ADVERTISEMENT
Three turtles resting closely together on a log, one end of which is submerged in brackish water
Turtle Vocalizations Reframe Origins of Auditory Communication
Sounds made by more than 50 vertebrates previously thought to be mute push back the origin of this type of communication by at least 100 million years, a study finds.
Turtle Vocalizations Reframe Origins of Auditory Communication
Turtle Vocalizations Reframe Origins of Auditory Communication

Sounds made by more than 50 vertebrates previously thought to be mute push back the origin of this type of communication by at least 100 million years, a study finds.

Sounds made by more than 50 vertebrates previously thought to be mute push back the origin of this type of communication by at least 100 million years, a study finds.

animal behavior, evolution

A black dog with tearful eyes looks at the camera
Dogs Cry Tears of Joy: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Aug 22, 2022 | 6 min read
Pet dogs produce a larger volume of tears when they are reunited with their owners than with acquaintances, possibly because of surging oxytocin levels—findings that could be the first evidence of emotional crying in nonhuman animals.
Male common fruit fly (Drosophila Melanogaster) - about 2 mm long - sitting on a blade of grass with green foliage background
The Sex Appeal of Symmetric Songs
Mary Bates | Aug 1, 2022 | 5 min read
Female fruit flies assess the physical symmetry of male suitors through the songs they sing, a study claims.
A pair of zebra finches in a cage
Animal Divorce: When and Why Pairs Break Up
Catherine Offord | Jun 1, 2022 | 10+ min read
Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors.
Infographic showing genetic and social monogamy in birds
Infographic: A New Look at Monogamy Across the Animal Kingdom
Catherine Offord | Jun 1, 2022 | 2 min read
Advances in genetics in recent years has revealed that many apparently exclusive pairs in fact sometimes mate with individuals other than their partner, but social monogamy is widespread.
Salamander on log
Science Snapshot: Free Fallin’ Salamanders
Lisa Winter | May 26, 2022 | 1 min read
Arboreal salamanders use skydiving techniques to avoid smashing to the ground after a fall.
An illustration showing a scale weighing two double-stranded pieces of DNA that has a big question mark in the center.
Mouse Foraging Behavior Shaped by Opposite-Sex Parent’s Genes
Dan Robitzski | Apr 12, 2022 | 7 min read
A study in mice finds that for certain genes, one parent’s allele can dominate expression and shape behavior—and which parent’s allele does so varies throughout the body.
a microscope image of mouse fur
Some Mammals May Use Specialized Hairs to Detect Predators’ Heat
Amanda Heidt | Dec 16, 2021 | 2 min read
When observed under a microscope, guard hairs from mice resemble optical sensors used in thermal cameras to detect heat, according to a new study.
snake eating another snake
Male Snakes Cannibalizing Females Present Evolutionary Puzzle
Chloe Tenn | Nov 15, 2021 | 4 min read
The Scientist speaks with organismal biologist Xavier Glaudas about possible reasons for his recent finding that male Montpellier snakes cannibalize female conspecifics.
3D rendered illustration of a brain with signal waves in background to show the concept of consciousness
Book Excerpt from Feeling & Knowing
Antonio Damasio | Nov 1, 2021 | 4 min read
In Chapter 1, “On Being,” author Antonio Damasio outlines the dawn of consciousness.
Rendering of an iceberg
Opinion: Being, Feeling, and Knowing: Our Path to Consciousness
Antonio Damasio | Nov 1, 2021 | 3 min read
The idea that minds and consciousness might be generated by the nervous system alone is false.
a male musk duck
Talking Duck Stuns Animal Behavior Researcher
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Sep 5, 2021 | 7 min read
Leiden University’s Carel ten Cate tracked down 34-year-old duck recordings—and the man who made them—to verify that musk ducks are capable of vocal learning, an ability that hadn’t been thought to exist in waterfowl.
A woman sits with a camera and recording equipment looking up at a tree full of bats (unseen).
Baby Talk: Bat Pups Babble Like Human Infants
Annie Melchor | Aug 20, 2021 | 4 min read
By studying the vocal behavior of 20 baby bats from birth to weaning, researchers have identified striking similarities between how young humans and bats develop communication skills.
Regina Vega-Trejo holding a net
Incest Isn’t Taboo in Nature: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | May 7, 2021 | 4 min read
Avoiding inbreeding appears to be the exception rather than the norm for animals, according to a new meta-analysis of experimental studies.
Cuttlefish, cephalopod, mollusk, mollusca, animal behavior, marshmallow test, cognition, intelligence, evolution
Cuttlefish Delay Gratification, a Sign of Smarts
Asher Jones | Mar 5, 2021 | 8 min read
The cephalopods resisted temptation for up to 130 seconds to earn their favorite food, hinting at sophisticated cognitive abilities such as planning for the future.
Free Fallin’: How Scientists Study Unrestrained Insects
Amanda Heidt | Mar 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Researchers are pulling from video games, sports broadcasting, meteorology, and even missile guidance technology to better investigate how insects have mastered flight.
Infographic: VR, Radar, and Other Tricks for Studying Insects
Amanda Heidt | Mar 1, 2021 | 1 min read
Researchers are getting creative to understand flight behavior in the fast-moving and tiny animals.
mole-rat, naked mole-rat, animal behavior, social behavior, dialect, language, eusocial, evolution,
Naked Mole Rat Colonies Have Their Own Unique Dialects
Amanda Heidt | Feb 4, 2021 | 6 min read
Chirp dialects appear to be enforced by the colony’s queen, but scientists aren’t sure how. 
animal learning, zebra finch, model organism, communication, fast mapping, individual recognition, cognition, evolution
Zebra Finches Recognize the Calls of Over 40 Fellow Finches
Amanda Heidt | Nov 13, 2020 | 5 min read
Their ability to distinguish between individuals is strong evidence for fast mapping, a learning tool generally thought to belong only to humans.
Slingshot Spiders Pull More Gs than Cheetahs Do
Ashley Yeager | Nov 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Using their silk threads as a catapult, members of a family of orb-weaving arachnids rocket themselves and their webs through the air to capture prey.
ADVERTISEMENT