Animals
- Anthropology
Ancient hominids used wooden spears to fend off big cats
Saber-toothed cat remains suggest ancient hominids used wooden spears as defensive weapons.
- Animals
Big cats hunt livestock when wild prey is scarce
Lions, tigers and other big cats tend to hunt livestock only after their wild prey has dropped in availability, a new study shows.
- Climate
Kangaroo farts may not be so eco-friendly after all
Kangaroos fart methane, but not much thanks to the metabolism of gut microbes
- Animals
Color of light sets dung beetles straight
Dung beetles may rely on green and ultraviolet colors in the sky to help orient themselves.
- Animals
Diagram captures microbes’ influence across animal kingdom
A network diagram of animal species shows that many microbes living in humans also make themselves at home in dogs, pigs and cattle.
- Animals
Hunchbacked conchs jump at the smell of danger
Hunchbacked conchs are among the most vigorous of snailkind’s few jumpers.
- Animals
World’s smallest snail record broken again
Snails may not be speedy, but itty-bitty snail shells found in Borneo are breaking a size record at a breakneck pace.
- Animals
Just when you thought snails couldn’t get any smaller…
Snails may not be speedy, but itty-bitty snail shells found in Borneo are breaking a size record at a breakneck pace.
- Animals
‘On the Wing’ chronicles origins of flying animals
In "On the Wing," a biomechanicist reviews how animals took to the air.
- Animals
Wildfires are an unexpected threat to California condors
Lead poisoning remains a threat to California condors, but a new review finds that wildfires may also be a danger to the big birds.
- Life
How electric eels put more zip in their zap
With feisty prey, an electric eel curls its tail to intensify shocks and exhaust prey.
- Life
Rare reptile holds clue to penis evolution
Preserved Victorian specimens reveal budding embryonic penis that disappears before adulthood.
