Animals

  1. Animals

    Cool Jobs: Crazy about cows

    Scientists are studying cows from one end to the other, with the goal not only of making the animals healthier but also of helping the environment.

    By
  2. Animals

    New site for where wild canines became dogs

    By studying the genetics of living dogs from around the world, scientists think they may have homed in on the origins of dog domestication: Central Asia.

    By
  3. Fossils

    This prehistoric meat eater preferred surf to turf

    For years, paleontologists thought the fierce, sharp-toothed Dimetrodon made a meal of land-based plant eaters. Not anymore. New fossils suggest aquatic animals were its meals of choice.

    By
  4. Animals

    News Brief: Bees prefer caffeine-spiked nectar

    Bees usually alert friends to sources of especially sweet nectar. But a new study finds caffeine is every bit as appealing to them as the sugar is. And that could compromise the quality of their honey.

    By
  5. Environment

    Humans are ‘superpredators’

    A new study compares the hunting habits of wild animals and humans. People, it turns out, are unlike any other predator on Earth.

    By
  6. Animals

    Wolves beat dogs at problem-solving test

    When treats are at stake, wolves outperformed dogs at opening a closed container. The dog’s relationship with humans may explain why.

    By
  7. Animals

    Cool Jobs: Finding new uses for nature’s poisons

    Scientists study toxins and other natural compounds in search of alternatives to ineffective antibiotics and dangerous pesticides.

    By
  8. Animals

    Sperm whales’ clicks suggest the animals have culture

    Sperm whales appear to learn the sounds they use to socialize. That suggests they have some form of culture.

    By
  9. Animals

    Weed killers may go from plant to pooch

    Dogs love to roll around in the grass. But if there is weed killer around, it could end up on — and in — our furry pals.

    By
  10. Animals

    Hummingbird tongues may be tiny pumps

    Scientists had thought that hummingbird tongues work through capillary action. A new study, though, concludes they work like little pumps.

    By
  11. Environment

    Some pollutants made mice less friendly

    Hormone-interfering chemicals make mice less social and may also alter their weight, a study finds. That affected the animals’ confidence — and behavior.

    By
  12. Health & Medicine

    Chikungunya wings its way north — on mosquitoes

    A mosquito-borne virus once found only in the tropics has adapted to survive in mosquitoes in cooler places, such as Europe and North America.

    By