Animals
Ten Wild Facts About Octopuses: They Have Three Hearts, Big Brains and Blue Blood
These bizarre creatures have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and for humans, they’ve inspired horror, admiration and culinary prestige
'Strange' New Prehistoric Bird Discovered in China and Named for David Attenborough
The proto-bird lived some 120 million years ago and did not have teeth—a trait more similar to birds of today than to birds of its time—sharpening scientists' understanding of avian evolution
Asian Elephants Bury Their Dead, New Research Suggests
In India, five dead calves were found buried on their backs in irrigation ditches, with evidence that multiple herd members had participated in the burials
Fossil Hunter Discovers Gigantic Crab in New Zealand—a New, Extinct Species
The massive creature is 8.8 million years old, and its modern descendants in Australia can grow to be the weight of a human toddler
Hundreds of Thousands of Salmon Die After Release in Northern California's Klamath River
The juvenile Chinook salmon likely died from pressure changes as they swam through an old tunnel in the Iron Gate Dam, slated to be removed this year as part of a massive demolition project
What Happened to the Canary in the Coal Mine? The Story of How the Real-Life Animal Helper Became Just a Metaphor
The humble bird, which was employed until 1986, represents an important part of mining history
A Rare Gray Whale, Believed Extinct in the Atlantic for 200 Years, Has Been Spotted off New England
Scientists say a lack of Arctic sea ice due to climate change could have created a passageway for the mammal to travel from the Pacific Ocean
Very Rare Yellow-Billed Loon Visits the Las Vegas Strip, Hangs Out in the Bellagio Fountains
The out-of-place bird prompted the hotel to put its famed fountain show on hold before biologists captured and moved the bird—one of the country's ten rarest—to better habitat
Why Don’t Humans Have Tails? An Old Genetic Mutation Could Explain Why Monkeys, but Not Apes, Have the Extra Appendage
Scientists have pinpointed a genetic change that might have led the ancestors of humans to lose their tails
Why Do Poison Dart Frogs 'Tap Dance' With Their Toes? Research Sheds Light on Feeding Time Footwork
Scientists observed frogs tapping their toes up to 500 times per minute when prey was present, suggesting the behavior is related to predation
Single Orca Spotted Killing a Great White Shark for the First Time Ever
In less than two minutes, the marine mammal attacked a juvenile white shark and ripped out its liver in an encounter off the coast of South Africa last year
A Serpentine 'Explosion' 125 Million Years Ago Primed Snakes for Rapid, Diverse Evolution
Researchers say an evolutionary "singularity" led to several small, quick changes in snake species, from legless bodies and flexible skulls to chemical-sensing abilities
What Centuries-Old Shark Teeth Reveal About Brazil's Ocean
Researchers examined the remnants of a 13th-century fishing site to get a picture of how the marine ecosystem has changed
The World's Smallest Vertebrate Is a Tiny Brazilian Frog, Study Finds
Adult male Brazilian flea toads are just over 7 millimeters long on average, and females measure about 8.15 millimeters
Watch This Year's 'Dance Your PhD' Contest Winner, a Musical Celebration of Kangaroo Behavior
“Kangaroo Time” took home the competition’s overall prize, while interpretive dances on early life adversity, circadian rhythms and streambank erosion were also honored
This Tiny Fish Can Make Sounds That Rival an Airplane or an Elephant—Now, Scientists Know How
Transparent and just half an inch long, male Danionella cerebrum can make noises of more than 140 decibels
Scientists Discover How Some Whales Can Sing While Holding Their Breath Underwater
Baleen whales have evolved unique voice boxes essential for song, a new study finds—but these low-frequency vocalizations must compete with the noise of humans' ships
Joro Spiders, Spreading in the Southeast, Can Survive Surprisingly Well in Cities
Unlike most spiders, the hustle and bustle of urban areas doesn’t seem to disturb the non-native Joros, a new study finds
Flaco, the Famous Owl That Escaped the Central Park Zoo, Dies After Hitting a Building
The Eurasian eagle-owl had been living free in New York City after someone cut the wires on his zoo cage last year
More Giant Pandas Are Coming to the U.S. in a New Loan From China
China plans to send a male and a female panda to the San Diego Zoo as early as this summer, and negotiations are underway for pandas' possible return to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
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