Animals

  1. Genetics

    Scorpion’s sting evolved from insects’ defensive proteins

    With a single genetic mutation, an insect’s defensive proteins can be transformed into a toxin that gives scorpions their signature sting, a new study shows.

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  2. Tech

    Jellyfish-like flying machine takes off

    Mimicking sea creatures instead of insects leads to better hovering, scientists find.

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  3. Animals

    Wrinkle arises in soggy hand studies

    An experiment bucks earlier finding that ridges help fingers grasp.

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  4. Animals

    Truths and lies about dingoes

    A dingo really did take that woman’s baby, but other myths about the animals have been debunked.

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  5. Animals

    Finally, evidence that a starfish’s eyes let it see

    The sea star’s vision isn’t great, but it’s good enough to help the animal find its way home.

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  6. Genetics

    Elephant shark genome small and slow to evolve

    The animals have the smallest genome of non-bony fishes and the slowest-evolving genes among vertebrates, a study suggests.

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  7. Animals

    Dog-paddle science debunks notion of underwater trot

    From Newfoundlands to Yorkshire terriers, canines swim with similar, distinctive gait.

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  8. Archaeology

    Animal mummies were a message direct to the gods

    A new theory about the purpose of animals mummified by ancient Egyptians proposes that the cats, ibises and other dead critters were more than just simple sacrifices.

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  9. Animals

    Flightless birds face extinction

    New Zealand’s flightless birds have limped through the last few decades, but conservation efforts have had some success.

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  10. Animals

    Smoker’s breath saves caterpillars’ lives

    Larvae of the tobacco hornworm caterpillar exhale nicotine, driving away predatory spiders.

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  11. Plants

    Kleptoplast

    A cellular part such as a light-harvesting chloroplast that an organism takes from algae it has eaten.

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  12. Animals

    Unusual new species names of 2013

    Here are five species with tongue-twister titles.

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