Animals
- Paleontology
Birds’ honks filled Late Cretaceous air
Oldest avian voice box fossil yet discovered belonged to a ducklike bird that lived during the age of the dinosaurs.
- Animals
Painted lady butterflies’ migration may take them across the Sahara
The migratory patterns of painted lady butterflies are largely unknown. Now scientists have found evidence that some may migrate across the Sahara.
- Animals
African elephants walk on their tippy-toes
Pressure plates reveal how African elephants load their feet when they walk, providing clues to pachyderm podiatry problems.
- Animals
African elephants walk on their tippy-toes
Pressure plates reveal how African elephants load their feet when they walk, providing clues to pachyderm podiatry problems.
- Animals
Bees take longer to learn floral odors polluted by vehicle fumes
Car and truck exhaust mingling with a floral scent can slow down the important process of honeybees learning the fragrance of a flower.
- Plants
Flower lures pollinators with smell of honeybee fear
When it comes to attracting pollinators, one flower species catches more flies with honeybees.
- Animals
Eels may not take most direct route in epic ocean-crossing spawning runs
European eels’ epic ocean migrations to spawn may include more peculiar routes and timing than thought.
- Humans
Animal hybrids may hold clues to Neandertal-human interbreeding
The physical effects of interbreeding among animals may offer clues to Neandertals’ genetic mark on humans.
- Animals
Extreme bird nests bring comforts and catastrophe
Extreme bird nests of Southern Africa’s weaverbirds offer condo living in tough temperatures.
- Animals
New book tells strange tales of evolution
'The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar' features a cadre of critters that have evolved seemingly bizarre solutions to some of life’s biggest problems.
- Genetics
To make female pill bugs, just add bacterial genes
Genes from Wolbachia bacteria infiltrated pill bugs and now make genetic males female.
- Animals
Nature has a dog problem
Free-roaming dogs spread disease, kill wildlife by the thousands and have even caused extinctions. But their full effect on the environment has been little studied.
