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Smart News / Smart News Science

Skippy, the author's cat, is generally an attentive listener.

Cats May Recognize Their Own Names—but It Doesn’t Mean They Care

In a study of 78 kitties, researchers concluded our feline friends can differentiate their names out of a series of random words

Artistic reconstruction of two individuals of Peregocetus, one standing along the rocky shore of nowadays Peru and the other preying upon fish. The presence of a tail fluke remains hypothetical.

How Did Whales Reach the Americas? A Four-Legged Fossil Offers New Clues

Dubbed Peregocetus pacificus, the newly-described species was adapted to life both in and out of the water

The squirrels measure up to 36 inches from head to tail

Yes, Giant Technicolor Squirrels Actually Roam the Forests of Southern India

The colorful creatures can measure up to three feet long from head to tail and weigh in at around four pounds

New Research

Exoplanet Core Orbiting a Dying Star May Help Astronomers Understand What Lies in Store for Our Solar System

It’s likely the planetesimal orbiting a white dwarf 410 light years away was the core of a minor planet caught in its immense gravity

Some three to five million years ago, the icy environs of Antarctica were replaced by verdant swaths of green

CO2 Levels Are as High as They Were Three Million Years Ago

The last time Earth had this much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, trees were growing at the South Pole

Talk about sleeping on the job.

NASA Is Recruiting Women to Stay in Bed for Two Months

The gig pays around $18,500, but this is no dream job

This is why we can't have nice things.

Trending Today

Indonesia Considers Closing Komodo Island Because Poachers Keep Stealing the Dragons

Komodo National Park may put the island off limits to restore degraded habitat and help its iconic giant lizards and their prey recover

There's a lot more pink in the water during the annual flamingo migration to Mumbai this winter.

Trending Today

Why Did Flamingos Flock to Mumbai in Record Numbers This Winter?

More than three times the usual number of migrating pink birds came, possibly attracted by algae blooms caused by sewage

New Research

New Type of Arctic Dinosaur Discovered in Alaska

The duck-billed, crested lambeosaurine shows that a diverse array of dinos lived in the warmer but still harsh Arctic 70 million years ago

Pregnant Whale With 48 Pounds of Plastic in Her Stomach Washes Ashore in Italy

Among the refuse found in her digestive tract were garbage bags, fishing nets and a bag of liquid detergent

Researchers analyzed blood samples taken from 43 great white sharks captured and released off of the South African coast in 2012

Great White Sharks Thrive Despite Heavy Metals Coursing Through Their Veins

The apex predators likely absorb these toxins by eating fish lower down on the food chain

Trending Today

Melting Glaciers on Denali Will Unleash Tons of Human Poop

An estimated 66 tons of feces left behind by climbers is coming out of the deep freeze on North America’s highest peak

Skrillex's Grammy-winning “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” could help researchers discourage the spread of mosquito-borne diseases

Playing Skrillex May Help Ward Off Mosquito Bites

The EDM artist’s mix of very high and low frequency beats discourages the insects from biting victims, having sex

A bit of the ancient delta off the coast of Svalbard.

New Research

Earth’s Largest River Delta Was the Size of Alaska

The Triassic Snadd delta between Norway and Russia lasted millions of years and was likely a biodiversity hotspot

New Research

Over 150 Years of Data Sheds Light on Today’s Illegal Tortoiseshell Trade

The analysis, which goes back to 1844, shows why the decline of the hawksbill sea turtle isn’t just a modern problem

A polar bear walks on the ice of the Beaufort Sea in Arctic Alaska.

Trending Today

Judge Blocks Oil Drilling in Arctic Ocean

The ruling says only Congress—not presidential executive orders—has the authority to reverse bans on oil drilling leases

Very Good Dogs Can Detect the Scent of Seizures, Study Finds

But can they predict seizures before they occur?

Researcher Jack Ashby initially suspected a crow was responsible for the toad's skinning, but after examining the photo, he concluded that an otter was the more likely culprit

Why Otters Disembowel Toads Before Eating Them

The unfortunate amphibian likely fell victim to an otter, which skinned it to avoid ingesting the deadly toxins found in its glands

For more than 30 years, plastic Garfield phones have been washing up on French beaches

Why Have Garfield Phones Been Washing Ashore in France for 30 Years?

The mystery has been solved, but environmental advocates aren’t celebrating

New Research

Mosquitoes Can Smell Your Sweat

Researchers have identified a receptor in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that detect lactic acid and other compounds in human sweat

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