Smalltooth sawfish develop their signature, long, tooth-lined snout while still in the womb. The needle-sharp teeth are encased in a specialized sheath that prevents the rays from cutting up their…
Category: Animals
Human body lice could harbor the plague and spread it through biting
Rats and their fleas take the rap for spreading the plague, but lice that infest people may share the blame. Human body lice can harbor plague-causing bacteria and can transmit…
Sumatran orangutans start crafting their engineering skills as infants
At six months old, human infants are still working on sitting up by themselves. But baby orangutans at that age are already developing their engineering skills. Orangutans build complex sleeping…
Genetic analyses of the bird flu virus unveil its evolution and potential
A flurry of reports about the genetics of the bird flu currently infecting U.S. cattle are offering insight into how the virus has and continues to spread. Since it first…
How did an ancient shark parasite end up fossilized in tree resin?
During its lifetime nearly 100 million years ago, a newfound parasitic worm likely made its home in the bellies of fish. So how one ended up preserved in amber, fossilized…
Tiger beetles may weaponize ultrasound against bats
Sounding like a toxic moth might keep some beetles safe from hungry bats. When certain tiger beetles hear an echolocating bat draw near, they respond with extremely high-pitched clicks. This…
Cows might host both human and bird flus
Cows have entry portals for both human and bird flus. This new finding may mean that cattle could host both types of flus at once. The two viruses could then…
Getting wild mosquitoes back to the lab alive takes a custom backpack
This backpack isn’t typical hiking gear. Look inside and instead of water and snacks, you’ll see swarms of mosquitoes. Molecular biologist Deogratius Kavishe designed the bag to transport these bloodsucking…
This snake goes to extremes to play dead — and it appears to pay off
To avoid becoming a meal, some animals simply fake it until they make it. And fake deaths with several unappealing elements may make the whole display more efficient, a study…
Lampreys have ‘fight or flight’ cells, challenging ideas about nervous system evolution
With terrifyingly sharp teeth arranged around a circular mouth, lampreys look about as primitive a vertebrate as you could imagine. But a new study finds that the animals have a…
