Zoology

This is devastating. Dozens of pilot whales have become stranded along the shallow waters of Florida’s Everglades National Park. Six members of the pod have died since the group was spotted yesterday afternoon, but rescue efforts are in full swing. It is reportedly the largest such stranding in almost twenty years.

The Very Best Camera Trap Photography

Don’t look too surprised, giant kitty — you’re live on candid camera trap! Zoologists and ecologists these days use “camera traps,” or motion-activated cameras hidden in natural habitats, to observe wildlife without harming them. The resulting pictures are often heartbreakingly gorgeous, occasionally goofy, and reveal animals we never knew existed. Top image: An African leopard…

Study backs up what owners already know: Cats don’t care

Japanese researchers have tested whether or not cats recognize their owners’ voices. The good news: they can. The bad news: they’re probably going to ignore it. Two researchers, Atsuko Saito and Kazutaka Shinozuka, out of the University of Tokyo conducted an experiment to examine communication between cats and humans. The results were published in Animal…

What would happen if a lion fought a tiger?

We’ve always been speculating about battles between superheroes. We know the outcome of octopus versus shark. At last we have an expert speculating on lion versus tiger. Which one would win? https://gizmodo.com/the-battle-of-shark-vs-octopus-has-a-shocking-ending-5941535 Since there’s a good chance you’ve spent the weekend slowly tearing apart a ritualistically slaughtered bird, before going out and trampling your fellow…

This video shows why seahorses are actually ferocious killers

Seahorses are notoriously slow and awkward. But as scientists have just learned, their unique shape allows them to overcome these limitations. Despite their cute and unassuming appearance, seahorses are actually proficient killers. Seahorses are slow. Like, ridiculously slow. In fact, the researchers who conducted the study say they’re slowest swimming fish known to science. But…

Want ultraviolet vision? You’re going to need smaller eyes.

Unlike humans and most other mammals, birds can see ultraviolet light. But not all avian eyes are created equal, according to new research. Apparently, birds with smaller eyes are better able to perceive the UV spectrum. Many animals can see ultraviolet light, including some amphibians, reptiles and fish. Even a few select mammals can see…

Researchers from Australia have uncovered a previously unknown species of giant clam on reefs off the coast of Western Australia. The clams — which come in colors of blue, green, brown, and yellow — can grow to a whopping 500 lbs (230 kg). Recent DNA evidenceconfirmed that what was thought to be one species is…

The bizarre history of our obsession with unicorns

Everyone’s favorite sparkly Internet meme has a long and strangely scientific history – naturalists and scholars have been obsessing over unicorns for over 2000 years. What turned a scientific curiosity of the year 398 BCE into a virgin-loving Christian symbol? The Early Science of Unicorns In his terrific book A Natural History of Unicorns, University…

This is what it’s like to get bullied by an elk

On a recent visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a nature photographer got more than he bargained for while snapping pics of an elk. Afraid of startling the young bull, the man sat with remarkable patience as it poked, prodded, and headbutted him for what must have felt like an eternity. As you’ll see…

If you’ve ever wondered what a mindfuck looks like, now you know

Meet Siphopteron species 1. It’s a species of sea slug, recently discovered by Rolanda Lange. To procreate, two members of the species get together, stick organs into each other’s heads, and fertilize. That’s right — nature has at last provided us with a perfect example of the mindfuck. I think “skullfucking” might be another word…

How ants teach each other (and how to define “teaching”)

When ants are praised for their intelligence, its for their collective intelligence. By following biological programming or pheromone trails, ants build giant, well-ventilated structures or craft the most efficient possiblenetwork of paths to find food. They’re treated as a set of pre-programmed instruments that follow instinct blindly. So it’s strange to learn that ants form…

The Mysterious Tool-Making Culture Shared by Crows and Humans

Many animal species use tools, from insects, elephants and sea urchins to apes, badgers and octopuses, but there are only two animals who make hooks to catch food: humans and crows. Why we both do this is a mystery — and unraveling it could explain the reasons why tool use evolved in the first place.…

The Mysterious Tool-Making Culture Shared by Crows and Humans

Many animal species use tools, from insects, elephants and sea urchins to apes, badgers and octopuses, but there are only two animals who make hooks to catch food: humans and crows. Why we both do this is a mystery — and unraveling it could explain the reasons why tool use evolved in the first place.…

How to save a bear’s life by zapping it with electricity

Grizzly bears in Alberta like to linger around train tracks because rail cars often trickle bits of grain and other food. Trains and bears are are obviously a bad combination. But a new device called an ‘electromat’ could help to protect this endangered species. Since 2007, a total of 13 grizzlies have been killed by…

Left and Right Tail-Wags Trigger Different Emotional Responses In Dogs

Dogs communicate a lot through their tails, whether it be through furious I’m-so-freakin-happy-to-see-you wagging or the I’m-scared-shitless tail between the legs. But a new study from Italy shows that canines also recognize and respond to wagging in surprising ways, including whether the wagging happens on the left side or right side of a fellow dog.…

We’re learning some amazing things from those massive washed-up oarfish

Remember those oarfish that washed ashore a few weeks ago in California? Scientists are busy at work studying these elusive serpent-like sea monsters, and they’re discovering a lot about their ecology and habitat, including what they eat — and what’s eating them. https://gizmodo.com/a-marine-science-instructor-found-this-18-foot-long-oar-1445530770 Above image: A second oarfish that washed ashore near Oceanside, California. AP…

Monkeys Remember “Words” Used by Their Ancestors Centuries Ago

In the mid-1600s, green monkeys from Africa were introduced to the West Indies island of Barbados. Despite living a predator-free life for centuries, the Barbados population still responds to an ancestral alarm call that means, roughly translated, “Run up a tree or a leopard will eat you!” Life-Saving Alarms One of the primary benefits of…

Behold the mysterious polar bear of the lake

Technically, there should be a lady in the lake to meet you with a glittering sword made of some kind of otherworldly steel. But we got you a polar bear instead. He’s brought you some salmon, which is sort of like a sword, only made of fish. Paul Souders is one of the winners of…

Dogs shaking in slow-motion will make your day WITH SCIENCE

Odds are decent you’ve seen this video of dogs shaking in super slow-motion (and if you haven’t yet, you should – it’s a slobbery good time). What you may not know is that there’s actually some really fascinating science behind the wet-dog (and, more broadly, the wet-mammal) shake. Last year, researchers led by Georgia Institue…

Dung beetles don’t just run to poop, they actually gallop

Most insects walk forward three legs at a time, a manner of locomotion known as the alternating tripod gait. But scientists have recently learned that there’s at least one insect, the industrious dung beetle, that moves along with a galloping gait — and they’re kinda perplexed as to why. In the newly observed movement, dung…