Mammals
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
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
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
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
Bonobos Offer Banana Bribes for Friendship
Chimpanzees will sooner kill than share food, but bonobos will sacrifice some of their own goods for the pleasure of interacting with strangers
January 02, 2013 |
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Could Porcupine Quills Help Us Design the Next Hypodermic Needle?
Microscopic barbs allow porcupine quills to slice into flesh easily and stay there stubbornly—qualities that could prove useful in medical applications
December 10, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Four Species of Homo You’ve Never Heard Of, Part II
The history of anthropology is littered with many now-defunct hominid species that no longer have a place in the human family tree
December 10, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Cavemen Were Much Better At Illustrating Animals Than Artists Today
A new study finds that prehistoric humans correctly depicted the gait of four-legged animals much more frequently than modern artists
December 05, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Death Played a Role in the Evolution of Human Height
A longer life expectancy might have allowed members of the genus Homo to grow taller than earlier australopithecines, researchers propose
December 05, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
A Holiday Gift Guide for the Whole Human Family
An offering of books, bumper stickers, artwork and other knickknacks for the hominid enthusiast on your gift list
December 03, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Primate Origins Tied to Rise of Flowering Plants
Scientists argue that grasping hands and feet, good vision and other primate adaptations emerged because the mammals plucked fruits from the ends of tree branches
November 28, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Homo antecessor: Common Ancestor of Humans and Neanderthals?
A hominid that lived in Europe more than a million years ago might have given rise to Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, some anthropologists say
November 26, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
