Animals
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AnimalsInsects can patch their broken ‘bones’
When insects suffer wounds, they can mend their ‘skeleton’ with a patch on the inside. This makes the leg strong again, new data show.
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AnimalsPollen can become bee ‘junk food’ as CO2 rises
Increasing levels of the greenhouse gas are changing diminishing the food value of pollen, bees’ only source of protein.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsSpiders eat insects — and sometimes veggies
Plant-eating spiders have been found on every continent except Antarctica, a new study notes.
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PlantsLess brilliant flowers still keep bees coming back
Bumblebees prefer petals that aren’t overly shimmery. This suggests plants are attuned to what insects see.
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AnimalsCool Jobs: Pet science
Pets make great subjects for research. These scientists work to make our animals — and us — healthier and happier.
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AnimalsParasites give brine shrimp super powers
When infected with parasitic worms, brine shrimp survive better in waters laced with toxic arsenic, a new study finds.
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AnimalsPicking a better porch light
Lights can vary in brightness and ‘color’ — even those that are sold as white. A new study tested which lights attracted the most bugs.
By Sid Perkins -
AnimalsRoadkill : Learning from the dead
Roadkill can be more than a smooshed-up carcass. Scientists study these highway casualties to learn more about wildlife and their environments.
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AnimalsPicture This: Christmas tree worms
The tops of Christmas tree worms look like brightly colored plants. But they are really boneless marine animals with eyes that can breathe and gills that can see.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsPicture This: Plesiosaurs swam like penguins
A computer model suggests plesiosaurs — ancient marine reptiles — swam like penguins, using front flippers for power and back flippers for steering.
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AnimalsBugs that call your house home
A survey of North Carolina homes found hundreds of species of insects, arachnids and other arthropods. Most, though, were harmless.
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AnimalsWhy some penguin feathers never freeze
Oil and tiny pores prevent the feathers on some penguins from freezing. The discovery could inspire new ways to keep ice off of airplane wings.
By Andrew Grant