Animals

Health & Medicine

Bird flu viruses may infect mammary glands more commonly than thought

H5N1 turning up in cow milk was a big hint. The virus circulating in U.S. cows can infect the mammary glands of mice and ferrets, too.

Paleontology

The last woolly mammoths offer new clues to why the species went extinct

The last population of woolly mammoths did not go extinct 4,000 years ago from inbreeding, a new analysis shows.

Animals

Beneficial bacteria help these marine worms survive extreme cold

Three species of marine worms living in Antarctic waters have beneficial relationships with bacteria that produce antifreeze proteins.

Animals

Can leeches leap? New video may help answer that debate

For some, it’s the stuff of nightmares. But a grad student’s serendipitous cell phone video might resolve a long-running debate over leech acrobatics.

Animals

‘Cull of the Wild’ questions sacrificing wildlife in the name of conservation

In his new book, ecologist Hugh Warwick seeks middle ground in the waging battle that is wildlife management.

Anthropology

Fossil finds amplify Europe’s status as a hotbed of great ape evolution

A kneecap and two teeth belonged to the smallest known great ape, a study contends. If so, it’s the first to coexist with another great ape in Europe.

Genetics

Horses may have been domesticated twice. Only one attempt stuck

Genetic evidence suggests that the ancestors of domestic horses were bred for mobility about 4,200 years ago.

Health & Medicine

Bird flu can infect cats. What does that mean for their people?

Pet owners can take precautions to avoid H5N1, such as keeping cats indoors and making sure they don’t eat raw meat or milk.

Animals

A built-in pocket protector keeps sawfish from ‘sword fighting’ in the womb

What’s to prevent pups, with a snout that resembles a hedge trimmer, from slicing and dicing each other in mom’s uterus? Scientists have the answer.

Health & Medicine

Human body lice could harbor the plague and spread it through biting 

Rats and fleas previously got all the blame, but humans’ own parasites could be involved.

Animals

Sumatran orangutans start crafting their engineering skills as infants

By 6 months old, young orangutans are experimenting with construction materials, and by 6 years old, they are building platforms 20 meters in the air.

Health & Medicine

Genetic analyses of the bird flu virus unveil its evolution and potential

The H5N1 outbreak in cattle is giving flashbacks to the COVID pandemic. But this time is different.