Biology
Don't Call Wombats Heroes, but Their Burrows Do Provide Food, Water and Shelter for Other Animals
During Australia’s devastating bushfires in 2019 and 2020, misinformation spread about wombats welcoming animals into their underground homes—but a new study finds a kernel of truth in the viral story
'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Won't Give Birth After All—Here's Why
Charlotte, a female round stingray in North Carolina who has gathered a legion of online fans, is no longer pregnant due to a "rare reproductive disease"
How Do We Know When to Pee?
The basic urge is surprisingly complex and can go awry as we age
Between Dives, Orcas Take Only a Single Breath
A new study finds the black-and-white marine mammals tend to make shorter, shallower dives compared to humpback and blue whales, making orcas the "sprinters" of the ocean
Eerie Lampreys Hint at the Origins of Our 'Fight-or-Flight' Response and Sympathetic Nervous System
The jawless, parasitic fish largely haven't changed over the last 340 million years, but they might be better sources for studying our own evolution than thought, a recent study suggests
Wild Dogs Have Muscles for 'Puppy Eyes,' Suggesting the Cute Expression Did Not Evolve Just for Humans
African wild dogs have the same well-developed eye muscles that domestic dogs use to make their signature pleading faces, a recent study finds
Did Body Lice Spread Bubonic Plague? Research Suggests the Parasites Are Better Vectors Than Thought
These blood-sucking insects are capable of transmitting the bacteria that caused the Black Death, according to a laboratory study
Mexico's Howler Monkeys Are Dying, 'Falling Out of the Trees,' Amid Scorching Heat Wave
Veterinarians and volunteers are trying to save the threatened primates by hoisting buckets of water and food into trees, as well as providing medical care
Beachcombers Discover Rare, Deep-Sea Anglerfish Washed Up on Oregon Coast
Most humans will never see a Pacific footballfish, as the creatures live at depths of 2,000 to 3,300 feet below the ocean's surface
Google Releases A.I. That Can Predict How the Human Body's Molecules Behave, Boosting Drug Discovery Research
Called AlphaFold 3, the latest update of the software models the interactions of proteins with DNA, RNA and other molecules for the first time
How Do Elephants Say Hello? Reunions Lead to Ear Flapping, Rumbling and Trunk Swinging in Greeting
New research explores how African savannah elephants use vocalizations, gestures and secretions when they meet up with companions
In the Earth’s Quietest Room, You Can Hear Yourself Blink
Background noise in the custom-built chamber is actually measured in negative decibels, which means it’s below the threshold of human hearing
Scientists Discover a 'Phonetic Alphabet' Used by Sperm Whales, Moving One Step Closer to Decoding Their Chatter
Researchers used artificial intelligence to spot patterns in recordings of the marine mammals' vocalizations, uncovering the "building blocks of whale language"
Bumblebee Nests May Be Overheating With Rising Global Temperatures, Study Finds
Across various species and regions, bumblebee nests thrive between 82 and 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit—and climate change could make it harder to find habitats in that range
Endangered Ocelots May Be Expanding Their Range in Texas
DNA testing of an ocelot killed in 2021 raises the possibility that the creatures may be roaming outside their established South Texas territory, which is currently their only stronghold in the country
Glowing Sea Creatures Have Been Lighting Up the Oceans for More Than Half a Billion Years
New research on branching animals known as octocorals pushes the early days of bioluminescence back over 200 million years
Scientists Translate Sleeping Birds' Silent Songs Into Sound—and They May Have Recorded a Nightmare
Using surgically implanted electrodes and modeling, researchers brought to life the vocal muscle activity of sleeping great kiskadees
Hibernating Bumblebee Queens Can Survive Underwater for Up to a Week, Study Finds
Researchers discovered the insects’ unexpected superpower during an accidental laboratory snafu
Up to a Trillion Cicadas Could Emerge in the U.S. Later This Spring
Two specific broods will appear together for the first time since 1803
77,000 Young Salmon Were Dumped Into the Wrong Creek After a Truck Crashed in Oregon
The spring Chinook salmon smolts should still be able to find their way to the Pacific Ocean and help boost the threatened population of the fish, officials say, though another 25,000 salmon died in the accident
Page 4 of 87