Animals
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AnimalsWildfires 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.
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LifeHow electric eels put more zip in their zap
With feisty prey, an electric eel curls its tail to intensify shocks and exhaust prey.
By Susan Milius -
LifeRare reptile holds clue to penis evolution
Preserved Victorian specimens reveal budding embryonic penis that disappears before adulthood.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsCat-versus-virus arms race goes back millennia
Researchers have found evidence of an ancient arms race between Felis silvestris catus, the species familiar today as the domestic cat, and feline immunodeficiency virus.
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AnimalsSalamander ancestors could regenerate limbs
Salamanders and ancient amphibians share similar way of regenerating limbs.
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AnimalsAs panda baby grows, mom’s milk changes
In the first month after a mama panda gives birth, her milk changes in composition, a new study finds.
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AnimalsHowler monkeys sacrifice sperm for deeper roars
In howler monkeys, expanded vocal tracts make for deeper-voiced males with smaller testes, researchers find.
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AnimalsInvasive species may be great snacks for predators
The arrival of a new food source can benefit predators, a new study finds. But if there are no native species around to eat, it’s a different story.
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PaleontologyFurry, spiky mammal scampered among dinosaurs
Early Cretaceous fur ball with spikes discovered in Spain.
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AnimalsFor glowworms, the brightest girls get the guy
Brighter female glowworms attract more mates and lay more eggs than their dimmer peers.
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PhysicsPentaquarks, locked-in syndrome and more reader feedback
Readers discuss pentaquark sightings, delightful diatoms and whether an ancient four-legged fossil was actually a snake.
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GeneticsAsian tiger mosquito genome sequenced
Researchers have sequenced the genome of the Asian tiger mosquito, a stealthy invasive species and carrier of tropical diseases.