Animals
- 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 - Life
Male stag beetles face weighty problem for flight
Male stag beetles need enormous mandibles to fend off other males and find a mate, but computer simulations show that the giant jaws make running and flying very difficult.
By Susan Milius - Psychology
Quantity counts for baboons
Counting-like logic helps baboons track and compare accumulating sets of peanuts.
By Bruce Bower - Animals
A summer challenge: Observe nature
Opportunities for observing nature are plentiful, no matter where you live.
- Animals
Ants snap jaws, shoot skyward, escape death
Emergency trap jaw launchings help some ants pass death tests.
By Susan Milius