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…
Category: Life
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…
Want to see butterflies in your backyard? Try doing less yardwork
Making the world safer for butterflies can be as easy as doing a bit of nothing. Letting some part of a yard go unmown can boost the number of butterflies…
This orangutan used a medicinal plant on his face wound
With their bright eyes and prominent beards and mustaches, it’s easy to see how orangutans got their name; “orang” is Malay for person, while “hutan” means forest. Their similarity to…
Belugas may communicate by warping a blob of forehead fat
The beluga whale wears its heart on its sleeve — or rather, its forehead. Researchers have created a visual encyclopedia of the different expressions that belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in captivity…
Plant ‘time bombs’ highlight how sneaky invasive species can be
A stealthy, destructive weed — the sycamore maple — began its “don’t worry, just love me” phase of invading Great Britain so long ago that the tree didn’t have what…
This newfound longhorn beetle species is unusually fluffy
Meet Excastra albopilosa, a newly identified species of longhorn beetle that rocks an unusually fluffy white coat. Discovered in Australia, the fuzzy-looking arthropod also has distinct, separated eye lobes, short…
Unlocking Flow: The Neuroscience of Creative Bliss
Summary: A new study involving Philadelphia-area jazz guitarists, has explored the brain processes that enable creative flow. The research reveals that achieving flow requires a solid foundation of expertise, after…
“Supernatural” Experiences Comfort Grieving Pet Owners
Summary: A new study explores the phenomenon of supernatural visits from deceased pets. Analyzing 544 accounts from dog owners on social media, researchers found that about half of these experiences…
How Sex and Gender Shape Our Cognition
Summary: Researchers released a new study examining how sex and gender influence cognitive abilities. The study analyzed eight cognitive tasks and found that while spatial cognition correlates more with biological…
