Separate threads of Oscar Monterrosa’s life tied together Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas.

His time as a combat medic in the Iraq War, his high school days as a lifeguard in Northern California and later Oregon, his studies at UNLV, the classes he teaches and his job as a paramedic for Community Ambulance, a private paramedic company—all converged.

No fantasy world is complete without fire-breathing dragons . But if dragons were real, how could they get that kind of fiery breath?

It's not just ordinary sleep, it's a biological/natural wonder and a bear's miracle.

Brian Hedlund and Ariel Friel collect microbes living for tens of thousands of years in the subsurface of the earth. By studying these microorganisms, they hope to gain clues about potential life on Mars and other planets.

“The butterfly and the buckwheat” may not sound like a match made in heaven, but the Spring Mountains dark blue butterfly depends heavily on this yellow, flowering plant from birth until new eggs are laid the following season.

Martin Schiller’s research lab at UNLV is creating far more than just experiments. The research completed inside the Schiller Laboratory of Applied Bioinformatics has led to Schiller’s Heligenics, a startup that could help genetics testing companies shine a light on undiagnosed diseases.

Some bears hibernate in hollowed out tree-trunks. Some take a months-long rest beneath thick brambles and brush. Others dig into the hills to forge snug dens. And still others discover caves to hide away from the biting winter chill.

The public outcry over the selective thinning of beautiful — but non-native — pine trees from Oak Opening Preserve Metropark is being tempered by science that now shows the controversial Metroparks Toledo decision from years past is paying off.

Fire-breathing dragons really capture the imagination — leading many writers to ponder just how such a creature might spew forth a torrent of flame. How do we square such a fantastic adaptation with real-life biology?

If someone wants to build a dragon, how can it be made to breathe fire? It seems that all the elements that can make a dragon breathe fire can be found in nature without the help of artificial flamethrowers.

Two longtime friends and co-workers are sharing their love for the Mojave Desert with others through their new book, “A Natural History of the Mojave Desert.”

No fantasy world is complete without a fire-breathing dragon. SpaceX founder Elon Musk even wants to make a cyborg version a reality, or so he tweeted April 25. But if someone was going to make a dragon happen, how would it get its flame? Nature, it seems, has all the parts a dragon needs to set the world on fire, no flamethrower required. The creature just needs a few chemicals, some microbes — and maybe tips from a tiny desert fish.