Animals
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Science & SocietyMonster fish, forensics and space exploration on display
Exhibits and opera infuse science into their experience.
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AnimalsBiologists aflutter over just where monarchs are declining
Citizen science data fuel debate over whether weed control ruined monarch habitat and whether the butterflies are failing to reach their Mexican winter refuge.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsSimple change to fishing nets could save endangered whales’ lives
Making industrial fishing ropes weaker would reduce humpback and right whale bycatch by almost three-quarters
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AnimalsBoa suffocation is merely myth
Boa constrictors don’t suffocate prey; they block blood flow, says a new study that shatters a common myth about the snakes.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsPower of pupils is in their shape
Horizontally or vertically stretched pupils may provide predators and prey with visual advantages.
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AnimalsGibbons have been disappearing from China for centuries
Gibbons are now found in only a small area of southwestern China. But they once thrived across much of the country, records show.
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AnimalsFirst known venomous frogs stab with toxin-dripping lip spikes
Two Brazilian frogs jab foes with venoms more deadly than pit vipers'.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsParasitic wasp larva gets more than a meal from its spider host
Parasitic wasps coerce spiders to construct strong supports for cocoons.
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ChemistryPlants’ ‘don’t-eat-me’ chemicals no problem for earthworms
Newly discovered gut compounds called drilodefensins allow earthworms to pack in plant debris loaded with hazardous chemicals.
By Beth Mole -
AnimalsLED lights make moths easy targets for bats
Bright LED lights may bewilder moths, making them vulnerable to predator attacks.
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AnimalsDon’t let Cecil the lion distract from the big conservation challenges
Cecil the lion’s death rocketed across the news and social media. But there are bigger conservation challenges that need attention, too.
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AnimalsHow bears engineer Japanese forests
In Japanese forests, black bears climb trees, breaking limbs. Those gaps in the forest provide light to fruiting plants, a new study finds.