Science News
Science News
Articles from Science News
sciencenews.orgA deadly fungus that can infect cats and people is spreading
It’s just a matter of time before Sporothrix brasiliensis reaches the U.S. a CDC expert says.
These birds clack their wing bones together to woo mates at night
During courtship, male scissor-tailed nightjars crack their wings together to make a sharp snapping sound. It's the result of colliding arm bones.
This tiny, blue octopus is new to science
The deep-sea octopus is fully mature despite fitting in a palm, a trait researchers think may help it reproduce faster than larger relatives.
Honeybees and shrimp are now getting vaccinated
A shrimp vaccine for commercial use could protect the environment and prove vaccines aren’t just for vertebrates.
Bumblebees can solve problems on their own
With no training, bumblebees can work out how to use a ball like a ladder to feed on sugar from an out-of-reach flower.
Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism
How animals navigate by Earth's magnetic field is hotly debated. New research in pigeons points to iron-laden liver immune cells as the compass.
Even careful scuba divers can damage coral reefs
Hours of diving videos and hundreds of survey responses reveal the common diver mistakes that can cause irreversible reef damage.
AI-powered whale-spotting tech may help save San Francisco Bay’s gray whales
An AI trained to use thermal images to detect whale body heat could help warn ships at risk of colliding with the marine mammals.
Meet ‘Snuffleupagus,’ a newfound fish sporting shaggy camouflage
Found near Australia, Solenostomus snuffleupagus is a shaggy swimmer that closely resembles Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street.
Crabs' sideways walk may have evolved just once
A study of 50 crab species in Japan traces the iconic sideways walk to a single ancestor, suggesting the trait drove the group's remarkable diversity.
Female rats like a different kind of tickling than males
Female rats prefer gentler tickling, a finding that could reshape animal happiness research.
Hantavirus questions grow in the wake of a cruise ship outbreak
Scientists still don’t know why Andes hantavirus is the only one shown to spread from person to person.
Territorial conflict may explain male primates’ large size
Male primates may be larger than females partly because of pressure from rival groups, not just competition with males inside their own group.
Singing mice puff up air sacs to make their sweet songs
To serenade with their high-pitched songs, singing mice inflate a throat sac — a use for air sacs seemingly unknown in any other animal.
What to know about a rare hantavirus outbreak at sea
Public health officials are racing to find out how the sometimes deadly hantavirus got aboard a cruise ship and if there has been human-to-human spread.
Giant, kraken-like octopuses may have ruled the Cretaceous deep
The kraken — a gigantic, tentacled sea monster capable of dragging ships and sailors down into the depths — is a creature of Norwegian myth. But millions of years ago, a similar real-life animal lurked in the deep.
Sweat bees turn a greenish color in muggy weather
North American sweat bees change color depending on the surrounding humidity. It might be a more widespread phenomenon among insects.
Got pesky, invasive corals? Blast ‘em away with air guns
Invasive corals are getting blown out of the water — with undersea air guns. While corals around the world are dying in vast numbers due to ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing and disease, invasive counterparts such as sun corals are taking over biodiversity hotspots.
This kea parrot is the first-known disabled alpha male
With half a beak, Bruce has developed an innovative fighting style that has won the kea top status in his flock, videos and documented interactions reveal.
An endangered mouse may need a helping hand to adapt to climate change
Pacific pocket mice are geographically isolated, but the species may retain the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate change.
Treetop toilets may act as communication hubs across mammal species
The strangler fig is a keystone species in the tropics, providing food and shelter, and a place to poop for 17 different mammal species.
New mutations help the H5N1 bird flu virus infect cows but not people
The findings show how the H5N1 bird flu virus is evolving in livestock and what that may mean for human health.
AI and tech advances may soon enable talking with animals
Advances in decoding animal sounds might someday make animal translators a possibility.
Nearly 1 in 5 gray whales die after entering the San Francisco Bay
Climate change could be forcing gray whales to seek food in San Francisco Bay, where vessel strikes may be driving rising deaths.
A new book finds parenting inspiration in the animal kingdom
Looking to creatures from burying beetles to spotted hyenas, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring explores what it means to be a good parent.
