Animals
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AnimalsWayward baby puffins get help from a community-led Puffling Patrol
Fitted with ID tags or tracking devices, birds from one Iceland colony give scientists an eye into puffins’ largely unknown lives at sea.
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AnimalsPutting vampire bats on treadmills revealed an energy-burning quirk
A mini gym for bats shows that vampire bats burn amino acids, rather than the carbs or fats other mammals rely on during exercise.
By Susan Milius -
AnimalsThese healthy fish have bacteria in their brains
The bodies of most animals keep germs, usually linked to disease, out of their brains. But some fish that host microbes seem to do just fine.
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ChemistryTeen chemist uncovers potentially harmful preservatives in pet food
Thermo Fisher JIC finalist Mackensey Wilson measured levels of a chemical called BHT in three pet food brands.
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AnimalsTo clear loops, Sonic the Hedgehog must hit the right speed
Most animals don’t run through loops. Sonic would need the physics behind roller coasters and race cars to clear one.
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AnimalsGiant rat border agents could help put a stop to wildlife poaching
African giant pouched rats have been trained to ferret out elephant ivory, pangolin scales and more. They could be put to work preventing smuggling.
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AnimalsTo keep their pools clean, some tadpoles don’t poop for weeks
Eiffinger’s tree frog tadpoles store their solid waste in an intestinal pouch. This releases less toxic ammonia into their watery cribs.
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AnimalsThis spider traps flashy fireflies as bait to catch related prey
When stuck in an orb weaver spider’s web, male fireflies start to blink more like female fireflies — luring in more males.
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AnimalsWerewolves could learn from other critters when to hunt
Werewolves aren’t the only creatures that undergo transformation under the full moon. But could weak werewolves be at risk of becoming prey?
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AnimalsHow to make ‘worms’ more nutritious — and easier to swallow
Extracting protein from insect larvae could lead to a healthful food ingredient — and you never have to bite into crunchy legs or squishy bodies.
By Laura Allen -
AnimalsLet’s learn about animal cannibals
The animal kingdom is full of creatures that eat their parents, their babies, their siblings or their mates.