Animals
- Math
Sharks’ hunting paths may not be driven by math
Penguins, tuna, sharks and other marine hunters have been shown to use math to find food. But simulations suggest the behavior is a result of rough water, not complex calculation.
- Anthropology
Strategy, not habitat loss, leads chimps to kill rivals
Human impacts on chimpanzees have not increased their violence.
- Animals
Mama deer respond to the cries of human babies
Deer mothers approached a speaker playing distress calls of young mammals when the frequency fell into the same range as fawns.
- Animals
Rhinoceros beetle’s horn shape reflects fighting style
The elaborate horns of rhinoceros beetles vary in subtle ways that allow each species to handle the stress and strain of its specific style of battle.
- Paleontology
Lost-and-found dinosaur thrived in water
Fossils pieced together through ridiculous luck reveal Spinosaurus to be the only known dinosaur adapted for regular ventures into water.
- Life
Superslow sloths may have once evolved superfast
Sloths may evolved some of the fastest rates of body growth reported to date for mammals.
- Paleontology
Fossils push back origins of modern mammals
Fossils of three newly identified early mammals from China suggest that the common ancestor of today’s mammals lived over 200 million years ago.
- Animals
Strong social bonds help lady baboons live longer
Wild, female baboons with stronger social connections with both female and male baboons live longer than females with weaker ties, a new study shows.
- Life
North American bird update finds a little good news
Conservation measures have succeeded in improving the plight of certain North American bird species, but overall the national report card says “needs improvement.”
- Animals
Coral trout know when it’s time for team hunting
In certain situations, coral trout appear to be as good as chimpanzees at knowing when to collaborate, a new study suggests.
- Animals
Mystery mushroomlike sea creatures get names
Specimens of a mushroomlike animal from the sea now have a scientific name, but researchers aren’t sure what kind of animal they are.
- Animals
A brief history of animal death in space
The Russian “sexy space geckos” join a long list of creatures that have died after humans sent them into space.
