Animals

  1. Ecosystems

    How an invasive ant changed a lion’s dinner menu

    An invasive ant is killing off ants that defend trees from elephants. With less cover, it’s harder for lions to hunt zebras, so they hunt buffalo instead.

    By
  2. Animals

    A bird flu outbreak is sweeping the globe. Its long-term effects are unclear

    A reporter’s recent trip to the Galápagos offered a chance to reflect on the bird flu outbreak, which has killed millions of birds and other animals.

    By
  3. Life

    Some honeybees in Italy regularly steal pollen off the backs of bumblebees

    New observations suggest that honeybees stealing pollen from bumblebees may be a crime of opportunity, though documentation of it remains rare.

    By
  4. Life

    These snails give live birth, and it’s the babies that may do the labor

    Protecting eggs in mom’s body may have given rough periwinkle snails an advantage over egg-laying cousins, letting them spread to far more coastline.

    By
  5. Chemistry

    Here’s how tardigrades go into suspended animation

    A new study offers more clues about the role of oxidation in signaling transitions between alive and mostly dead in tardigrades.

    By
  6. Animals

    A new exhibit invites you into the ‘Secret World of Elephants’

    As elephants face survival threats, the American Museum of Natural History highlights their pivotal role in shaping landscapes — and their resilience.

    By
  7. Animals

    Some mysteries remain about why dogs wag their tails

    Wagging is a form of communication, with different wags meaning different things, but scientists know little about the behavior’s evolution in dogs.

    By
  8. Climate

    Numbats are built to hold heat, making climate change extra risky for the marsupials

    New thermal imaging shows how fast numbats’ surface temperature rises even at relatively reasonable temperatures.

    By
  9. Life

    Here’s how poison dart frogs safely hoard toxins in their skin

    A protein found in frog bodies may help the amphibians collect and transport toxins from their food to their skin for chemical defense.

    By
  10. Animals

    Ant face patterns like swirls and stubble might have practical value

    Reviewing thousands of ant photos hints that facial surface patterns might offer benefits, like structural support or abrasion protection.

    By
  11. Animals

    Reindeer can sleep while they chew

    Brain waves and behaviors suggest that reindeer can doze while chewing, a timesaving strategy for sleeping under tough conditions.

    By
  12. Life

    The Endangered Species Act is turning 50. Has it succeeded?

    After 50 years, this landmark law has kept many species alive — but few wild populations have recovered enough to come off the “endangered” list.

    By