Can social bees and ants teach us the pillars of sustainable societies?
STRI staff scientist and evolutionary biologist Bill Wcislo discusses the foibles of social bees and farming ants and the evolution of their behavior in changing environments. In a time of crisis, what can we learn from these insects about their highly efficient public health care systems?
A book that brings us closer to the past, present and future of Panama's natural diversity
The scientific research that has been carried out for more than a century on the isthmus, reveals us details about the evolution of its ecosystems, from deep time until today.
Recycling old genes to get new traits – How social behavior evolves in bees
Researchers learned from some unusual sweat bee species on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, how the sophisticated division of labor in highly complex insect societies can arise from humble beginnings.
Mariana Muñoz-Romo’s introduction to the fascinating world of bats
People who’ve attended Bat Night, the STRI bat lab’s open house in Gamboa, Panama, may have had the opportunity to hear bat researcher, Mariana Muñoz-Romo, talk about her favorite animals: the only mammals with wings. Now we all have a chance to hear her talk online.
Unraveling sustainable forest management while in confinement
Edwin H. García started as a Bachelor student in Agua Salud 8 years ago. Now he leads a research project that will allow for estimating the value of native trees for reforestation and restoration
Humpback whales may risk collision with vessels in the Magellan Strait
By tagging and tracking migrating humpback whales that feed in the Magellan Strait in Chile, the scientists were able to provide policy recommendations to reduce the risk of collisions
Smithsonian sleuths distinguish tropical marine habitats in Panama using eDNA
One of the big questions about using DNA in seawater to make species lists is whether it comes from a specific site or has floated in from elsewhere. In this study researchers could distinguish different marine habitats using only DNA.
A Temperature Tipping Point for Tropical Forests
A study in Science by 225 researchers working with data from 590 forest sites around the world concludes that tropical forests release much more carbon into the atmosphere at high temperatures.
Bat Talk with Dr. Rachel Page, May 20, 2020
Find out more about why bats carry viruses and how both bats and humans benefit from bat conservation.
Long-term consequences of coastal development as bad as an Oil Spill on Coral Reefs
Three decades after the largest recorded oil spill near coastal habitats in Panama, scientists look at how coral reefs recover from acute contamination over time
