Animals
-
Five new species of snail-sucking snakes
Four of the new species are endangered.
The natural world is replete with unusual eating habits – moths bully larger animals and drink their tears, ostriches...
-
Human activity turns multiple species nocturnal
Studies show mammals across the globe change their behaviour to avoid human beings, with potentia...
As humans spread relentlessly across the globe, animal species are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their di...
-
Lizards avoid predation by scaring predators
Scientists have discovered the purpose of its trademark feature.
The common blue-tongue lizard (Tiliqua sincoides), found throughout mainland Australia, uses its tongue as a defence ...
-
Lessons from ants and fungi for better transport
Managing traffic isn't just a human problem.
As more and more people move to cities, the experience of being stuck in impenetrable gridlock becomes an increasingl...
-
Bees understand the concept of zero
Honeybees are remarkably numerate, research shows.
Honey bees understand the numerical concept of zero, demonstrating a level of cognition not previously known to exist...
-
An armoured ant, locked in biological warfare
Leafcutter ants don protection made of bacteria.
The white material on the underside of this South American leafcutter ant comprises bacteria called Pseudonocardia. T...
-
That thing your dog does …
It’s easy to misinterpret a dog's personality.
It is difficult to refer to what dogs, as a collective, like and dislike and how they behave. Just as humans do, dogs...
-
Zombie fungus enslaves ants based on climate
Victims’ fate changes between tropical and temperate settings.
A fungus that turns ants into zombies has survived the global shift from tropical to temperate forests by subtly alte...
-
Stick insects expand territory via bird poo
Study finds slow-moving adult insects rely on being eaten.
For most insects and their eggs, it’s “game over” when eaten by a predator such as a bird. Now, new research has reve...
-
Young mongooses learn from unrelated adults
Cultural inheritance edges out genetics for African mammal.
When it comes to mongooses, nurture is definitely more important than nature. A newly published study reveals that yo...
-
A bamboozled bumblebee
The colours of iridescence can confuse the humble bumblebee.
Iridescence is a form of structural colour which uses regular repeating nanostructures to reflect light at slightly d...
-
The 10 best new species of the year
US college releases its annual list of the best new species.
And the winners are … The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York, US, every year r...