Plosable Articles

Scientists are learning new things every day. They are also writing about their discoveries. In most cases they publish in science magazines called journals like the Public Library of Science (PLOS). In our PLOSable section you will find stories that will help you read and explore the articles written by scientists.

Now jump in and start exploring PLOSable - a place where firsthand science is only a mouse click away. If you're interested in diving even further into the world of the scientific article, check out our Anatomy of an Article story. We also have stories exploring articles in evolutionary medicine in our EvMed Edits section.

Big Eared Bat
Written by: 
Meghan A. Murphy

We can learn a lot about animals by watching their behavior, but what about by looking at their surroundings? See what scientists can learn about bats based on the type of environment in which they live.

Male and female zebra finches
Written by: 
Malika Ihle

Being able to choose which people we interact with seems to affect how happy we are and how well we do our jobs. Is this true in other species? Learn how choosing a mate affects the success of zebra finches in making and raising young.
Also in: Français

A close-up photograph of an Egyptian fruit bat hanging down from its perch
Written by: 
Elodie Batt
Bats are very social, and by reading their brains we can see them reacting in real time to the calls of other bats. When you have thousands of bats calling at the same time, how easily can they know who is who, or separate a friend from a stranger?
Birds of a Feather
Written by: 
Erica L. Lovett

The climate on our planet is changing, but what does this mean for living things, like plants and animals? Scientists investigated how birds respond to the changing climate.

plant animals
Written by: 
James Long
Imagine designing an organism that is part plant and part animal... you might be picturing some pretty funny combinations. Could designed plant-imals ever be a reality?
Overweight belly with measuring tape
Written by: 
Ananya Sen
People come in all shapes and sizes… but could storing more body fat affect your sense of taste? Scientists try to answer this question by looking at how well taste buds work in lean and obese mice.
Brain Food
Written by: 
Rianna Mergens

Your mom tells you to eat all your vegetables for a reason, because she wants you to grow big and strong. She doesn't just want your body to grow strong. She wants your brain to grow strong too.

Brain waves and instant messaging
Written by: 
Christopher Albin-Brooks
Reading minds may no longer be science fiction. Brain waves can be sent through the Internet to create an instant message in another person's mind.
Pills
Written by: 
Anna Xu
Placebos (fake medicine) have been used for years in research to learn about the effects of medications, called drugs. Some patients experience a strange “placebo effect,” where fake drugs work just as well as the real stuff. Scientists are now figuring out a way to predict a patient’s response to drugs, and how the placebo effect can mess with actual drug effects.
Two bumblebees
Written by: 
Jonathan Jackson
Culture – it’s a word that we usually think of as connected with people. But many animals show signs of basic culture. Scientists are learning that even bumblebees possess the basic parts of culture too.

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