All Stories by Susan Milius
- Life
Early life forms may have been terrestrial
A controversial theory suggests that at least some of the earliest widespread complex life forms lived on land.
-
New species of the year
More creatures, less Latin used to describe them.
-
Polar bears have seen hard times
Two genetic studies extend the Arctic icon’s lineage way back.
- Life
Among bass, easiest to catch are best dads
Recreational fishing may be inadvertent evolutionary force, favoring cautious fish over better caretakers of the young.
- Life
Blue whales’ diet and exercise rolled into one
Marine predator performs underwater acrobatics for best chance at catching a meal.
- Life
Trees worldwide a sip away from dehydration
Plumbing systems operate on a razor’s edge, making even moist forests highly vulnerable to drought.
- Life
Rainforest katydids evolved mammal-like ears
Tiny hearing organs below insect’s knees have a structure similar to those in humans.
- Life
Seaweed-threatened corals send chemical SOS to fish
The cry for help summons allies to graze away the algal overgrowth.
- Life
Trunk in cheek, elephant mimics Korean
Novel posture lets animal imitate sounds of human words.
- Life
Extensive bird family tree rewrites some history
Unexpected pattern of evolution found across hemispheres.
- Paleontology
Earliest primate had tree-climber ankles
A creature known only from fossils of its teeth gets some more parts.
- Life
Hind wings gave four-winged dino flight control
Much-debated rear wings could have given Microraptor extra help in airborne maneuvers.
