Animals

Animals

Newfound technique allows some tree snakes to climb wide trees

When a tree is too wide to climb, brown tree snakes use a lasso-like trick to slowly ascend up to snacks.

Animals

Let’s learn about taste

Taste tells us what’s good to eat, but scientists are still learning about how it works.

Animals

Some electric eels coordinate their attacks to zap prey

Electric eels were thought be to lone hunters — until researchers observed more than 100 eels hunting together. Their coordinated electric attacks corralled prey.

Agriculture

Honeybees fend off deadly hornets by decorating hives with poop

Bees usually collect pollen and nectar. Scientists were surprised to find that Asian honeybees also gather animal dung to defend their hives.

Animals

Explainer: Insects, arachnids and other arthropods

Arthropods are all around us, but identifying them can be hard. To start, look at the four main groups: chelicera, crustaceans, myriapods and insects.

Animals

Camels have been dying after mistaking plastic for food

Plastic waste has been building up in the guts of some camels. It may now be killing off one percent of them in the United Arab Emirates each year.

Animals

Africa’s poisonous rats are surprisingly social

Scientists confirm that the African crested rat can safely cover itself in poison and also find that the rodents may live in pairs — or even family groups.

Animals

Touching allows octopuses to pre-taste their food

Special sensory cells in their arms’ suckers sense chemicals. Those cells allow them to taste the difference between food and poison.

Animals

Utah mink is first known case of the coronavirus in a wild animal

A wild mink appears to have picked up the novel coronavirus from farmed animals. Such spread in the wild does not appear common.

Animals

Scientists Say: Lachryphagy

Some insects land on the eyeballs of larger animals. They are seeking out the salt and proteins in the animal’s tears.

Animals

Let’s learn about sharks

This ancient group of fish can use scent and even electricity to detect their prey. And they fill an important niche in the ocean.

Animals

Scientists Say: Medullary bone

Medullary bone is a layer that forms inside bird and dinosaur bones. It’s a source of the calcium in eggshells.