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
When the weather gets muggy, iridescent bees shift their metallic hue. The insects are a rich blue-green when ambient humidity is low. But as the amount of moisture in the air increases, the
The oldest fossil octopus isn’t an octopus at all. That’s the conclusion from new research on a perplexing fossil previously thought to be the most ancient record of an octopus. The findings —
Modern apes may have swung into existence in North Africa or the Middle East. New fossil findings — published March 26 in Science — unveil Masripithecus, a roughly 17-million-year-old early ape that lived
Mosquitoes have an appetite dampener in their derrières. When mosquitoes’ bellies are full, special cells in their rectums block their bloodthirst, researchers report March 20 in Current Biology. The finding may unlock a
A rapid koala rebound in southeastern Australia is also boosting their genetic variation, showing one way out of an extinction death spiral. After nearly disappearing from the region over a century ago, the
Some caterpillars speak ant by rocking to a beat. By jiggling like a cellphone receiving a call while on vibrate, the caterpillars cozy up to ants, reaping benefits for them both. The findings, published
Many people find their flattened faces cute, but among dogs bred with a squished visage, 11 percent or less of some breeds can breathe easily. The findings, published February 18 in PLOS One,
The length of your life may depend more upon your genes than scientists thought. Once you remove from consideration events that cut life short — such as infections and injury — genetics account
Spiders’ ability to spin webs may be one consequence of a really big genetic mistake. A close look at the genetics and development of spinnerets — spiders’ silk-making organs — reveals that an
