The prairie vole is one of the few monogamous (mostly) mammals. What goes on in the brain that causes the guys to stray? More
Biology
Can a dog learn words?
German dog knows 260 words, learns through fast mapping much like children. Read the story from dog’s point of view! More
Fruit Fly Flight
Fruit flies beat their wings 250 times a second. How fast do they sense attitude and adjust their wings to avoid crashing? Ultra fast! More
Plankton swim, then fly
If you're small, surface tension matters more than gravity. Now we understand why only large copepods can swim into the air! More
Tropical mountain diversity: species rise from below, but also travel from afar
Herculean taxonomy expedition reveals dual origin of tropical mountain organisms. More
Australian “dragon.” If it’s hot, eggs hatch with female genitalia but male genetics.
Reptiles have many ways to set the sex of offspring. Temperature often matters. Could global warming make male “dragons” extinct? More
How baboons decide
Baboons with GPS collars allow scientists to unravel their group decisions -- which starts to look like a democracy! More
The chicken from hell and other bizarre critters!
Top 10 New Species list celebrates the living world, proving how many amazing species remain to be discovered. More
First animal ancestor discovered in deep mud!
Two billion years ago, we share a common ancestor with this new-found relative. Is this our origin? More
Bombardier beetle spray-bottle explained at last!
Tiny, fast explosions inside the bombardier beetle make a toxic spray, then heat and shoot it at the target. Here's how! More
Spring forward: birds and flowers in a warming world!
A changing climate is advancing the arrival of spring. How will this affect the interplay of species in ecosystems? More
Chameleon’s color trick explained
Crystals in skin cells give the panther chameleon a quick color change, and also a built-in cooling system. More
Fossil find supports hippo-whale-dolphin ties
Two teeth from Kenya identify an ancient hippo and clarify the evolutionary link to whales and dolphins. More
In the mind’s eye of a bird brain
People order numbers from small on the left to large on the right. So do chickens! Huh? What does this mean? More
Birds cross Himalayas
Bar-headed geese hug the terrain as they cross the tallest mountains. Why does that take less energy than flying the shortest route? More