Most biologists will answer confidently when asked ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?” but the answer may depend on what type of egg you’re talking about. You’ve heard the age-old riddle: “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” Taken metaphorically, it’s a meditation on the futility ofContinue Reading
Five species of previously unknown snakes with stunning eyes were discovered in jungle trees, and one was named after Leonardo DiCaprio. But mining threatens them all. Slithering among shrubs in the foothill forests of Panama, there is a snake the color of burnt embers, with round eyes like glowing coals.Continue Reading
Grab a front-row seat, it’s rush hour for belugas. Is the summer heat getting you down? Cool off with a virtual dip into icy Arctic waters and watch as tens of thousands of beluga whales frolic in the frigid sea. Starting Friday (July 15), the research vessel Delphi will broadcastContinue Reading
The Kangaroo Island dunnart was one species seen to reemerge after Australian bushfires Few marsupials have gone from miraculous survival to the brink of extinction as quickly as the Kangaroo Island dunnart. In 2019 and 2020, devastating fires burned nearly 10 million hectares of southeastern Australia. The flames threatened hundredsContinue Reading
Sexism in biology has left females misunderstood To Charles Darwin, nature had a certain order. And in that order, males always came out on top. They were the leaders, the innovators, the wooers and the doers. “The males of almost all animals have stronger passions than the females,” Darwin wroteContinue Reading
The amphibians control their descents without the use of any webbed limbs In one of the tallest trees on Earth, a tan, mottled salamander ventures out on a fern growing high up on the trunk. Reaching the edge, the amphibian leaps, like a skydiver exiting a plane. The salamander’s confidence,Continue Reading
Ultrasounds tracking fetal mouth movements pinpoint when vocalization motor skills develop Cradled inside the hushed world of the womb, fetuses might be preparing to come out howling. In the same way newborn humans can cry as soon as they’re born, common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) produce contact calls toContinue Reading
Low doses make the animals sick and rapid tests can sometimes detect the infection Golden Syrian hamsters are highly susceptible to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new study shows. While the species is popular among pet owners, the results, posted April 20 at bioRxiv, are not cause for panic,Continue Reading
Tracking the snakes’ ribs in X-ray videos revealed careful control over their bones’ movements The boa constrictor’s choke hold is an iconic animal attack. By coiling around its prey, a snake can squeeze the life out of a victim in mere minutes before gulping it down whole. But it’s beenContinue Reading
We all need our rest, but too much lounging around can be tough on our bodies. We humans can lose up to 14% of our muscle power when confined to bed for just 10 days. Hibernating animals are a different story, however. Ground squirrels don’t waste away during Jack Frost’sContinue Reading
