Biology

How Do Pandas Eat So Much Bamboo?

For members of the taxonomic order Carnivora, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) eat surprisingly little meat. They’re nearly entirely herbivorous, subsisting almost exclusively on bamboo. What’s strange about the panda is that it isn’t really very well designed for a plant-based diet. At least not at first glance. Other herbivorous mammals have specialized adaptations in their…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

More Reasons To Stop Watching Animal Planet

You already knew that Animal Planet had a way of distorting reality. They present documentaries about the existence of mermaids and Bigfoot and only barely acknowledge that it’s all nonsense. But now evidence is mounting that some of the shows they air actually harm animals. http://gawker.com/your-favorite-animal-planet-show-is-fake-and-super-abu-1506776931 Earlier this year, Mother Jones published the results of…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

This Gorgeous Sea Star Larva Is Your Next Desktop Wallpaper

You’re going to want to expand this gorgeous, high-resolution photo to full screen, and use it as your desktop wallpaper. This transparent critter is a brachiolaria, which is the second larval stage of many types of sea stars. The photo was taken by Alex Semenov in July 2013, in Russia’s White Sea. Most sea star…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

About That Giraffe and the Dying Zoo Worker: Your Questions, Answered

By now you’ve probably seen news articles showing a giraffe in a Dutch zoo sharing a tender moment with a terminally ill zoo worker. Do the claims that this giraffe was kissing its human friend goodbye hold up to scientific scrutiny? Let me break it down for you. On Gawker: http://gawker.com/giraffe-kisses-dying-zoo-worker-goodbye-1549515790 Animals: they’re just like…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Now I Want to Nuzzle A Baby Penguin

The Oregon Zoo is home to some Humboldt penguin chicks. The baby birds need routine check-ups from the zoo vets, which means adorable videos for everyone. [Oregon Zoo]

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Think a Loose Tooth is Bad?

Try having a loose antler. Here’s what we need: (1) a string, and (2) a really strong door.

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Why Do Animals Adopt?

Is adopting a child a benevolent or a foolish act? If you were taking a cold evolutionary perspective, it would appear to be the latter. So why do many animals, including elephant seals and humans, do it all the time? For foster parents, there are huge costs involved, with no promise of passing on genes.…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

What Do Animals Sound Like In Different Languages?

It’s reasonable to assume that American dogs can communicate perfectly well with Japanese dogs, but try using “bark bark” to describe the sound that dogs make to a Japanese person, who would say “wan wan,” and you might have trouble. That’s because different languages represent the sounds of animals in different ways, even though in…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Of Flies And Men: What Scientists Are Learning About Insect Aggression

If you look really closely next time a group of fruit flies invades your kitchen, you might notice that some flies fight more than others. Male fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, are more aggressive than females, and the latest research from David Anderson’s Caltech biology lab suggests that’s because they have a unique cluster of neurons…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Can A Dog Really Ride A Motorcycle?

Thanks to operant conditioning, any animal can be trained to do just about anything as long as the individual actions that comprise the larger, complex behavior are within the animal’s natural abilities. Including teaching a dog to “drive” a motorcycle. B. F. Skinner referred to this process as shaping. In 1953, he described it this…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Here’s Why The Sea Snake Should Be Called The Sea Camel

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” Was the Rime of the Ancient Mariner actually about sea snakes? New research suggests that the serpents, unlike other marine reptiles like iguanas and turtles, can’t quench their thirst by drinking sea water. The problem is that fresh water alleviates thirst (you knew this) but the briny,…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Ukrainian Presidential Estate Included a Private Zoo

Following the abandonment of his winter estate near Kiev by Ukrainian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, for the first time the general public could take a peek to see how the man lived. Among the findings: a golf course, a giant boat, several fancy cars, a spa, and a private zoo. In the video above, BBC reporter…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

How The Narwhal Got Its Tusk

Behold, the sea unicorn. Before the Age of Discovery, most Europeans knew little of the non-human creatures that shared their planet. People still believed that unicorns – those of the equine variety – existed, and the Vikings capitalized on the myth by slaughtering sea unicorns in the North Atlantic and selling their tusks to wealthy…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

The Jungle Book, Now With More Cybernetics!

