- Explore more »
Just Before Sealing the Deal, Male Peacocks Announce to All Other Ladies ‘We’re About to Do It’
Called a "hoot-dash" display, scientists puzzle over the purpose of this seemingly braggadocios bellow
December 26, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
A Twinkling Christmas Tree, Powered by…an Electric Eel?
A Utah aquarium uses the charges emitted by an electric eel to trigger the lights on a nearby tree
December 24, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
One Spider Genus Has Species Named for Star Wars Monsters, U2, Cesar Chavez and Obama
The discovery of 33 new trapdoor spider species in the U.S. Southwest kicked off a celebrity species-naming throw down
December 24, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Most Arctic Animals Should Deal With Climate Change Just Fine
New research suggests that most Arctic mammals will actually be helped, not hurt, by climate change
December 21, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Spider Builds Fake Spider Decoy
The new spider, thought to be a member of the genus Cyclosa, might build these decoys as part of a defense mechanism to confuse or distract predators
December 20, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Where’s Rudolph? Inside the Decline of Alaska’s Caribou
The antlered herd’s population is declining – what’s going on in the Alaskan wilderness?
December 20, 2012 |
By Molly Loomis
The Sustainable Meat of the Future: Mealworms?
Mealworms might seem unpalatable to many, but a new study indicates that they might be the climate-friendly protein alternative of the future
December 19, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Pitcher Plants Entice Ants With a Water Slide of Death
A Venezuelan pitcher plant's specially adapted, wettable hairs counter the sticky pads and little claws on insect feet and are especially deadly for ants
December 19, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How to Solve Human Evolution’s Greatest Hoax
One hundred years after Piltdown Man was "discovered," scientists are still investigating how and why the fossil find was faked
December 19, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Eastern Cougar ‘Ghost Cat’ Declared Extinct
The eastern cougar is extinct. But did it ever exist in the first place?
December 18, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Ten Best Ocean Stories of 2012
From deep-sea squid habits to vanishing coral reefs, here are the ocean stories we couldn’t stop talking about this year.
December 18, 2012 |
By Hannah Waters
Crayfish Have Been Secretly Spreading a Deadly Frog Epidemic
The more we can learn about how chytrid fungus spreads and attacks, the better chances we have at saving the world's amphibians
December 18, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Scientific Reason Why Reindeer Have Red Noses
Some reindeer really do have red noses, a result of densely packed blood vessels near the skin's surface
December 18, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A Brand New Bee Was Just Named After Sheldon From ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Andre Nemesio and his team just named a brand new orchid bee Euglossa bazinga, after the catch phrase used by Sheldon Cooper on the television show, The Big Bang
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Tree Climbers, Wood Eaters, and More: The Top 10 Human Evolution Discoveries of 2012
This year's hominid finds illuminate the great diversity and adaptability of our ancient relatives
December 17, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
There’s an Explanation for What’s Killing Thousands of Squid in California
For residents of the central California coast there might finally be an explanation for why thousands of dead squid have littered their beaches this week
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Persistence of Memory in Mice
A new study shows that female mice who smell pheromones in potential mates' urine will constantly return to the site of exposure even weeks later
December 13, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Hunt for African Wildlife From Your Computer
A new citizen science project lets you in to the beautiful world of Serengeti National Park
December 12, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Top 7 Human Evolution Discoveries From South Africa
The search for humans' most ancient ancestors began in South Africa, where some of paleoanthropology's most iconic fossils have been found
December 12, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
The Most Exclusive Coffee in the World Is Harvested From Elephant Poo
Two cups of the so-called Black Ivory coffee cost around $50, while a pound of the digested beans total a tidy $500
December 11, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
