Animals

By studying the genome of a kind of octopus not known for its friendliness toward its peers, then testing its behavioral reaction to a popular mood-altering drug called MDMA or 'ecstasy,' scientists say they have found preliminary evidence of an evolutionary link between the social behaviors of the sea creature and humans, species separated by 500 million years on the evolutionary tree.

Ecstasy Turns Antisocial Octopuses Into Lovestruck Cuddle Buddies—Just Like Us

The genetic and neurological similarities between octopuses and humans shed light on how creatures became social beings

Faced with rising floodwaters that threaten to top their 19-inch absorption limit, the open-air pits could pose a significant environmental and health hazard

Florence Fall-Out Threatens to Release Waste Stored in Dozens of North Carolina Hog Lagoons

As of noon Wednesday, the Department of Environmental Quality had identified 21 flooded lagoons actively releasing hog waste into the environment

Why Washington Mountain Goats Are Being Flown From One National Park to Another

Olympic National Park's mountain goats are moving to saltier pastures

New genetic evidence confirms that ivory poaching in Africa involves only a few powerful players who consolidate the goods for illegal trade abroad.

How DNA Testing Could Bring Down Ivory Trade’s Biggest Criminals

Genetic testing exposes three major cartels illegally trafficking ivory out of several African countries

Five Baby Squirrels Saved From Truly Knotty Predicament

Five gray tree squirrels in Wisconsin were found with their tails hopelessly knotted together, requiring some help from a wildlife rehab

Humans' CMAH gene mutation may enable them to exhibit higher endurance over long periods of exercise

Human Gene Mutation May Have Paved the Way for Long-Distance Running

Mice with engineered versions of the CMAH gene exhibited 30 percent better endurance than those without

The wolf cub is the better-preserved of the two specimens, with everything from its fur to its tail and curled upper lip still intact

Gold Miners Unearth 50,000-Year-Old Caribou Calf, Wolf Pup From Canadian Permafrost

Both animals' fur, skin and muscle are almost perfectly preserved

Washington’s National Mall, home to 11 Smithsonian museums, flooded in 2006, causing millions of dollars in damage.

How the Smithsonian Prepares for Hurricanes and Flooding

An emergency command center is ready for activation and the National Zoo could move animals into bunkers

Chimps and Toddlers Use Same Gestures to Get Attention

A new study shows 12 to 24 month old children and chimps use 46 of the same movements to communicate, including stomping, pointing and clapping

Young grassland birds don't rush their final nest exit. They instead stick around as long as possible to gobble up as much food as they can stomach.

These Teen Birds Love Sleeping In, Too

A new study suggests young grassland songbirds postpone fledging in order to mooch off mom and dad as long as they can

The device is designed to function as an artificial shoreline, drifting with ocean currents and collecting plastic in a 10-foot net-like screen

2,000-Foot-Long Plastic Catcher Released to Aid Cleanup of Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Skeptics argue the device will endanger marine wildlife, exacerbate existing pollution problems

The Catch of the Day Is a 10,000-Year-Old Gigantic Deer Skull

Last week, Irish fishermen pulled up the skull and horns of an extinct great elk, which could have 12-foot-wide antlers

Spix's macaw.

In the Last Decade, Four Birds Went Extinct and Four More Are Likely Gone

Habitat loss is the main culprit in killing off the birds, including Spix's macaw, the star of the popular 2011 film <i>Rio</i>

To animals that rely on learned migration patterns, accumulated knowledge and thriving physical landscapes are equally essential for survival

Bighorn Sheep and Moose Learn Migration Then Pass Knowledge on to Next Generation

Hooved animals known as ungulates rely on generational lessons to guide seasonal migration, locate high-quality vegetation

The moa, a species of giant flightless birds, went extinct soon after humans arrived in New Zealand during the 13th century

Oral History Suggests Māori Proverbs on Bird Extinction Mirrored Fears of Indigenous Group’s Own Decline

The moa, a giant flightless bird, served as symbol of extinction and reflection of Māori fears over encroaching European presence

Toxic Chemicals Banned 20 Years Ago Finally Disappearing From Arctic Wildlife

But the appearance of new chemicals is creating an uncertain future for polar bears, orcas and seabirds

Until now, it’s been unclear whether the bonnethead's seagrass consumption was intentional or the result of indiscriminate feeding

Fish Are Friends, Not (Always) Food: Meet the World’s First Omnivorous Shark Species

Bonnethead sharks enjoy a diet of up to 60 percent seagrass, as well as crab, shrimp, snails and bonyfish

Is it just instinct?

New Zealand Penguins Make an Epic, Pointless, Swim to the Southern Ocean

A new satellite study shows the penguins travel over 4,000 miles to feed, even though their home shores are teeming with food

Goats either prefer humans that sport a grin or make an effort to avoid those with a grimace, a new study shows.

Goats May Prefer Happy Human Faces

A new study found that goats gravitate towards images of smiling people, suggesting that they can distinguish between human expressions

This pipefish couple may seem the picture of romance, but the male may have something bigger and better in mind.

Pregnant Male Pipefish Are the Sea's Swaggery Swingers

Male pipefish, which take on the burden of carrying eggs to term, can compromise their own pregnancies if they see a “huge, sexy female” swimming by

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