What if Rudyard Kipling had been born in the 25th century instead of the 19th? Perhaps, rather than being influenced by the British Empire’s reach in India, his work would be influenced by the increasingly far-reaching grasp of technological empires, the Googles and Apples of the future. I suspect The Jungle Book would still work…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Animals See Power Lines as Terrifying Bursts of Light

We’ve known that most critters try to avoid power lines, but until recently, scientists were pretty much in the dark when it came to why. Now, it turns out that to animals, power lines and pylons look like terrifying bands of glowing, flashing bursts of light. This revelation came about as the result of a…

Biology Ashley Feinberg

Not-so-fuzzy water bears

Tardigrades were on Cosmos this, so of course they’re trending today. We’ve covered them before here and here and here. What’s new this time? You can buy your own fuzzy tardigrade at Giant Microbes, who advertise with this joyful tardigrade. https://gizmodo.com/just-another-reason-why-tardigrades-are-the-best-micro-1531126448 https://gizmodo.com/extremophiles-i-have-known-and-loved-5317662 https://gizmodo.com/five-creatures-that-prove-life-could-exist-on-other-pla-5536752 I don’t have the image-rights to share this fantastic close-up directly, but…

Biology Mika McKinnon

Tonic Immobility: Don’t Try This At Home

Pretty neat indeed, but you should definitely never do this. Like your second grade teacher told you: look with your eyes, not with your hands. https://gizmodo.com/watch-a-scuba-diver-instantly-put-a-shark-to-sleep-with-1545943484

Biology Jason G. Goldman

If You Watch Only One Video About A Detachable Penis, Make It This One

Is sex as simple as “insert part A into slot B”? Probably not, at least when you consider the entire animal kingdom. The differing motivations of the sexes – at least from an evolutionary perspective – leads to tremendous diversity both in sexual behavior and in anatomy. In her talk at TED Global, Dr. Carin…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

How Elephant Armies Built the Ancient World

Without elephants, the ancient Library of Alexandria might not have existed. Every war has, as a byproduct, cultural and technological innovation: in our world, the US Civil War led to medical advancements and the Cold War put us in space. In the classical era, it was the race to build elephant armies that changed the…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Otter Carnage: Marine Mammal Goes on “Rampage” in Restaurant

In case you needed more evidence that otters can do some serious damage. https://gizmodo.com/its-a-bad-week-to-be-a-crocodilian-1538202692 https://jezebel.com/otter-carnage-marine-mammal-goes-on-rampage-in-resta-1545243509

Biology Jason G. Goldman

How Do Pandas Eat So Much Bamboo?

More Reasons To Stop Watching Animal Planet

This Gorgeous Sea Star Larva Is Your Next Desktop Wallpaper

About That Giraffe and the Dying Zoo Worker: Your Questions, Answered

Now I Want to Nuzzle A Baby Penguin

Think a Loose Tooth is Bad?

Why Do Animals Adopt?

What Do Animals Sound Like In Different Languages?

Of Flies And Men: What Scientists Are Learning About Insect Aggression

Can A Dog Really Ride A Motorcycle?

Here’s Why The Sea Snake Should Be Called The Sea Camel

Ukrainian Presidential Estate Included a Private Zoo

How The Narwhal Got Its Tusk

The Jungle Book, Now With More Cybernetics!

Animals See Power Lines as Terrifying Bursts of Light

Not-so-fuzzy water bears

Tonic Immobility: Don’t Try This At Home

If You Watch Only One Video About A Detachable Penis, Make It This One

How Elephant Armies Built the Ancient World

Otter Carnage: Marine Mammal Goes on “Rampage” in Restaurant

Apple Removes iPhone Vibe Coding App from App Store

China’s Biggest Social Media Celebrity Is… Kris Jenner?

Up to $1,550 Off on pCloud: Pay Once, Protect Data Forever for World Backup Day

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Adds ‘Succulent Chinese Meal’ Guy

Feds Sniffing Around Polymarket After Suspicious Bets

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Don’t Get Too Attached to Any AI App

‘Paradise’ Writer Teases What’s Coming in Season 3 After That Huge Twist

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

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