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Animals

Cats can fetch—but they prefer to be in control of the playtime.

Like Dogs, Some Cats Will Play Fetch—but Mostly on Their Own Terms

Many felines appear to pick up the playful behavior spontaneously, without any explicit training, a survey of cat owners finds

A bilaterally gynandromorphic green honeycreeper near Manizales, Colombia. 

This ‘Extremely Rare’ Bird Is Half Female, Half Male

The green honeycreeper is only the second of its species ever observed with this condition—and the first recorded in more than 100 years

Larval bony-eared assfish

These Ten Brilliant Portraits Illuminate Ocean Creatures’ Nighttime Antics

Blackwater photographer Steven Kovacs takes spectacular shots of marine animals, helping scientists study tiny larval fish

A cockatoo dunks its food before eating it. Scientists suggest this practice might improve the bread's texture.

Watch Cockatoos Dip Their Food in Water to Make It Soggy

A new study marks the first time that dunking behavior has been documented in parrots

This year's titles include 100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli, Superpowered Animals and Once Upon a Book.

The Best Books of 2023

The Ten Best Children’s Books of 2023

This year’s top titles include an art history primer, a collection of silly poems and a mathematical word problem in disguise

Cats are not picky and will eat nearly anything they can catch.

Cats Prey on More Than 2,000 Different Species

A new study sheds light on just how many creatures domestic cats will eat—including hundreds that are threatened or endangered

Covid-19 lockdowns had all kinds of effects on wild populations, helping some and hindering others. In one Mexican marine park, though, the sudden lack of tourists led to an increase in the density and diversity of marine species.

During Covid-19 Lockdowns, Fish Flourished in This Park

In the absence of tourists, the animals increased within Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo National Park

At this ancient bakery, enslaved individuals and donkeys worked under bleak conditions to grind grain.

Archaeologists Discover Brutal ‘Bakery-Prison’ at Pompeii

Enslaved workers toiled for hours in a dark, cramped space to grind grain for bread

David Attenborough stands next to the recently discovered pliosaur fossil at the Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Kimmeridge, England.

Fossil Hunters Uncover Prehistoric ‘Sea Monster’ Skull at a U.K. Beach

The six-and-a-half-foot-long pliosaur skull was excavated from a rock cliff in England and may belong to a new species, scientists say

Electric eels can discharge up to 860 volts of electricity.

Eels Can Genetically Modify Nearby Fish With Their Electrical Pulses

In laboratory experiments, gene transfer occurred in 5 percent of zebrafish larvae that were near eels when they discharged electricity

A 14-inch goldfish (Carassius auratus) pulled from the Niagara River

Giant Goldfish Are Bad News for the Great Lakes

Researchers are tracking invasive goldfish—which, often, were once kept as pets—in Lake Ontario to determine how best to manage them

More than 200 cold-stunned turtles have already been rescued since November.

52 Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Rescued From Cape Cod

The critically endangered creatures were flown by private plane to rehabilitation centers in Florida

Ancient baboon skulls from the site of Gabbanat el-Qurud, known as the Valley of the Monkeys

New Research

Ancient Egyptians Kept Baboons in Captivity and Mummified Their Remains

A new analysis of the animals’ skeletal remains reveals a lack of sunlight and an inadequate diet

Ten big dinosaur discoveries stood out in 2023.

The Top Ten Dinosaur Discoveries of 2023

From uncovering a tyrannosaur’s last meal to unlocking the secrets of a dino with a really long neck, these were the year’s biggest stories

The leucistic baby gator is happy and healthy, veterinarians say.

Rare White Alligator Born at Florida Wildlife Park

The baby gator, which doesn’t have a name yet, was born with leucism, a condition that affects pigmentation

Two fossilized specimens, each less than 2.5 inches in length, were originally thought to be plants. Now, scientists say they are preserved hatchling turtles.

Once Thought to Be Plants, These Rare Fossils Are Actually Baby Turtles, Scientists Say

The prehistoric specimens found in Colombia could represent one of the oldest and largest turtle species to ever exist

Jonathan the tortoise in 2017

The World’s Oldest Living Land Animal, a Tortoise Named Jonathan, Turns 191

Even at his advanced age, the Seychelles giant tortoise shows “no sign of slowing down,” his vet tells Guinness World Records

Emilie Gossiaux's Londons Dancing with Flowers (2023)

New Exhibition Celebrates the Bond Between an Artist and Her Guide Dog

Artist Emilie Gossiaux has been working with a 13-year-old lab named London for a decade

Polar bears live in rugged, hard-to-reach places in the Arctic.

DNA Pulled From Paw Prints May Help Researchers Study Elusive Polar Bears

As rising temperatures threaten the Arctic mammals, scientists are turning to new, non-invasive methods to study them

Researchers studied brainstem activity of mice while the animals were awake and eating.

Scientists Examine Brain Cells That Control How Much Mice Eat

The study—the first to look at these neurons while animals are awake and consuming food—could tell us about our own appetites

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