Life

Animals

Wintering apart, returning together

Birds that fly off to different places in winter can still manage to return home at the same time in spring.

Genetics

Gene sleuths track down ivory sources

DNA testing of a tusk's ivory can help identify where the elephant came from.

Brain

Fair play

Studying dogs, monkeys, and other animals at play can teach us about fairness and cooperation.

Fossils

Hunting by sucking, long ago

An ancient sea creature with a snakelike neck may have sucked up its prey.

Brain

Nature May Nurture Paying Attention

A green environment can help kids with attention disorders concentrate.

Animals

superfast muscles for cooing doves

To coo, a dove's muscles have to contract and relax amazingly quickly.

Animals

Owls use dung to lure beetles

A burrowing owl spreads dung around its nest to attract beetles.

Brain

Reading problems show cultural differences

The language you use may affect the type of reading problem you have.

Fossils

Ferocious growth spurts

Teenage tyrannosaurs packed on the pounds.

Brain

Seeing Red and Blue and . . .

Seeing lots of colors when you're young might determine how well you recognize hues later in life.

Animals

The buzz about mosquitoes

Learning more about mosquitoes can help us control the blood-sucking insects and prevent deadly diseases.

Animals

Sleep lessons from sparrows

During migration season, certain sparrows remain amazingly alert even when they haven't had much sleep.