All Stories by Susan Milius
- Life
Hagfish may eat through their skin
The odd dining habits of carrion-eating protovertebrates may be relevant to the evolutionary transition to land.
- Humans
U.S. probably began global fire ant spread
A genetic study shows that recent international invasions likely originated in the U.S. South, not the species’ native South American range.
- Earth
Ancient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor
A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.
- Life
Tobacco tricks caterpillars with treats
Larvae that eat tempting hairs on the plant's leaves make themselves more attractive to predators.
- Life
Biologists go bats for storm-watch data
Borrowing meteorologists’ weather radar info may reveal new view of the ecology of flying animals.
- Life
Hibernation mystery
Somehow overwintering bears slow their metabolic rates far more than their slightly decreased body temperatures would predict.
- Life
Moonless twilight may cue mass spawning
Subtle color shifts on the nights just after the full moon might synchronize the release of gametes by corals and other marine creatures.
- Life
Ants manage incest without inbreeding
An unorthodox family structure may have helped longhorn crazy ants spread around the globe.
- Life
Deadly for bugs, perfect for bat naps
A death chamber for insects, the interior of a carnivorous pitcher plant doubles as a cozy daytime roost for small, flying woolly mammals.
- Life
Plastic-lined nests keep rivals at bay
A tangle of shopping bag scraps tells black kites in a Spanish national park that another bird’s home is not to be messed with.
- Life
Old amoebas spawn their farms
Some slime molds use a simple form of agriculture to ensure a steady food supply.
- Humans
Marking penguins for study may do harm
Metal flipper bands used to tell birds apart hamper survival and reproduction, a 10-year study finds.