A deadly fungus that can infect cats and people is spreading
It’s just a matter of time before Sporothrix brasiliensis reaches the U.S. a CDC expert says.
These birds clack their wing bones together to woo mates at night
During courtship, male scissor-tailed nightjars crack their wings together to make a sharp snapping sound. It's the result of colliding arm bones.
This tiny, blue octopus is new to science
The deep-sea octopus is fully mature despite fitting in a palm, a trait researchers think may help it reproduce faster than larger relatives.
Honeybees and shrimp are now getting vaccinated
A shrimp vaccine for commercial use could protect the environment and prove vaccines aren’t just for vertebrates.
Bumblebees can solve problems on their own
With no training, bumblebees can work out how to use a ball like a ladder to feed on sugar from an out-of-reach flower.
Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism
How animals navigate by Earth's magnetic field is hotly debated. New research in pigeons points to iron-laden liver immune cells as the compass.
Even careful scuba divers can damage coral reefs
Hours of diving videos and hundreds of survey responses reveal the common diver mistakes that can cause irreversible reef damage.
AI-powered whale-spotting tech may help save San Francisco Bay’s gray whales
An AI trained to use thermal images to detect whale body heat could help warn ships at risk of colliding with the marine mammals.
Meet ‘Snuffleupagus,’ a newfound fish sporting shaggy camouflage
Found near Australia, Solenostomus snuffleupagus is a shaggy swimmer that closely resembles Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street.
Crabs' sideways walk may have evolved just once
A study of 50 crab species in Japan traces the iconic sideways walk to a single ancestor, suggesting the trait drove the group's remarkable diversity.
Female rats like a different kind of tickling than males
Female rats prefer gentler tickling, a finding that could reshape animal happiness research.
Hantavirus questions grow in the wake of a cruise ship outbreak
Scientists still don’t know why Andes hantavirus is the only one shown to spread from person to person.
Territorial conflict may explain male primates’ large size
Male primates may be larger than females partly because of pressure from rival groups, not just competition with males inside their own group.
Singing mice puff up air sacs to make their sweet songs
To serenade with their high-pitched songs, singing mice inflate a throat sac — a use for air sacs seemingly unknown in any other animal.
What to know about a rare hantavirus outbreak at sea
Public health officials are racing to find out how the sometimes deadly hantavirus got aboard a cruise ship and if there has been human-to-human spread.
Giant, kraken-like octopuses may have ruled the Cretaceous deep
The kraken — a gigantic, tentacled sea monster capable of dragging ships and sailors down into the depths — is a creature of Norwegian myth. But millions of years ago, a similar real-life animal lurked in the deep.
Sweat bees turn a greenish color in muggy weather
North American sweat bees change color depending on the surrounding humidity. It might be a more widespread phenomenon among insects.
Got pesky, invasive corals? Blast ‘em away with air guns
Invasive corals are getting blown out of the water — with undersea air guns. While corals around the world are dying in vast numbers due to ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing and disease, invasive counterparts such as sun corals are taking over biodiversity hotspots.
This kea parrot is the first-known disabled alpha male
With half a beak, Bruce has developed an innovative fighting style that has won the kea top status in his flock, videos and documented interactions reveal.
An endangered mouse may need a helping hand to adapt to climate change
Pacific pocket mice are geographically isolated, but the species may retain the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate change.
Treetop toilets may act as communication hubs across mammal species
The strangler fig is a keystone species in the tropics, providing food and shelter, and a place to poop for 17 different mammal species.
New mutations help the H5N1 bird flu virus infect cows but not people
The findings show how the H5N1 bird flu virus is evolving in livestock and what that may mean for human health.
AI and tech advances may soon enable talking with animals
Advances in decoding animal sounds might someday make animal translators a possibility.
Nearly 1 in 5 gray whales die after entering the San Francisco Bay
Climate change could be forcing gray whales to seek food in San Francisco Bay, where vessel strikes may be driving rising deaths.
A new book finds parenting inspiration in the animal kingdom
Looking to creatures from burying beetles to spotted hyenas, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring explores what it means to be a good parent.
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