Animals

Animals

A year of rediscovered species

Thousands of species go extinct each year, but at least a few are found after many years of being lost.

Animals

African frog conceals itself with chemicals

Two small peptides keep the West African savanna frog from being stung by ants.

Animals

Penguin huddles move like traffic jams

When one emperor penguin takes a step, he sets off a wave of movement.

Animals

New species of tapir found in the Amazon

A sixth species of the large, snouted mammal was hiding in plain sight, well known by indigenous people.

Animals

Snake and lizard ancestor may have birthed live young

Over millions of years, reptiles may have switched back and forth between laying eggs and giving birth to live babies.

Animals

China trumps Near East for signs of most ancient farm cats

Earliest evidence found for grain as a force in feline domestication.

Animals

Protecting wildlife with legal hunting is a complicated issue

Trophy hunting is legal in some African nations, but making the system work can be difficult, especially when data is lacking on how many animals exist.

Animals

A gory 12 days of Christmas

Insects and spiders are among the biggest gift-givers, often as part of mating, and anything from cyanide to a wad of saliva can be a present.

Animals

Before a fight, chameleons engage in colorful communication

Before one chameleon rumbles with another, he’ll display his side and change his stripes, indicating his willingness to fight.

Animals

Bedbugs survive cold, but not for too long

Some studies have indicated that cold might kill bedbugs after as little as one hour of exposure. But new research finds that’s not the case.

Life

Animal origins shift to comb jellies

Genetic data confirm the marine predators have more ancient origin than simpler sponges.

Animals

Lizard breath has surprising birdlike flow

Decades of assumptions may be wrong about the evolution of reptile lungs.