth when nutrients are limited. In field trials, rice plants with a natural, improved version of the gene had yield increases of up to 24%.
Are returning pumas putting Patagonian penguins at risk? New study reveals the likelihood
5 February 2026
Some Argentinian penguins are experiencing high levels of predation from pumas recolonising their historical territory. A new study involving Oxford researchers has quantified the risk on long-term penguin population survival.
A two-week leap in breeding: Study reveals Antarctic penguins’ striking climate adaptation
20 January 2026
A decade-long study led by Penguin Watch, at the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, has uncovered a record shift in the breeding season of Antarctic penguins, likely in response to climate change.
Apprenticeship Awards 2025
8 January 2026
Celebrating MPLS excellence in apprenticeship leadership and achievement
Expert Comment: How can we effectively regulate international trade in wild species?
17 December 2025
Dr Dan Challender from the Department of Biology and Oxford Martin School, argues that CITES CoP20 demonstrates we need to reform how decisions on international trade controls for wild species are made if they are to be protected from overexploitation.
Blinded by love: some male pheasants restrict their vision in a bid to impress females
16 December 2025
A new study involving researchers from Oxford University’s Department of Biology has found that the exaggerated feather ornaments on the heads of male Chrysolophus pheasants restricts their field of view.
ERC Consolidator Grants awarded to seven Oxford MPLS Division academics
9 December 2025
Seven academics from the MPLS Division are to lead new research projects supported by European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants. These grants support highly promising mid-career scientists of any nationality and any field with building a research team at an eligible host organisation.
New study finds that drones can be a valuable ally in elephant conservation
28 November 2025
New research involving Oxford University researchers has found that drones can be a valuable, non-invasive tool for observing elephant families and aiding long-term conservation efforts.
Ape ancestors and Neanderthals likely kissed, new analysis finds
19 November 2025
A new study led by the Department of Biology has found evidence that kissing evolved in the common ancestor of humans and other large apes around 21 million years ago, and that Neanderthals likely kissed as well.