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Cephalopod aces ‘marshmallow test’ designed for eager children
The famous cognition test was reworked for cuttlefish. They did better than expected.
New study identifies 126 species that could host coronavirus
The study suggests scientists are underestimating the number of animal species that could generate the next novel coronavirus.
Unusual creatures uncovered beneath an Antarctic ice shelf
The organisms were anchored to a boulder 900 meters beneath the ice, living a cold, dark existence miles away from the open ocean.
Pigs proven intelligent enough to play video games
They did really well considering joysticks are not designed for oral use.
Why do some species evolve to miniaturize?
The island rule hypothesizes that species shrink or supersize to fill insular niches not available to them on the mainland.
Ornamental dinosaur frills seem to have evolved thanks to sexual selection
While other factors exist, sexual prowess appears to have helped determine the role of Protoceratops frills.
Venus flytrap jaws create tiny magnetic fields when they snap shut
It's like a little magnetic "nom, nom."
Selfish sperm genes ‘poison’ the competition for the win
Imagine poisoning your rival and yourself and giving only yourself the antidote.
The bacteria in our guts can tell time
For the first time, it was discovered that nonphotosynthetic bacteria have a circadian clock.
Charles Darwin’s 165-year-old “wind hypothesis” finally proven true
Darwin was right again—sort of.
Why do men need to recharge after sex? Scientists make surprising discovery.
Previous research suggesting it's all about prolactin may be missing the mark.
Newly-discovered flower is so rare, there is only one plant of its species
Scientists find a new species of flower in a remote part of Hawaii.
Science says you should pet your dog before leaving
A study explores how your dog does when you're not home.
Finding aliens: Is there a ‘theory of everything’ for life?
The search for alien life is far too human-centric. Our flawed understanding of what life really is may be holding us back from important discoveries about the universe and ourselves.
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By the age of 3, children appreciate nature’s fractal patterns
Fractal patterns are noticed by people of all ages, even small children, and have significant calming effects.
NOAA discovers a new, beautifully weird sea creature
Exceptionally high-quality videos allow scientists to formally introduce a remarkable new comb jelly.
A Chinese plant has evolved to hide from humans
Researchers document the first example of evolutionary changes in a plant in response to humans.
Are animals ‘persons’? New York court hears the case of Happy the elephant
An elephant at the Bronx Zoo has become a cause célèbre for animal rights activists.
Isolated island group is now one of the world’s largest animal sanctuaries
One of the world's most isolated island groups has just been made one of the world's largest ocean reserves.
9 of the most shocking facts about global extinction – and how to stop it
Across the world, wildlife is under severe threat.
Scientists discover why fish evolved limbs and left water
Researchers find a key clue to the evolution of bony fish and tetrapods.
A physician didn’t shower for 5 years. Here’s what he found out.
Unfortunately, "less is better" is not a catchy marketing slogan.
New tardigrade species withstands lethal UV radiation thanks to fluorescent ‘shield’
Another amazing tardigrade survival skill is discovered.
A mammoth find near Mexico City
Scientists have identified the largest ever assemblage of mammoth bones.
Viewing nature in VR or on television boosts wellbeing, study finds
"Interacting" with nature through virtual reality applications had especially strong benefits, according to the study.
Mosquitoes’ taste for blood is finally explained
Mosquitoes can taste your blood using unique sensory abilities. Can we use that to keep them off us?
Humans are still evolving, and maybe faster now than ever
The sudden prevalence of an artery in the forearm is evidence that we're still very much a work in progress.
Researchers discover intact brain cells of man killed by Mt Vesuvius eruption
The young man died nearly 2,000 years ago in the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii.
Reinventing agriculture for climate change
Modern crops have been optimized for a lot of things, but not for climate change.
Earth’s first lifeforms breathed arsenic, not oxygen
The microbes that eventually produced the planet's oxygen had to breathe something, after all.