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Biology

Scientists have identified a new species of non-biting midge—a type of small fly—from 151-million-year-old specimens discovered by an amateur fossil hunter.

This Amateur Fossil Hunter Discovered a 151-Million-Year-Old Insect—and It’s a New Species

Retired teacher Robert Beattie, now 82, has been digging up remnants of the past ever since he was a child

Tiny but mighty: Downy woodpeckers drill into trees with a force 20 to 30 times their body weight.

Downy Woodpeckers ‘Grunt’ as They Turn Their Bodies Into Hammers to Drill Into Trees

Researchers studied the combination of muscles and breaths that the tiny birds use as they strike trees with their beaks

Eastern hellbenders are known as "snot otters" because they're covered in a slimy, protective coating.

Scientists Are Releasing the Lovingly Nicknamed ‘Snot Otters’ Into Ohio Waterways in a Big Success for Conservation

Eastern hellbenders, the largest amphibians in North America, are in trouble, but conservationists are hard at work to help the wrinkled wonders survive

A spiny-tailed iguana on Clarion Island

Iguanas Are Native, Not Invasive, on This Mexican Island, DNA Study Suggests, Rewriting Conservation Ideas

The spiny-tailed iguanas of Clarion Island predate human presence in the Americas by tens of thousands of years, researchers say

The giant structure—made up of thousands of individual funnel-shaped webs—spans over 1,000 square feet.

This Massive Web—Home to More Than 100,000 Spiders—Found in a Cave in Europe Could Be the World’s Largest

The cavern along the border of Greece and Albania is home to a terrifyingly high number of two species of arachnids that live together peacefully in complete darkness

Two chimpanzees sit in the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, where the study took place.

Chimpanzees Weigh Evidence to Make a Smart Choice, in a Process Resembling Human Rationality

When presented with multiple clues about the location of food, chimps revised their choices based only on stronger clues, indicating they were comparing the worth of pieces of information

While seaching for Ernest Shackleton's lost ship Endurance in 2019, researchers stumbled across clusters of indentations on the seafloor.

Researchers Found Hundreds of Mysterious Dimples on the Seafloor Near Antarctica. Now They Know What Creature Made Them

The indentations are nests of fish called yellowfin notie, and they are not randomly scattered—rather, they appear to have been arranged in distinct patterns

Researchers have developed a promising new antivenom effective against more than a dozen venemous snake species, according to trials in mice.

Researchers Create a New Antivenom That Can Combat Bites From 17 Snake Species, Trials in Mice Suggest

Snakebites are among the deadliest neglected tropical diseases, and scientists have long been searching for more effective ways to prevent their devastating effects

The orcas went after the juvenile great white sharks’ livers, which are rich in nutrients and high in calories. Here, an orca swims alongside a wounded shark.

Orcas in Mexico Have Learned to Attack Young Great White Sharks—by Flipping Them Upside Down and Eating Their Livers

Researchers captured the novel behavior on video in the Gulf of California, recording three separate takedowns across two hunts carried out by members of the Moctezuma pod

The newly discovered carnivorous "death-ball sponge" 

Researchers Discover ‘Death Ball’ Sponge and Dozens of Other Bizarre Deep-Sea Creatures in the Southern Ocean

So far, two expeditions have yielded 30 new species—and researchers say there’s more to come

Bat? Meet rat. Scientists recorded brown rats snatching bats from the air and eating them.

Rats Are Snatching Bats Out of the Air and Eating Them—and Researchers Got It on Video

Rodents in northern Germany were spotted using two different hunting strategies at major urban bat hibernation sites

Six species of North American bats—big brown bats (pictured), eastern red bats, Seminole bats, southeastern myotis, gray bats and Brazilian free-tailed bats—glow green under ultraviolet light, new research shows.

These Bats Glow Green Under UV Light, Joining a Growing List of Photoluminescent Mammals

A recent study identifies a consistent glow across six species of North American bats, but the underlying reason for the animals’ green gleam is still unclear

Bowhead whales' cold-water habitats help the animals make more CIRBP protein.  

Bowhead Whales Live Long Lives. Do They Hold the Key to Human Longevity?

A cold-activated gene that helps the mammals repair their DNA may also help humans live longer

Epiatheracerium itjilik lived in a forested lake habitat on Devon Island 23 million years ago. 

Scientists Discover ‘Frosty’ Polar Rhino That Roamed the Canadian Arctic 23 Million Years Ago

The newly identified species was small, hornless and possibly covered in fur, which would have helped it survive dark, cold winters above the Arctic Circle

For two days at the start of monsoon season on the Indian subcontinent, male Asian common toads (right) turn bright yellow, while females (left) stay brown.

For Two Days Each Year, These Drab Brown Toads Turn a Dazzling Neon Yellow—and Scientists Finally Know Why

When monsoon rains begin to fall on the Indian subcontinent, Asian common toads congregate at temporary puddles for a frenzied, two-day mating spree

To capture snake strikes on video, scientists put medical gel on a stick and warmed it to mimic the body temperature of a mammal. Then, they waited for the snakes to attack.

Slow-Motion Videos Reveal What Really Happens When Snakes Bite

Different snakes put their own spin on striking their prey. Scientists captured the powerful attacks on camera

Human remains excavated in an ancient well in Croatia were likely those of ancient Roman soldiers, a new study suggests.

Seven Skeletons Found in a Croatian Well Were Likely Ancient Roman Soldiers Who Died During a Troubled Time for the Empire

The tall, adult men probably died during the battle of Mursa in 260 C.E., according to a new analysis of their remains

Of the 14 athletes studied in this research, ten competed in ultramarathons and ran up to about 7,000 miles over the course of the year.

How Far Is Too Far for Ultra-Endurance Athletes? This Study of Metabolism Found Out

Individual athletes ran an average of 4,000 miles over a year to help define the human body’s limit for energy expenditure

Researchers collected images of lizards with missing limbs from experts around the world. Pictured here: an American green anole.

These ‘Pirate Lizards’ Thrive With Three Legs

A new study finds that many lizards with missing limbs fare surprisingly well despite their impairment

The otter-surfer interaction last Wednesday 

‘Feisty’ Otters Are Once Again Hijacking Surfboards in Santa Cruz

Is the playful otter stealing surfboards a repeat offender?

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