Animals

Bigfoot is still a big deal to many conspiracy theorists.

Why Do So Many People Still Want to Believe in Bigfoot?

The appeal of the mythical, wild man holds strong

In August 2016, a lightning strike killed more than 300 reindeers. Now, their decaying carcasses are spurring the landscape's revitalization

What the Deaths of More Than 300 Reindeer Teach Us About the Circle of Life

In an isolated corner of Norwegian plateau, carcasses of reindeer felled by lightning are spawning new plant life

An Ediacaran fossil from the National Earth Science Museum, Namibia.

Mysterious, Plant-Like Fossil May Have Been One of the Earliest Animals

New research suggests that soft-bodied organisms called Ediacarans may have been related to an animal of the Cambrian era

Northern Black Widow

Citizen Scientists Show Black Widows Creeping North In Canada

Study shows online observations can help researchers refine the range maps of many species overlooked by field biologists

Walrus-tusk wealth

Greenland's Vikings Got Wealthy Off Walrus Tusks

New DNA study reveals how the Norse Greenlanders cornered the market on ivory in Europe

Bonobos are known to make at least 38 distinct calls

Why Humans Are the Only Primates Capable of Talking

New study suggests ape vocalizations vary according to neural abilities, not vocal anatomy

Do you smell something, Bob?

Ocean Acidification Is Frying Fish's Sense of Smell

By the end of the century, the ocean is predicted to become two-and-a-half times more acidic, which is bad news for sea life.

Wild-caught elephants live shorter lives and reproduce poorly in captivity

Captured Elephants Die Up to Seven Years Sooner Than Those Bred in Captivity

Myanmar's wild-captured elephants exhibited median lifespan three to seven years shorter than that of captive-born creatures

Many friendly foxes carried a version of a gene that differed from their feral counterparts.

What the Fox Genome Tells Us About Domestication

After only a few decades of domestic breeding, friendly foxes have social behavior woven into their genes

These ephemeral puddles are the birthplace, home and grave of the killifish.

Meet the Fish That Grows Up in Just 14 Days

The turquoise killifish, which lives in ephemeral pools in Mozambique, progresses from embryo to sexual maturity faster than any other vertebrate

Blood-Sucking Invasive Tick Species Spreading Across United States

The Asian long-horned tick has not yet been found to harbor deadly pathogens, but it poses serious risks to animals

Dog urine conveys an array of information, including its owner's sex, age and reproductive status

Why Small Dogs Go Above and Beyond to Mark Their Territory

Tinier males tend to lift their legs at higher angles, perhaps to exaggerate size and competitive ability

After Being Stolen in Baby Stroller, Miss Helen the Shark Is Back at San Antonio Aquarium

Two men and one woman are suspected of swiping Miss Helen in a planned heist

One of the meg's fearsome teeth, shown here in this extreme close-up.

The Real Science Behind the Megalodon

As <I>The Meg</i> hits theaters, dive into what we <i>really</i> know about this chompy predator

The New Zealand Tomtit is one of the island-dwelling species included in the study

Why Island Birds Have Bigger Brains Than Their Mainland Counterparts

Researchers measured the brain sizes of 11,554 birds, including representatives of 110 island-dwelling species and 1,821 continental species

Balding on the lemurs' lower backs indicated frequent itching and scratching associated with rashes caused by a common pesky parasite.

Lemurs Smear Bugs on Their Privates to Ward Off Infection

Lathering up with orange goo from millipede guts might relieve infections, expel parasites in lemurs

The Morne du Tamaris Colony in happier days in 1982.

World's Largest King Penguin Colony Suffers an 85 Percent Crash

The Morne du Tamaris Colony on Île aux Cochons has dropped from 2 million to 200,000 birds over 30 years

Researchers claim that they "defrosted" two ancient nematodes, which began moving and eating. If the claims hold up, it will be a scientific discovery for the ages

Ancient Roundworms Allegedly Resurrected From Russian Permafrost

Skeptics cite possibility of ancient samples’ contamination by contemporary organisms

Closeup of a stomatopod crustacean

Why Mantis Shrimps, Not Sharks, Might Be the Most Amazing Predators in the Sea

The crustaceans have superpowers other animals can only dream of

The spider’s tastes are shifting away from springtails, triggering a cycle of events that could serve as a welcome deterrence to Arctic climate change

How the Wolf Spider’s Diet May Help Keep the Arctic Cool

As temperatures rise, the spider dines differently, resulting in a cascade of effects in the Arctic

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