behavior

Research finds that a dog’s behavior has little to do with its genes.

Like in humans, the neurotransmitter appears to play a role in generating wanting-like behavior and, perhaps, happy memories in honeybees.

It was the first time a bird has removed a tracking device, and the second time a bird species showed cooperative “rescue” behavior.

The size and complexity of cephalopod brain structures differ depending on the habitats the creatures occupy, a study finds.

The Scientist spoke with physicist and microbial ecologist Idan Tuval, whose recent paper challenges the assumption that these single-celled organisms only communicate via chemical signals.

A new analysis of fossil footprints suggests that the 2-meter-tall, 4- to 5-meter-long carnivores that left them could run nearly 45 kilometers per hour, bolstering the evidence that at least some dinosaurs were speedy, agile hunters.

A study finds that the odorless compound hexadecanal, or HEX, increases aggressive behavior in women but has a calming effect on men.

The unbalanced gut flora present in some people with autism is not a driver of the condition but rather a consequence of eating behaviors characteristic of the condition, a new study claims.

Across the tree of life, animals use sound and other vibrations to glean valuable sensory information about their environments even before they are born.

Kyoto University is shuttering its Primate Research Institute after its director was dismissed for misuse of funding.

His work bridged the gap between psychology and neurobiology.

A study of feeding behavior suggests the fish feed differently in front of their partners—a behavioral feature also found in primates.

The endosymbiont Coxiella affects tick serotonin production and subsequent blood-feeding behavior, a study finds.

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.

The Scientist spoke to marine biologist Tim Lynch, who dusted off 25-year-old data from his PhD to figure out why olive sea snakes approach divers so often. He says the animals, especially the males, likely confuse people for potential mates.

A 12-year study shows variation among primate groups in how the animals clasp hands during grooming, but consistency within them, even as group membership shifts over time.

The hormone, which is well known for regulating appetite, appears to influence neuronal development—a finding that could shed light on disorders such as autism that involve dysfunctional synapse formation.

For the first time, scientists tracked large shark movements during hurricanes and found that tiger sharks may find the turmoil opportunistic for feeding.