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zoology

Embryonic gecko hand
Science Snapshot: Show of Hands
Lisa Winter | Oct 28, 2022 | 1 min read
This image took the top prize at the 2022 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.
Three turtles resting closely together on a log, one end of which is submerged in brackish water
Turtle Vocalizations Reframe Origins of Auditory Communication
Amanda Heidt | Oct 26, 2022 | 4 min read
Sounds made by more than 50 vertebrates previously thought to be mute push back the origin of this type of communication by at least 100 million years, a study finds.
Swarm of honey bees around green foliage
Some Honey Bee Swarms Generate Electrical Charges Stronger Than Storms
Jef Akst | Oct 24, 2022 | 2 min read
Small charges carried by individual insects can add up, a study finds, with larger swarms generating substantial electrical fields.
an&nbsp;<em>Aedes aegypti&nbsp;</em>mosquito, black with white dots and stripes on its joints and body, sitting on a person&#39;s skin and feeding.&nbsp;
Smelly Skin Compounds Draw Mosquitoes to Some People More than Others
Katherine Irving | Oct 19, 2022 | 3 min read
People with more carboxylic acids in their body odor are more attractive to mosquitoes, a study finds.
Brightly colored birds resting on a tree
Book Excerpt from The Creative Lives of Animals
Carol Gigliotti | Oct 17, 2022 | 3 min read
In the book's introduction, author Carol Gigliotti makes the case that intricate behavioral patterns can be just as important to conserve as species’ genomes.
Brightly colored birds resting on a tree
Opinion: Biodiversity Loss Worsened by Extinguishing Animal Innovators
Carol Gigliotti | Oct 17, 2022 | 4 min read
When species disappear, more than their genomes are lost. The potential for their creative innovation to benefit ecosystems vanishes as well.
A dead northern gannet (Morus bassanus) on a beach
Unprecedented Avian Flu Epidemic Could Presage Year-Round Outbreaks
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Oct 4, 2022 | 2 min read
Nearly 50 million birds have been culled amid efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, which continues to ravage the Northern Hemisphere.
Kentish plover standing by nest with eggs
Avian Deception More Widespread Than Previously Thought
Andy Carstens | Oct 3, 2022 | 5 min read
The broken-wing display, in which birds fake being wounded to protect their nests from predators, is found across the avian phylogenetic tree, a study finds.
Hawaiian Bobtail squid
Symbiotic Organs: Extreme Intimacy with the Microbial World
Catherine Offord | Oct 3, 2022 | 10+ min read
All multicellular creatures interact with bacteria, but some have taken the relationship to another level with highly specialized structures that house, feed, and exploit the tiny organisms.
Illustration of a Hawaiian Bobtail squid
Infographic: Symbiotic Organs Bring Hosts and Microbes Closer
Catherine Offord | Oct 3, 2022 | 2 min read
Specialized structures in plants and animals help attract and mediate communication with bacterial symbionts.
Blue Whales - Sri Lanka April 2012
The Evolutionary Shaping of Modern Whales
Connor Lynch | Oct 3, 2022 | 4 min read
A survey of more than 200 whale skulls has unveiled bursts of evolution over the past 50 million years.
An intact scorpion claw-in-claw with an autotomized one
Constipation’s Effect on Scorpion Sex Garners Biology Ig Nobel
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Sep 16, 2022 | 3 min read
Other winners of this year’s prizes include research on the physics of ducklings and the therapeutic potential of ice cream.
bird perched next to brick atop trash can
Science Snapshot: Fine Feathered Foes
Lisa Winter | Sep 14, 2022 | 1 min read
Australians are resorting to increasingly drastic measures to keep cockatoos out of their garbage bins.
ant with wings on white background
Secret to Reproductive Ants’ Longevity Revealed
Patience Asanga | Sep 2, 2022 | 3 min read
Researchers say they've figured out how some reproductive ants live up to 30 years—far longer than workers.
dead bee surrounded by yellow flower petals
Science Snapshot: One Insect’s Corpse Is Another’s Breakfast
Lisa Winter | Aug 31, 2022 | 2 min read
Though it’s poetic to say that ants were grieving the bee at a funeral, the reality is a bit more prosaic.
Cover of When Animals Dream: A colourful illustration of an octopus.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
Book Excerpt from When Animals Dream
David M. Peña-Guzmán | Aug 25, 2022 | 3 min read
In Chapter 1, “The Science of Animal Dreams,” author David M. Peña-Guzmán relays the history of researchers digging into the mental realities of nonhuman brains.
An Edith&rsquo;s checkerspot butterfly
Genome Spotlight: Edith’s Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha)
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Aug 25, 2022 | 3 min read
A high-quality genome sequence for this versatile insect will likely aid eco-evolutionary research.
A black dog with tearful eyes looks at the camera
Dogs Cry Tears of Joy: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Aug 22, 2022 | 6 min read
Pet dogs produce a larger volume of tears when they are reunited with their owners than with acquaintances, possibly because of surging oxytocin levels—findings that could be the first evidence of emotional crying in nonhuman animals.
Tortoise leaf beetle on a green leaf
The Double Life of a Fungus: Defends Beetle, Attacks Plant
Andy Carstens | Aug 19, 2022 | 4 min read
Tortoise leaf beetles enjoy the protection the fungus provides from insect predators such as ants, then carry the microbe to a mutual plant host, which their fungal symbiont infects.
Close-up of a mosquito antenna with hair-like protrusions and fluorescently labeled glomeruli as green circles on the shaft
The Neuroscience Behind Why Mosquitoes Always Find You
Sophie Fessl, PhD | Aug 18, 2022 | 5 min read
Neurons in mosquito antennae can express more than one olfactory receptor at a time, a redundancy that likely ensures they don’t lose a potential host’s scent.
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