Archerfish recognize that insects they have never seen before are animals
Lurking beneath overhanging foliage, archerfish have one thing on their mind: taking a well-aimed pot-shot at the next insect that settles within range. Squirting a ballistic jet of water, these tenacious assassins precisely target their victims, rea.....»»
How (apparently) identical animals can be completely different species
Logically speaking, you would think that animals who appeared to be the same—even if they were found in different parts of the world—would belong to the same species, and that they would share the same genome. However, our recent study has found.....»»
Blue and great tits deploy surprisingly powerful memories to find food, finds study
Blue and great tits recall what they have eaten in the past, where they found the food and when they found it, a new study shows. In the first experiment of its kind to involve wild animals, blue and great tits demonstrated 'episodic-like' memory to.....»»
Scientists are testing mRNA vaccines to protect cows and people against bird flu
The bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows is prompting development of new, next-generation mRNA vaccines—akin to COVID-19 shots—that are being tested in both animals and people......»»
Tracing the evolution of ferns" surprisingly sweet defense strategy
Plants and the animals that eat them have evolved together in fascinating ways, creating a dynamic interplay of survival strategies. Many plants have developed physical and chemical defenses to fend off herbivores. A well-known strategy in flowering.....»»
Biologist calls for protection and more studies of natural time capsules of climate change
Packrats, also known as woodrats, are the original hoarders, collecting materials from their environment to make their nests, called middens. In deserts throughout western North America, for instance, packrat middens can preserve plants, insects, bon.....»»
Nectarivores: A world of sweet-toothed critters
If you have a sweet tooth, you'll be familiar with the burst of energy known as a sugar rush. But what if your survival depended on it? Would you love it as much? Animals get the nutrients they need from different sources......»»
Study reveals maintenance of male-related genes after loss of males in stick insects
Traits are often lost during evolution, either because they are no longer beneficial or because they are too costly to maintain. When this happens, it is generally believed that the genes underlying the trait will eventually degrade as well, making i.....»»
Scientists develop computer vision framework to track animals in the wild without markers
Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behavior have developed a computer vision framework for posture estimation and identity tracking that they can use in indoor environments as well as in the wild. This is an important step toward t.....»»
Global activity of seafloor biodiversity mapped for the first time
A team of scientists from the U.S. and the U.K. has used artificial intelligence (AI) to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, such as worms, clams and shrimps, across all the oceans of the world......»»
Personalized phage therapy heals resistant wounds in Siamese cat
A new study has shown an advance in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections in animals. The research, focusing on a 5-year-old Siamese cat Squeaks with a multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection post-arthrodesis surgery, marks th.....»»
Animals self-medicate with plants—a behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia
When a wild orangutan in Sumatra recently suffered a facial wound, apparently after fighting with another male, he did something that caught the attention of the scientists observing him......»»
New method for modeling free-ranging animal populations finds macaque numbers smaller than expected
A team of researchers created a new method of modeling to estimate the population of free-ranging animals and in doing so discovered that there were far fewer numbers of an Old World monkey, the macaque, than expected......»»
EU-Israel relations take a nosedive as Spain, Ireland set to formally recognize a Palestinian state
EU-Israel relations take a nosedive as Spain, Ireland set to formally recognize a Palestinian state.....»»
Fire sets off explosions, injures animals in Fresno Co.
Fire sets off explosions, injures animals in Fresno Co......»»
My Google Pixel phone turned my photos into AI nightmares
Will AI take over the world? Who knows. But after using the Pixel 8a's Magic Editor on photos of animals, I'm more scared of it than ever......»»
Saturday Citations: The cheapness horizon of electric batteries; the battle-worthiness of ancient armor; scared animals
Sometimes, science requires traveling into hazardous environments; sometimes it requires a vast influx of state capital and an army of researchers and technicians. But sometimes, science has to call in the Marines. We reported on that this week, alon.....»»
On repeat: Biologists observe recurring evolutionary changes, over time, in stick insects
A long-standing debate among evolutionary scientists goes something like this: Does evolution happen in a predictable pattern or does it depend on chance events and contingency? That is, if you could turn back the clock, as celebrated scientist Steph.....»»
Common heartburn medications may help fight cancer and other immune disorders in dogs, researchers find
Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have discovered that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)—medications commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux in people and animals—may be effective at fi.....»»
Wichita Falls area restaurant inspections: Dead insects, dented cans, cleaning needed
Wichita Falls area restaurant inspections: Dead insects, dented cans, cleaning needed.....»»
Culling controversy as French wolf population falls in 2023
The estimated number of wolves in France last year was 1,003, down nine percent from the year before, environmental associations said Thursday, urging the French government to lower its quota for the number of the animals which can be killed each yea.....»»