Animals

Animals

Fossil find suggests this ancient reptile lurked on land, not in the water

An exquisitely preserved fossil shows that an ancient armored reptile called Eusaurosphargis dalsassoi wasn’t aquatic, as scientists had suspected.

Animals

These record-breaking tube worms can survive for centuries

Deep-sea tube worms can live decades longer than their shallow-water counterparts.

Animals

How spiders mastered spin control

Scientists reveal a new twist on the unusual properties of spider silk.

Animals

One creature’s meal is another’s pain in the butt

Kelp and dolphin gulls in Patagonia have found a new food source. But they accidentally injure fur seal pups to get it.

Paleontology

Giant armored dinosaur may have cloaked itself in camouflage

An armored dinosaur the size of a Honda Civic also wore countershading camouflage, a chemical analysis of its skin suggests.

Life

Light pollution can foil plant-insect hookups, and not just at night

Upsetting nocturnal pollinators has daylight after-effects for Swiss meadow flowers.

Animals

Newly discovered lymph hydraulics give tunas their fancy moves

There’s still some anatomy to discover in fishes as familiar as bluefin and yellowfin tunas.

Genetics

Tardigrades aren’t champion gene swappers after all

Genetic studies reveal more secrets of the bizarre creatures known as tardigrades.

Materials Science

Slug slime inspires a new type of surgical glue

A new glue that mimics a slug’s mucus secretions sticks well, even when wet. The adhesive could be used in place of sutures or staples in surgeries.

Anthropology

Readers question hominid family tree

Readers sent feedback on hominid origins, fast cameras, slimy sea creatures and more.

Animals

Fire ants build towers with three simple rules

Fire ants use the same set of simple rules to produce static rafts and perpetually moving towers.

Genetics

Resistance to CRISPR gene drives may arise easily

New tools for pest and disease control could become useless without improvements.