Some frogs just can’t stick the landing. After launching into a leap, pumpkin toadlets careen through the air as if flung from a toddler’s fist. They roll, cartwheel or backflip…
Category: Life
Butterflies may lose their ‘tails’ like lizards
On some butterfly wings, “tails” may be more than just elegant adornments. They’re survival tools too, a study suggests. The tails seem to attract the attention of attacking birds, keeping…
Lucy Cooke’s new book ‘Bitch’ busts myths about female animals
BitchLucy CookeBasic Books, $30 To Charles Darwin, nature had a certain order. And in that order, males always came out on top. They were the leaders, the innovators, the wooers…
Mosquitoes prefer dozing over dining when they are sleep-deprived
Turns out there is rest for the wicked: Sleepy mosquitoes are more likely to catch up on missed z’s than drink blood, a new study finds. Most people are familiar…
How mammals took over the world
The Rise and Reign of the MammalsSteve BrusatteMariner Books, $29.99 In my opinion, the most satisfying science documentary TV series ever made was a 1970s British production called Connections. Hosted…
How mammals took over the world
The Rise and Reign of the MammalsSteve BrusatteMariner Books, $29.99 In my opinion, the most satisfying science documentary TV series ever made was a 1970s British production called Connections. Hosted…
Just 3 ingredients can quickly destroy widely used PFAS ‘forever chemicals’
The undoing of toxic “forever chemicals” may be found in products in your pantry. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, can persist in the environment for centuries. While…
Who decides whether to use gene drives against malaria-carrying mosquitoes?
In a large laboratory cage, a male mosquito carries a genetic weapon that could launch the destruction of his species. That loss could also mean the end of the parasite…
Glial cells may take on big jobs in unexpected parts of the body
In the theater of the brain, nerve cells have long been cast as the stars, bringing mental scenes to life with their electrical and chemical performances. Yet many of the…
Trained dogs sniff out COVID-19 as well as lab tests do
Dogs are as reliable as laboratory tests for detecting COVID-19 cases, and may be even better than PCR tests for identifying infected people who don’t have symptoms. A bonus: The…
