New Species of Galapagos Giant Tortoise Identified
A team of researchers from Yale University have discovered a new species of giant tortoise in the Galapagos. A few hundred giant tortoises living on…
Wildlife
Killer Whales Engage in Cross-Species Vocal Learning
A newly published study reveals that killer whales (Orcinus orca) can engage in cross-species vocal learning, revealing that they shifted the types of sounds they…
New Research Shows Extinctions During Human Era Worse Than Previously Thought
A new and more precise recalculation of the normal background extinction rate reveals that the rate of extinction in the human era is as much…
New Study Links Expanding Human Population to Threats of Animal Extinction
A newly published study paints a grim outlook for the future of certain mammals and birds, suggesting that the average growing nation should expect at…
Fossil Discovery Shows Giant Reptiles Coexisted with Mammals
Paleontologists discovered the fossil remains of a giant lizard, Barbaturex morrisoni, which coexisted with mammals in the hot tropical forests of Southeast Asia some 40…
Elephants Are More Likely to Die at the Hands of Humans than from Natural Causes
According to a 14-year study, adult elephants in northern Kenya are more likely to die at the hands of humans than from natural causes. George…
US Ichthyologists Claim Political Interference
US fisheries scientists are claiming that a supervisor threatened to eliminate their research division after the team had produced controversial model predictions of the survival and…
Elephants Make the Long Trek Across Deserts for Survival
Elephants need to consume a minimum of 100 liters of water and 100 kilograms of vegetation daily, yet a small population of 350 manages to…
Nopili Goby, The Waterfall Climbing Fish
When the Nopili goby (Sicyopterus stimpsoni) moves from salt water to fresh water, over the course of two days, the fish’s mouth migrates from the…
Birdsongs Elicit “Emotional” Response From Birds
Scientists indicate that birds listening to birdsong may be experiencing an emotional response akin to when humans listen to music. The study tracked the neural…
Compound in Panda Blood Could Fight Superbugs
Researchers have discovered a potent antibody in panda blood, which could help fight increasingly prevalent drug-resistant strains of infections. Cathelicin-AM was discovered when researchers analyzed…
Flying Squirrels Can Adjust Speed and Flight Dynamically
Flying squirrels, a tribe of 44 species of the family Sciuridae, might look reckless as they fling themselves through the air, but scientists have reported…
Periodical Cicadas Manipulate the Populations of Predatory Birds
Periodical cicadas emerge in North America every 13 or 17 years. Scientists think that the cicadas’ cycles are timed to “engineer” the number of predatory…
FDA Approves AquaBounty Transgenic Fish
The US FDA has finally approved the first genetically engineered animals for human consumption. The fast-growing salmon has been assessed as safe by the FDA….
Only About 1,000 Yangtze Finless Porpoises Remain
A six-week survey of the Yangtze River’s middle and lower stretches by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) in Wuhan and the…
Haast’s Eagle Was Big & Strong Enough to Prey on Humans
The strongest and biggest bird of prey that ever existed was the Haast’s Eagle (Harpagornis moorei) of New Zealand, and it became extinct around the…
Pacific Fisheries Fail to Stop Tuna Overfishing
At a meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which is the governing body for international fisheries agreement seeking to ensure the conservation…
Barbed Porcupine Quills Could Help Enhance Various Biomedical Devices
A porcupine quill only needs half the force of a hypodermic needle in order to pierce skin. This new study also explains why the quills…