Animals

  1. Animals

    Mafia Cowbirds: Do they muscle birds that don’t play ball?

    A new test offers the best evidence yet that cowbirds retaliate against birds that resist their egg scams.

    By Susan Milius
  2. Animals

    Snail Highways: By following trails, periwinkles save slime

    A snail that follows another snail's slimy path saves energy by not having to secrete so much mucus.

    By Susan Milius
  3. Animals

    Science behind the Soap Opera

    Tight family groups of meerkats in Africa's arid lands offer a chance to see the costs, as well as the charms, of cooperation. With audio.

    By Susan Milius
  4. Animals

    Bird Plans: Jays show foresight in breakfast menus

    The strongest evidence yet that animals plan ahead may come from western scrub jays preparing for their morning meals.

    By Susan Milius
  5. Animals

    Perils of Migration: New evidence that bats stalk birds

    Big Mediterranean bats snatch migrating songbirds out of the night sky in spring and fall.

    By Susan Milius
  6. Animals

    What’s Going on Down There?

    In a 10-year, global effort, researchers exploring the unknowns of marine life have found bizarre fish, living-fossil shrimp, giant microbes, and a lot of other new neighbors.

    By Susan Milius
  7. Animals

    Do flies eat their sibs before birth?

    A tiny fly that parasitizes cicadas could be the first insect species that's recognized to practice prenatal cannibalism.

    By Susan Milius
  8. Animals

    Glittering male seeks fluorescing female

    A tropical jumping spider needs ultraviolet light for courtship.

    By Susan Milius
  9. Animals

    Bite This: Borrowed toad toxins save snake’s neck

    An Asian snake gets toxins by salvaging them from the poisonous toads it eats.

    By Susan Milius
  10. Animals

    Guys Roll Eyes: Fish show some eyeball to their rivals

    During breeding season, male fish roll their eyes to send a quick "Back off, punk" signal to other males, researchers say.

    By Susan Milius
  11. Animals

    No-Dad Dragons: Komodos reproduce without males

    Two female Komodo dragons in zoos have startled their keepers by laying viable eggs without males, possibly as a last resort at a time when mates are in increasingly short supply.

    By Susan Milius
  12. Animals

    Extreme Tongue: Bat excels at saying ‘Aah’

    The new champion among mammals at sticking out its tongue is a small bat from Ecuador.

    By Susan Milius