Animals
- Ecosystems
Bird poop helps keep coral reefs healthy, but rats are messing that up
Eradicating invasive rats from islands may help boost numbers of seabirds, whose droppings provide nutrients to nearby coral reefs.
- Climate
Bloodflowers’ risk to monarchs could multiply as climate changes
High atmospheric carbon dioxide levels can weaken the medicinal value of a milkweed that caterpillars eat, and high temperatures may make the plant toxic.
- Life
Bobtail squid coat their eggs in antifungal goo
Hawaiian bobtail squid keep their eggs fungus-free with the help of bacteria.
- Animals
Surprise! This shark looks like a male on the outside, but it’s made babies
External male reproductive organs hid internal female capacity to give birth among hermaphrodite sharks in India.
- Animals
Why humans, and Big Macs, depend on bees
Thor Hanson, the author of Buzz, explains the vital role bees play in our world.
- Animals
Soaring spiders may get cues from electric charges in the air
Spiders can sense atmospheric electric fields, which might give them cues to take to the air.
- Genetics
North America’s earliest dogs came from Siberia
North America’s first dogs have few descendants alive today, a study of ancient DNA suggests.
- Animals
Researchers create hybrid embryos of endangered white rhinos
Scientists have made the first rhino embryos, providing a small glimmer of hope for the nearly extinct northern white rhinoceros.
- Archaeology
Mongolians practiced horse dentistry as early as 3,200 years ago
Horse dentistry got an early start among Bronze Age Mongolian herders.
- Genetics
Koala genome may contain clues for helping the species survive
The complete genetic instruction book of a koala may explain why the cuddly-looking cuties are such picky eaters, among other secrets.
- Animals
‘Spying on Whales’ dives into the story of true leviathans
"Spying on Whales" retraces the evolution of cetaceans, explaining how they came to be some of Earth’s largest creatures.
- Animals
This invasive tick can clone itself and suck livestock dry
The newly invasive longhorned tick, now found in four continental U.S. states, spreads human diseases in its native Asia. Here, it’s mostly a threat to livestock — so far.
