Articles by Rasha Aridi

A mountain lion kitten grabs onto its mother’s hind legs.

How Wolves Are Driving Down Mountain Lion Populations

A recent study from Wyoming shows that when the two predators overlap, wolves kill kittens in high numbers and push adults to starvation

When plants became scarce in the winter, hunter-gatherers tweaked their diets to consume more fats and oils, such as from an animal's lower limbs, brain and organs, leaving plenty of lean meat as leftovers.

Ancient Humans May Have Tossed Meaty Scraps to Wild Wolves, Boosting Domestication

Both species competed for similar prey, but sharing their kills may have eased the competition

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to an abundance of wildlife such as polar bears and caribou, which the region's Indigenous communities rely on and hold sacred.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Will Not Face Mass Oil Drilling—for Now

Large oil companies skipped out on the auction, but environmentalists say a worrisome precedent has been set

This is the first time that dwarfism has been documented in captive or wild giraffes.

Scientists Report First Instances of Dwarf Giraffes

Two individuals spotted in the wild seem to have classic long necks but unusually short, stubby legs

Swinhoe’s softshell turtles were pushed to the brink of extinction by habitat destruction and by hunters who sought the turtles' meat and eggs.

The 'Last' Female Swinhoe's Softshell Turtle Died in 2019. Now, Researchers Found Another, Renewing Hope for the Species

Conservationists have been scrambling to save the most endangered turtles in the world from extinction

(Top row) Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg, Barron Ryan, Arturo Elizondo, (middle row) Samantha Pratt, Gitanjali Rao, Anitra Belle Henderson, (bottom row) Kennyjie, Andrea Ponti and Brett Phaneuf

Innovation for Good

Ten Innovators to Watch in 2021

These visionaries are imagining an exciting future with chicken-less eggs, self-piloting ships and more

As the fastest sinking city in the world, Jakarta, Indonesia is already experiencing the devastating outcomes of subsidence.

In Many Parts of the World, the Ground Is Literally Sinking

Extracting underground natural resources is causing land to sink in on itself, which will put 635 million people at risk by 2040

Along the Potomac River, somebody spotted a bird so vibrant that it looked splattered as if it was splattered with gobs of bright paint.

A Visit From a Dazzling Bird Drew Crowds of People Into a Maryland Park

A painted bunting was spotted along the Potomac River, far from its home in the south

The study found that the more dramatic changes in color were clustered around dams, agriculture and urban areas.

A Third of the United States' Rivers Have Changed Color Since 1984, Satellite Images Reveal

The transformation from blue to shades of yellow and green raises concerns that waterways have been increasingly imperiled since 1984

The U.K. has been inching away from its reliance on fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power, after setting a goal in 2019 to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Wind Turbines Generated More Than Half of Great Britain's Energy on Boxing Day

A powerful storm sent the wind turbines whirling, generating a record-breaking contribution of electricity

Dolphins can tolerate freshwater for short periods of time, but they developed painful lesions after the storms as a result of prolonged exposure.

Fatal Skin Disease Outbreak in Dolphins Linked to Climate Change–Fueled Storm Surges

When the porpoises are exposed to freshwater after extreme weather, they develop grisly lesions that can lead to their deaths

Scientists estimate that the snakes are responsible for decimating 90 to 99 percent of the small mammal population, and they're also known to strangle deer, alligators and birds.

Could Invasive Burmese Pythons Soon Be on the Menu in Florida?

The pythons have devastated the Everglades, and eating them could help control their growing population

Using high-tech imaging techniques and traditional dissection, the researchers found that the gators' tails regrew cartilage, connective tissue and skin instead of bone and skeletal muscle.

Alligators Are Now the Largest Species Known to Regrow Severed Limbs

Young gators can sprout new tails that can reach up to nine inches, helping them survive through their juvenile years

On Sunday evening, the crater's walls started to crackle as sizzling lava emerged from fissures and trickled into the water-filled crater below.

Hawai'i's Kīlauea Volcano Returns Dramatically With First Eruption in Two Years

The spewing lava mixed with water at the summit, sending a plume of ash and steam into the sky

There have been other ancient wolf remains found in places like Siberia, but finding a well-preserved specimen in Yukon is rare since the ground has to be permanently frozen and the animal must be buried quickly.

A 57,000-Year-Old Mummified Wolf Pup Was Discovered Frozen in Yukon Permafrost

The specimen sheds light on how different gray wolf populations migrated through North America

Longer days signal to birds when they should breed and lay their new clutch of eggs, and they match up their timing so that their chicks are born when the springtime's bounty is at its peak.

Light Pollution Is Causing Birds to Nest Earlier, Mitigating Some Effects of Climate Change

But two wrongs don't make a right, as both problems are altering the birds' biology

Though several animal species like chimps, crows and elephants have been documented using tools, it's pretty rare in the insect world.

New Research

To Compete With the Big Guys, Tiny Crickets Fashion Leafy Megaphones to Blast Their Mating Calls

Using leaves can make male crickets' calls three times louder, upping their chances of attracting a female

InSight was sent on a mission to answer questions about the Red Planet's crust, mantle and core, known as the "inner space."

Mars InSight Lander Offers a Sneak Peek at the Red Planet's Inner Layers

The robotic explorer was sent to Mars to study its formation—and the data is now making its way back to Earth

Whales are especially vulnerable during the calving season since the mother-calf pairs float at the surface, raising their chances of encountering boats.

Biologists Celebrate the Births of Two Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Calves

With a population of around 366 whales, 'every individual counts' in coming back from the brink of extinction

A team of scientists hand-raised eight ravens and tested their cognitive abilities every four months since they hatched.

Four-Month-Old Ravens Rival Adult Great Apes in a Battle of the Brains

In a series of cognitive tests, the corvids surprised scientists with their ability to interact with each other and with the world around them