Spiders’ ability to spin webs may be one consequence of a really big genetic mistake. A close look at the genetics and development of spinnerets — spiders’ silk-making organs —…
Category: Animals
Some vaccines are making progress in protecting vulnerable species
Southern elephant seal pups were among the first to die when a deadly strain of avian influenza arrived in the Crozet Islands in 2024. But as the virus spread across…
How Greenland sharks defy aging
When it comes to bucking the biological ails of aging, humans could learn something from Greenland sharks.
Animals experience joy. Scientists want to measure it
Citations S.L. Winkler et al. Bonobos tend to behave optimistically after hearing laughter. Scientific Reports. Published online June 26, 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-02594-8. X.J. Nelson et al. Joyful by nature: approaches…
There’s life beneath the snow, but it’s at risk of melting away
A soft, thick coat of snow makes a lot of the world seem to slow down or even stop — at least temporarily. The fluffy piles absorb sound and make the world…
This tool-using cow defies expectations for bovine braininess
Veronika the cow uses a brush as a tool to scratch herself, revealing rare problem-solving skills and expanding what we know of tool use in animals.
This fish may play a hole in its head like a drum
For the rockhead poacher, the noises are all in its head. The fish is a pint-size, unassuming inhabitant of nearshore shallows, but it has a conspicuous divot in the top…
Animal personalities can play a big role in saving species
Citations C. Neto et al. Impact of behavioral differences on white-lipped peccary reintroduction success in the Atlantic forest. Scientific Reports. Vol. 15, March 5, 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-90853-z A. Sih, A.…
How cheetah mummies could help bring the species back to Arabia
The fastest land animal on the planet lies frozen in time beneath blistering desert sands. Researchers have discovered dozens of ancient cheetah skeletons and dehydrated bodies preserved in caves on…
Queen bumblebees are poor foragers thanks to sparse tongue hair
The density of fine hairs on bumblebees’ tongues determines how much nectar they can collect — and workers put queen bees to shame.
