Duping a guppy is easier than duping a ring dove — at least when it comes to a classic optical illusion. In the Ebbinghaus illusion, two identical circles placed side…
Category: Animals
The viral Chicago ‘Rat Hole’ almost certainly wasn’t made by a rat
Chicago’s viral ‘Rat Hole’ is less rat splat, more squirrel squish. Researchers determined it was probably a squirrel that left a rodent-shaped impression in the concrete of the Windy City.…
New wetsuit designs offer a layer of protection against shark bites
By weaving Kevlar or polyethylene nanofibers into standard neoprene in wetsuits, researchers found ways to limit injury during rare encounters with sharks.
Mic’d bats reveal midnight songbird attacks
Vampire bats are a Halloween staple, and now they’ve got company. Another bat species snatches birds out of the air for a gruesome midnight feast. Songbird DNA has previously shown…
Toy-obsessed dogs give clues to addictive behaviors
If you’ve ever had a slobbery ball at your feet and a dog’s hopeful eyes asking for yet another throw, then you know that some dogs really love to play.…
What the longest woolly rhino horn tells us about the beasts’ biology
The longest woolly rhino horn ever found is providing new insights into the lives of these now extinct animals. The horn — found preserved in Siberian permafrost — stretched over…
To make a tasty yogurt, just add ants (and their microbes)
In parts of Eurasia, the key to a tangy yogurt treat scurries along the forest floor. Red wood ants and their microbes acidify and thicken milk, helping ferment the liquid…
Meet the ‘grue jay,’ a rare hybrid songbird
There was something strange about the turquoise-colored songbird flying around San Antonio in 2023. With its black-and-white tail bands and its jeering honk, it somewhat resembled and sounded like a…
Is camouflage better than warning colors? For insects, it depends
Prey animals can use their colors to hide from predators or dissuade them from attacking. But local conditions determine which option works best. A global study comparing defensive coloration in…
This ‘ghost shark’ has teeth on its forehead
Spotted ratfish, or “ghost sharks,” have forehead teeth that help them grasp onto mates. It’s the first time teeth have been found outside of a mouth.
