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Editors' Picks

The Komodo Dragon is an All-Purpose Killing Machine

A visit to one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist destinations could be your last

VIDEO: See a Thought Move Through a Living Fish’s Brain

By using genetic modification and a florescent-sensitive probe, Japanese scientists captured a zebrafish's thought in real-time

African Dung Beetles Navigate At Night Using the Milky Way

A new study shows the tiny feces ball-rolling insects orient themselves by the stars

Science Beats

Critter Cupids: Animals in Love

Ever wonder how a giant panda says I love you? Or how a sea lion bonds with a best friend?
February 13, 2013 | By Leah Binkovitz

Page 1 of 10

This Sea Slug Discards Its Penis After Sex and Grows Another

Chromodoris reticulata, native to the Pacific, engages in mating behavior previously unknown in the rest of the animal kingdom
February 13, 2013 | By Joseph Stromberg

What Makes the Trout in Ecuador Look Like Salmon?

Aiming to catch a few trout for dinner, the author decides to try his luck at one of the region's many "sport fishing" sites
February 12, 2013 | By Alastair Bland

Can Birds Survive Climate Change?

Predicted increases in torrential rain and severe drought will force birds in Asia to relocate in search of food and viable habitat, a new study finds
February 08, 2013 | By Claire Martin

Salmon Swim Home Using Earth’s Magnetic Field as a GPS

Their intuitive sense of the magnetic field surrounding them allow sockeye salmon to circumnavigate obstacles to find their birth stream
February 07, 2013 | By Marina Koren

The Year’s Most Outstanding Science Visualizations

A juried competition honors photographs, illustrations, videos, posters, games and apps that marry art and science in an evocative way
February 05, 2013 | By Megan Gambino

Why Cockroaches Meticulously Groom Their Antennae

Just as humans scrub off to remove dead skin cells, sweat and dirt from the day, insects also busy themselves to keep clean
February 04, 2013 | By Rachel Nuwer

Honey, I Blew Up the Bugs

Italian artist Lorenzo Possenti created 16 enormous sculptures of giant insects, all scientifically accurate, now on display at an Oklahoma museum
February 04, 2013 | By Megan Gambino

Solving the Mystery of Owls’ Head-Turning Abilities

New research shows how owls can swivel their heads around without cutting off blood supply to their brains
February 01, 2013 | By Marina Koren

VIDEO: See a Thought Move Through a Living Fish’s Brain

By using genetic modification and a florescent-sensitive probe, Japanese scientists captured a zebrafish's thought in real-time
January 31, 2013 | By Joseph Stromberg

How the Star-Nosed Mole ‘Sees’ With Its Ultra-Sensitive Snout

The utterly strange-looking creature sees the world with one of the most sensitive touch organs in the animal kingdom
January 30, 2013 | By Joseph Stromberg

Feral Cats Kill Billions of Small Critters Each Year

A new study shows that cats--especially feral ones--kill far more birds and small mammals than scientists previously thought
January 29, 2013 | By Rachel Nuwer

Museums Delay Opening Due to Weather

Smithsonian museums in the Washington, D.C. area as well as the National Zoo will open at noon Monday, due to inclement weather
January 28, 2013 | By Leah Binkovitz

Seven Must-See Art-Meets-Science Exhibitions in 2013

Preview some of the top-notch shows—on anatomy, bioluminescence, water tanks and more—slated for the next year
December 28, 2012 | By Megan Gambino

The Most Infamous Komodo Dragon Attacks of the Past 10 Years

An 8-year old boy; a group of stranded divers; a celebrity's husband: Just a few of the recent victims of Komodo dragon attacks
January 24, 2013 | By Rachel Nuwer

African Dung Beetles Navigate At Night Using the Milky Way

A new study shows the tiny feces ball-rolling insects orient themselves by the stars
January 24, 2013 | By Joseph Stromberg

The Komodo Dragon is an All-Purpose Killing Machine

A visit to one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist destinations could be your last
February 2013 | By Brendan Borrell

Researchers Discover New Method of Barnacle Sex

Upending 150 years of theory, scientists observed that some barnacles can capture sperm from the water for reproduction
January 17, 2013 | By Emily Frost

The Gory Details of Artist Katrina van Grouw’s Unfeathered Birds

A British artist, with experience in ornithology, explains how she created anatomical drawings of 200 different species of birds for a new book
January 18, 2013 | By Megan Gambino

New Study Suggests Crabs Can Feel Pain After All

Most of us assume that crustaceans can't feel pain—but new research suggests otherwise
January 16, 2013 | By Marina Koren

Communication Towers Are Death Traps for Threatened Bird Species

Nearly 7 million North American birds - including 13 threatened species - lose their lives through tower collisions each year
January 14, 2013 | By Rachel Nuwer

Why Are Chimpanzees Stronger Than Humans?

Chimps are far stronger than we are - but why?
January 14, 2013 | By Rose Eveleth

Scientists Finally Figure Out How Squids Mate

There are all sorts of animals that we actually have never seen get it on. Squid used to be one of them
January 14, 2013 | By Rose Eveleth

Drill, Baby, Drill: Sponges Bore Into Shells Twice as Fast in Acidic Seawater

In acidic water, drilling sponges damage scallops twice as quickly, worsening the effects of ocean acidification.
January 10, 2013 | By Hannah Waters

Should Trophy Hunting of Lions Be Banned?

Some argue that tourist safari hunts generate important money for African nations—but can lions afford the loss?
December 07, 2012 | By Alastair Bland

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next »

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