“Forever chemicals” are pervasive, and researchers have in recent years been ringing the alarms about the negative impacts on human health. But humans aren’t the only animals to be concerned…
Category: Animals
Velvet ants have the Swiss Army knife of venoms
Few creatures can tangle with a velvet ant and walk away unscathed. These ground-dwelling insects are not ants, but parasitic wasps known for their excruciating stings. Now researchers have discovered…
American burying beetles are making a comeback in Nebraska
One of the world’s best insect undertakers is making a comeback. Populations of the American burying beetle, North America’s largest carrion beetle, have been decimated due mainly to habitat loss…
Dogs team up with AI to sniff out cancer
Meghan Rosen is a staff writer who reports on the life sciences for Science News. She earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology with an emphasis in biotechnology from…
These are the 5 most popular Science News stories of 2024
Science News drew millions of visitors to our website this year. Here’s a look back at the most-read and most-watched online news stories of 2024. Top news stories 5. Psilocybin…
These are our favorite animal stories of 2024
From superpowered bees to theatrical snakes, these reports from the animal kingdom drove us wild in 2024. Mighty morphin’ beluga blobs You can learn a lot about a beluga (Delphinapterus…
Sheep earwax can record a dangerous diet
A bit of ear goop can reveal if sheep are eating dangerously poisonous plants. Earwax from sheep that have eaten death camas contains the plants’ toxins within a few days…
The screams of thirsty plants may prompt some moths to lay eggs elsewhere
If you’re a female moth, finding the best plant to host your young may be as simple as taking a close listen. When low on water, some plants make high-pitched…
Climate stress may undermine male spiders’ romantic gift giving
Courtship dazzle in spiders can lose some zing in uncertain climates. Males in places with hard-to-predict rain and temperatures devolve into suitors who woo mostly with cheap, useless gifts. Researchers…
New videos reveal the hidden lives of Andean bears
Camera collar footage is unveiling the secret lives of Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus), South America’s only surviving ursid. A wild Andean bear in Peru was caught eating soil or clay, courting…
