animals
Got an Invasive Army of Crayfish Clones? Try Eating Them
The marbled crayfish is a threat to the native species, but the “Berlin lobster” may also offer a sustainable food source and help stop the spread of parasites.
Scientists Capture Airborne Animal DNA for the First Time
Researchers filtered the air around two zoos and identified genetic material from dozens of species, a technique that could help track and conserve wildlife.
Why Paleontologists Are Getting Into Florida’s Oyster Business
Conservationists are teaming up with fossil experts to help the bivalves—and the state’s oyster economy—survive.
These Lemurs Have Got Rhythm. Scientists Have Got Questions
Studying how and why rhythm evolved in these primates could help unravel the mysteries of human musicality.
The Biodiversity Crisis Needs Its Net Zero Moment
Climate change isn’t the only major crisis facing the world. We’re in the middle of a mass extinction, and we’re missing all of our biodiversity targets.
Antibiotic Use in US Farm Animals Was Falling. Now It’s Not
A new FDA report shows that a long-awaited Obama-era initiative to stop the spread of superbugs and improve animal welfare has stalled out.
A Gene-Tweaked Jellyfish Offers a Glimpse of Other Minds
Researchers have created jellyfish whose nerve cells light up when they fire, offering a tantalizing view of neurology before the rise of the brain.
Is There a Genetic Link to Being an Extremely Good Boy?
Guide dogs need the right personality, health, and training. Scientists are studying the genetics behind the traits that make a dog suited to working.
Meet the Cyberpunk Albatrosses Scanning for Secret Explosions
Acoustic waves can detect all kinds of explosions and volcanic activity, but it’s hard to place sensors at sea—unless you’ve got a bird with a backpack.
The North Carolina Town Besieged by Armadillos
Thanks to climate change, the armored animals are making their way up north. And there’s no sign of them stopping their relentless march.
Sponge Genes Hint at the Origins of Neurons and Other Cells
A new gene expression study reveals broad cellular diversity as well as possibly ancient connections between the nervous, immune, and digestive systems.
Glowing Worms Could Shed Light On the Secrets of Regeneration
Cut a panther worm into thirds and each section will grow a new body. Researchers injected some with a fluorescent protein to study how.
Early Evidence of How Wildfire Smoke Alters Bird Migration
A team tracking the flights of four Tule geese from Alaska to California documented how the birds changed course in response to dense smoke.
The Cutest Way to Fight Climate Change? Send in the Otters
Saving California's adorable (and very hungry) sea otters helps control other species, leading to the growth of more carbon-sequestering vegetation.
New England’s Moose Are Losing the Fight Against Winter Ticks
Climate change has given a tiny parasite a new advantage over the mighty beasts.
California Condors Are Capable of Asexual Reproduction
A new study shows that two captive birds had only maternal DNA and survived early development—a first for the critically endangered species.
How the Demise of the Dinosaurs Prompted a Snakesplosion
The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction killed 75 percent of all species—and allowed primordial snakes to flourish.
Another Global Pandemic Is Spreading—Among Pigs
African swine fever killed half the pigs in China. There is no vaccine and no treatment. Now it’s in the Caribbean and on the doorstep of the US.
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The Controversial Quest to Make Cow Burps Less Noxious
Their incessant belching loads the atmosphere with planet-warming methane. But it’s not so simple as just feeding them gas-busting seaweed.
Pandemic Bird-Watching Created a Data Boom—and a Conundrum
Avid amateurs are generating a wealth of information on avian activity. But does that data reflect new trends in bird behavior, or in people’s?
In a Tiny Arctic Town, Food Is Getting Harder to Come By
For her new book, Devi Lockwood traveled around the world gathering stories of how people are being directly affected by a warming planet.
Urchin Slayers Are Trying to Save the Underwater Rainforest
‘Zombie’ purple urchins have obliterated West Coast kelp forests with their insatiable appetites. Can they be stopped?
How a Duck Learned to Say ‘You Bloody Fool’
Voice analysis of a 34-year-old recording proves that Ripper the musk duck “independently evolved” to mimic his human caretakers.
Dolphins Eavesdrop on Each Other to Avoid Awkward Run-Ins
The new finding underscores the complexity of marine mammals’ social life and cognition. It may also help save the snoopy cetaceans.