Fancy a tardigrade emoji? Biologists call for this and more to be added

There may be currently 3,782 emojis in the beloved Unicode library, yet a team of biologists has found its representation of the tree of life is significantly substandard.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Biodiversity, Animals, Animal sci… Continue reading Fancy a tardigrade emoji? Biologists call for this and more to be added

Mouse passes mirror test, joining elite club of ‘self-aware’ animals

Joining the likes of killer whales (Orcinus orca) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), plus a number of primates, a common dark-furred mouse has passed what’s known as the mirror test, backed up by gene mapping, that suggests it may possess we… Continue reading Mouse passes mirror test, joining elite club of ‘self-aware’ animals

This sea worm’s butt detaches from its body to swim off in search of love

In one of the strangest paths to reproduction, this tiny Japanese sea worm actually grows a ‘mini-me’ at its rear end, which it then deploys so it can swim off on its own in search of similar autonomous tail of the opposite sex to spawn with. The worm,… Continue reading This sea worm’s butt detaches from its body to swim off in search of love

Scientists capture first-ever photos of giant coconut-cracking rats

In 2017, scientists discovered a new species of giant rat that can reportedly crack open coconuts. Now, this extremely rare creature has been captured in the wild on camera for the first time.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Animal science, Anima… Continue reading Scientists capture first-ever photos of giant coconut-cracking rats

Bat uses huge heart-shaped penis to maneuver female in unusual mating act

In one of the strangest animal behavior discoveries this year, male serotine bats living in a church attic in the Netherlands have been captured on camera engaging in marathon sessions of non-penetrative sex – the first-ever instance of superficial-con… Continue reading Bat uses huge heart-shaped penis to maneuver female in unusual mating act

Mostly armless: A starfish is one big “head crawling along the seafloor”

Patrick Star of SpongeBob SquarePants fame had already stretched the boundaries of anatomical correctness, yet it turns out that what all of us think about the bodily composition of a sea star is most likely wrong, thanks to new genetic work that sugge… Continue reading Mostly armless: A starfish is one big “head crawling along the seafloor”

‘Overlooked’ dinosaur had superpower senses ideal for life underground

A dinosaur that has been derided as plain and boring has had its reputation upended, with new technology revealing that it was in possession of some serious Late Cretaceous-era sensory superpowers that suggest it could have been thriving below the grou… Continue reading ‘Overlooked’ dinosaur had superpower senses ideal for life underground

Who you callin’ bird-brained? Pigeons learn the same way AI models do

Despite many studies showing pigeons are surprisingly smart, from being as good at counting as primates, to being able to identify breast cancer in X-rays, scientists are fighting a losing battle to dispute their widely held reputation as being a bit “… Continue reading Who you callin’ bird-brained? Pigeons learn the same way AI models do

Smart coop AI ‘Albert Eggstein’ can now translate your chickens’ chatter

Whether motivated by the environment and sustainability, the rising price of eggs, or how the pandemic profoundly changed home life for many families, it’s estimated that more than 17 million US households now have backyard chickens, with the numbers r… Continue reading Smart coop AI ‘Albert Eggstein’ can now translate your chickens’ chatter