Animals

Animals

Captive-breeding axolotls may help avoid their extinction

The axolotl program's success shows promise in helping protect this highly popular amphibian — currently found in only one lake — from dying out in the wild.

Animals

Teens work to keep giant water bugs on the menu

Many culinary cultures around the world prize these nutritious and flavorful insects. New approaches may help giant water bug farming efforts.

Tech

This squirrel-like robot has some serious hops

Salto the jumping robot has a claw-like gripper. Like a squirrel, it can adjust its movement to help it stay balanced to stick a landing on "branches."

Animals

The ‘bone collector’ caterpillar wears its prey as camouflage

For months, the caterpillar scavenges spider webs for scrapped insect body parts to cover its protective case. Later, that case will serve as its cocoon.

Animals

Tick, tick, tick. In a first, a shark is heard making noise

The undersea world can host a symphony of fish grunts, hums and growls. Now add tooth-clacking sharks to the score.

Health & Medicine

Three U.S tick species may trigger a mysterious red-meat allergy

This little-known allergy, known as alpha-gal syndrome, is potentially deadly. Here’s what we know about it — and how to avoid the tick bites that seem to cause it.

Animals

Sheep, llamas and goats fall for optical illusions too

These findings could help reveal when and why falling for optical illusions evolved in animals.

Brain

Parakeets talk using brain areas similar to ours

Brain activity during vocalizing in small parrots — called budgerigars or parakeets — shows a similar pattern to what’s seen in people.

Animals

Freshwater fish are in trouble: Here’s how we can help them

Human activities threaten the survival of many freshwater fish species. Research is now pointing to how we can best overcome those threats.

Animals

Some iguanas may have rafted across the Pacific 30 million years ago

The iguanas' epic 8,000-kilometer trip — one-fifth of Earth’s circumference — may be the longest made by a flightless land vertebrate.

Fossils

Could Spinosaurus swim? That would make it a game changer

Spinosaurus fossils are challenging the longstanding claim that ancient dinosaurs were never fully aquatic. And some paleontologists still aren’t convinced.

Animals

Some fish have legs that can taste prey underfoot

Taste buds on those legs may explain why northern sea robins are so good at finding food that is buried in the sandy seafloor.