Experiments Show Cryptic Sixth Sense of Orientation of Bats Lies in the Eye
Mammals see with their eyes, hear with their ears and smell with their nose. But which sense or organ allows them to orient themselves on…
Zoology News
Mating With Relatives? New Research Shows It Is Not a Big Deal in Nature
We usually assume that inbreeding is bad and should be avoided under all circumstances. But new research performed by researchers at Stockholm University, published in Nature…
Mantis Shrimp Larvae Pack an Explosive Punch Just Like Ma and Pa – “We Were Amazed!”
Adult mantis shrimp pack an explosive punch that can split water, but no crustacean emerges fully formed. Minute larvae can undergo six or seven transformations…
Whisker Simulation Gives New Insight Into Mammals’ Mysterious Sense of Touch
New model provides clues into how whisker bending translates to sensory touch signals. We know your cat’s whiskers are handsome — but you can’t even…
Hope and Warning for the Survival of the Sumatran Rhinoceros Delivered by Genome Sequencing
A study led by researchers at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm shows that the last remaining populations of the Sumatran rhinoceros display surprisingly low…
Good News and Bad News for African Elephants: Range Is Just 17% of What It Could Be
A study reported in the journal Current Biology has both good news and bad news for the future of African elephants. While about 18 million…
“Giant Cloud Rat” Fossils Discovered in Philippine Caves
Fluffy rodents twice the size of a gray squirrel survived for tens of thousands of years, and then abruptly disappeared a few thousand years ago…
Surprising Genetics Reveals Flexible Diet May Help Leaf-Eating Lemurs Resist Deforestation
Digestive genes and anatomy are adapted to tough leaves, fruit, and even pine needles. Fruits and veggies are good for you and if you are…
Mountain Gorillas May Use Chest Beats To Communicate Information About Themselves
Chest beating by mountain gorillas – rapidly beating their chests with their hands to produce a drumming sound – may convey information about their body size…
Large New Amphibious Centipede Species Discovered in Okinawa and Taiwan
Godly proportions for rare jade Scolopendra named after local gods, one of the largest arthropods in Japan. Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University and Hosei University…
Island Gigantism and Dwarfism: Evolutionary “Island Rule” Confirmed
It is an old-standing theory in evolutionary ecology: animal species on islands have the tendency to become either giants or dwarfs in comparison to mainland…
Chest-Beating Gorillas Don’t Bluff: Honest Signal of True Body Size
The chest beats given by adult male gorillas reliably indicate their body size. Gorillas usually stand bipedally and rapidly beat their chests with cupped hands…
Two New Species of Screech Owls Discovered in Amazon Rainforest – Both Are Already Critically Endangered
Recordings of owls’ screeches used to help tell species apart. The Amazon rainforest is teeming with creatures unknown to science—and that’s just in broad daylight….
If COVID Spread to North American Bats, It Could Be Disastrous – Here Is the Current Risk Assessment
The risk is low that scientists could pass coronavirus to North American bats during winter research, according to a new study led by the U.S….
Giant Fossil’s “Bird-Brain” – Whopping Head Was Crammed for Space
The largest flightless bird ever to live weighed in up to 600kg and had a whopping head about half a meter long — but its…
Researchers Baffled by Mystifying Circling Behavior Captured in Whales, Sharks, Penguins, and Sea Turtles
Technological advances have made it possible for researchers to track the movements of large ocean-dwelling animals in three dimensions with remarkable precision in both time…
An Unusual Creature Is Coming Out of Winter’s Slumber – Here’s Why Scientists Are Excited
Duke Lemur Center recreates the seasonal swings of native habitat, helping to unlock the secrets of hibernation. If you binged on high-calorie snacks and then…
Two Species, One Name: “Double Identity” Revealed in a Venomous Banana Spider
Spiders from the genus Phoneutria — also known as banana spiders — are considered aggressive and among the most venomous spiders in the world, with…