Animals
- Animals
Parakeets can catch yawns from their neighbors
Humans and dogs aren't the only ones that can pass along a yawn. They appear to be contagious among parakeets, too.
- Animals
When swimming with manatees, mind the herd
Manatees hang out in Florida’s Crystal River; tourists can choose a mindful visit or a harmful one
- Genetics
Extinct species may get a second chance
An evolutionary biologist explains the obstacles scientists must overcome to revive extinct species.
- Animals
Wealth of cephalopod research lost in a 19th century shipwreck
Nineteenth-century scientist Jeanne Villepreux-Power sent her research papers and equipment on a ship that sank off the coast of France, submerging years’ worth of observations on cephalopods.
- Animals
Wild dogs cause problems for people in Nepal
The endangered dhole has a reputation for killing livestock, but its taste for blue sheep could also be an issue, a new study finds.
- Animals
These birds provide their own drum beat
Male Java sparrows use bill clicks in their songs, which they learn from their dads.
- Genetics
Ancient DNA pushes back timing of the origin of dogs
DNA extracted from the fossil of an ancient wolf indicates dogs and wolves diverged longer ago than previously thought.
- Animals
Octopuses can ‘see’ with their skin
Eyes aren’t the only cephalopod body parts with light-catching molecules.
By Susan Milius - Animals
Rising temperatures may cause problems for cold-blooded critters
Ectotherms cannot easily handle extreme temperatures, a new study finds.
- Animals
Crows safeguard sticks to speed future food-finding forays
New Caledonian crows safeguard the sticks they use to find food. As the risk of losing the tool increases, the more protective the birds become.
- Animals
Pandas’ gut bacteria resemble carnivores’
Unlike other vegetarians, the bamboo eaters lack plant-digesting microbes.
By Meghan Rosen - Animals
Vampire squid take mommy breaks
The vampire squid again defies its sensationalist name with a life in the slow lane.
By Susan Milius