Animals

Life

Mammals that live in groups may live longer, longevity research suggests

An analysis of nearly 1,000 mammal species reveals that the evolution of mammals’ social lives and life spans could be linked.

Animals

Fish can recognize themselves in photos, further evidence they may be self-aware

Cleaner fish recognize themselves in mirrors and photos, suggesting that far more animals may be self-aware than previously thought.

Animals

Here are 3 people-animal collaborations besides dolphins and Brazilians

Dolphins working with people to catch fish recently made a big splash. But humans and other animals have cooperated throughout history.

Animals

A newfound ‘croakless’ frog may communicate via touch

A newly discovered frog species in Tanzania joins a rare group of frogs that don’t croak or ribbit.

Animals

Are your cats having fun or fighting? Here are some ways to tell

Certain behaviors indicate if your cats’ interaction is friendly, aggressive or something in between, a new study finds.

Life

76 percent of well-known insects fall outside protected areas

Protected areas can provide safe havens for insects, but many existing ones fall short, a new study finds.

Animals

Prairie voles can find partners just fine without the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin

Researchers knocked out prairie voles’ oxytocin detection system. They weren’t expecting what happened next.

Life

Birds that dive may be at greater risk of extinction

For birds, a diving lifestyle seems irreversible, evolutionarily speaking. The inflexibility possibly increases diving birds’ chances of going extinct.

Animals

Some young sea spiders can regrow their rear ends

Juvenile sea spiders can regenerate nearly all of their bottom halves — including muscles and the anus — or make do without them.

Animals

A rare rabbit plays an important ecological role by spreading seeds

Rabbits aren’t thought of as seed dispersers, but the Amami rabbit of Japan has now been recorded munching on a plant’s seeds and pooping them out.

Animals

Chicken DNA is replacing the genetics of their ancestral jungle fowl

Up to half of modern jungle fowl genes have been inherited from domesticated chickens. That could threaten the wild birds’ long-term survival.

Animals

These adorable Australian spike-balls beat the heat with snot bubbles

An echidna’s snot bubbles coat the spiny critter’s nose with moisture, which then evaporates and draws heat from the sinus, cooling the blood.