Golden Syrian hamsters are highly susceptible to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new study shows. While the species is popular among pet owners, the results, posted April 20 at…
Category: Animals
Dog breed is a surprisingly poor predictor of individual behavior
Turns out we may be unfairly stereotyping dogs. Modern breeds are shaped around aesthetics: Chihuahuas’ batlike ears, poodles’ curly fur, dachshunds’ hot dog shape. But breeds are frequently associated with…
Why you should care about ‘The Insect Crisis’
The Insect CrisisOliver MilmanW.W. Norton & Co., $27.95 Imagine a world without insects. You might breathe a sigh of relief at the thought of mosquito-free summers, or you might worry…
These male spiders catapult away to avoid being cannibalized after sex
An act of acrobatics keeps males of one orb-weaving spider species from becoming their mates’ post-sex snack. After mating, Philoponella prominens males catapult away from females at speeds up to…
These flowers lure pollinators to their deaths. There’s a new twist on how
Fake — and fatal — invitations to romance could be the newest bit of trickery uncovered among some jack-in-the-pulpit wildflowers. The fatal part isn’t the surprise. Jack-in-the-pulpits (Arisaema) are the…
Most bats don’t echolocate in broad daylight. Here’s an exception
Despite their excellent vision, one city-dwelling colony of fruit bats echolocates during broad daylight — completely contrary to what experts expected. A group of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in…
‘Paradise Falls’ thrusts readers into the Love Canal disaster
Paradise FallsKeith O’BrienPantheon, $30 In December 1987, my family moved from sweltering Florida to a snow-crusted island in the Niagara River just north of Buffalo, N.Y. There on Grand Island,…
How a mound-building bird shapes its Australian ecosystem
Earthen piles built by a chicken-like bird in Australia aren’t just egg incubators — they may also be crucial for the distribution of key nutrients throughout the ecosystem. In the…
How do we know what emotions animals feel?
A dog gives a protective bark, sensing a nearby stranger. A cat slinks by disdainfully, ignoring anyone and everyone. A cow moos in contentment, chewing its cud. At least, that’s…
How a western banded gecko eats a scorpion
Western banded geckos don’t look like they’d win in a fight. Yet this unassuming predator dines on venomous scorpions, and a field study published in the March Biological Journal of…
