PLOSable Biology

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.

A leaf-cutter ant carrying a piece of a leaf

Can City Ants Handle City Heat?

Written by: Jordan R. Glass

Large cities are often hotter than their rural surroundings, so what does that mean for city animals? At least for ants, it looks like these city dwellers may be better prepared to take the heat.

Can Marine Algae Change with the Climate?

Written by: Colleen Musialski

Earth’s changing temperatures are affecting animals on land, but they are also affecting other areas. Dive into the marine world with us to explore the effects of rising temperature and ocean acidification on algae.

Cancer Cells on the Move

Written by: Erin M. Campbell and Bojana Gligorijevic

Cancer cells decide how to behave by “listening” to signals around them. Scientists recently studied these signals by watching cancer cells as the cells moved through their environment.

How do bacterial cells handle damage when they divide?

Cells Divide to Stay Alive

Written by: Daphne Newell, Jadon Gonzales, Danielle Brister

Instead of giving birth to a child, bacteria divide in half when they grow old, creating two new bacteria cells. But bacteria become damaged as they age just like humans do, so where does all this damage go?

Cellular Fountain of Youth

Written by: Benjamin Katchman

Did you ever think the search for the “fountain of youth” would end up inside of our very own cells? There are some scientists that have found that parts of our cells might hold the answer to aging and diseases like cancer.

Choosing Words Wisely

Written by: Ben Pirotte

How careful are you with your words? Scientists are figuring out how to choose words more wisely to have a better chance to stop certain diseases.

Colorful Copycat Frogs of Peru

Written by: Kyle Summers

Peruvian poison frogs mimic, or look like, other poison frogs that live in the same area. But they don't just look like one other species. Depending on the location, frogs of this species may mimic one of many other species of poison frog.

Combining Senses

Written by: Malte Bieler and Ileana Hanganu-Opatz

Our daily life depends on the ability to see, hear, feel, and smell at the same time, a skill that develops during childhood. In this article scientists studied how the brain develops the ability to combine sensory information.

Coping with Parasites in a Wild World

Written by: Adam Hayward

How do wild animals defend themselves against infections? Biologists studied a wild population of sheep to work out whether being tolerant of infections could be as good a strategy as killing infections.

Countdown to Disaster in Marine Food Webs?

Written by: Tin Hang (Henry) Hung

Our oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic. How might these changing conditions put marine food webs in danger?

Anyone can use PLOS and PLOS Biology. You do not have to pay to read articles online or to download and print them. With PLOS and PLOS Biology you have first-hand access to the latest science.

Want to write a PLOSable story? Take a look at our Notes to Authors and Artists.

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PLOSable Biology

Can City Ants Handle City Heat?

Can Marine Algae Change with the Climate?

Cancer Cells on the Move

Cells Divide to Stay Alive

Cellular Fountain of Youth

Choosing Words Wisely

Colorful Copycat Frogs of Peru

Combining Senses

Coping with Parasites in a Wild World

Countdown to Disaster in Marine Food Webs?

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PLOSable Biology

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