Life
All Stories
How common is life in the Universe? And how can we find out?
Some astrobiologists believe life is rare, while others believe it is common in the Universe. How can we find out which view is correct?
The spider that looks like bird poo – and other tricks animals deploy to survive
Disgusting behavior is often crucial to survival.
Koko the Impostor: Ape sign language was a bunch of babbling nonsense
The apes taught sign language didn't understand what they were doing. They were merely "aping" their caretakers.
Simple is beautiful: Why evolution repeatedly selects symmetrical structures
Symmetrical objects are less complex than non-symmetrical ones. Perhaps evolution acts as an algorithm with a bias toward simplicity.
Fish aren’t as stupid as we thought — they can count (sort of)
Fish are surprisingly good in numbers tests — a skill that sometimes makes the difference between life and death.
Redwood trees have two different kinds of leaves, scientists discover
Two types of leaves for two different drastic weather conditions.
You can’t judge a dog by its breed
A dog's breed isn't as predictive of behavior as many think it is. Environment and upbringing play a much larger role.
The hidden world of octopus cities and culture
Research shows that octopuses are sentient, emotional creatures.
The inner life of a lobster: Do invertebrates have emotions?
There is strong evidence that invertebrates are sentient beings.
Nature’s “zombies”: the disturbing science of neuroparasitology
An emerging field studies parasites that take over the nervous system of a host.
Hope for Bigfoot hunters: Hundreds of unknown mammal species may be hidden in plain sight
There may be thousands of undiscovered mammal species in the world. Most are small, like bats and rodents, but there could be primates, too. A lifeline for Bigfoot enthusiasts?
What do aliens look like?
We should not expect aliens to look anything like us. Creatures that resemble octopuses or birds or even robots are legitimate possibilities.
Small ballooning spiders can fly along the Earth’s electrical field
Small spiders use their silk threads to passively fly, a process called ballooning. Learning how could help atmospheric scientists.
Why do flocks of birds swoop and swirl together in the sky? A biologist explains the science of murmurations
Murmurations have no leader and follow no plan.
Chimpanzees understand the difference between malice and inability
Chimpanzees are able to consider the context of social interactions and can accept unfavorable outcomes — sometimes.
Why did dinosaurs go extinct while other animals survived?
From crocodiles to birds, certain animals managed to survive some of the worst extinction events in world history.
Can we resurrect the thylacine? Maybe, but it won’t help the global extinction crisis
Assume we can make new thylacines, mammoths, diprotodons, or sabre-tooth cats. Great. Now where do we put them?
How Venus flytraps give scientists insights on consciousness and anesthesia
Anesthesia causes animals and humans to lose consciousness. A study found it has a similar effect on Venus flytraps.
Joro spider is a unique exception to a major threat
Can a non-native species be a friend instead of a foe?
Even worms make complex decisions
Salk scientists studied complex decision-making capabilities in a worm with just 302 neurons and a mouth full of teeth. It's smarter than you would think.
Northern white rhino: resurrecting an extinct species in four steps
Scientists at the San Diego Zoo are on a mission to resurrect the extinct northern white rhino.
How do birds navigate? When they face north, their brains do something incredible.
Head direction cells act like internal compasses to help the birds navigate during long flights.
Meet the ten-armed, 325-million-year-old octopus fossil named after President Joe Biden
Syllipsimopodi bideni is small (about 12cm in length), has ten arms, suckers, fins, and a triangular pen of hard tissue inside its body for support.
Just like dogs, ants can sniff out cancer
The insects were just as accurate as trained dogs, although not as cuddly.
Stunning fairy wrasse isn’t the fish scientists thought it was
Local researchers identify a striking rainbow-colored fairy wrasse found off the coast of the Maldives as a fish species all its own.
A neural network translates pigs’ emotions by listening to their grunts
The A.I. system could improve the lives of commercially raised pigs.
The insect brain: we froze ants and beetles to learn how they remember their way home
Two aspects of memory – fast updating and long lasting – are typically considered incompatible, yet the insects combined them.
How thinking emerged on Earth, from bacteria to the human mind
The human brain is only the latest chapter in the ancient story of thinking on Earth.