Male orb-weaving spiders risk it all to get intimate with female mates—even their lives. Like a number of spider species, these silk web architects participate in sexual cannibalism, where typically females feast upon male mates or nibble on their appendages during or after sex. But the males of one particular orb-weaving spider species, Philoponella prominens
Orca whales are known to be powerful predators, but the ones off the coast of Western Australia might be the most ruthless of their species. The individuals in this region are genetically distinct from other populations around the world—and they seem to stand out with their hunting prowess as well. In a just-published analysis of
Some call whales the sentinels of the sea, as these massive, long-living creatures affect entire food chains in marine ecosystems, contribute greatly to nutrient cycles in the ocean, and house and recycle tons of carbon in their lives. Because of their important role in these carbon processes, whale survival and populations are more important than
Chimpanzees howl. They squeak. They bark. And sometimes, they scream, then grunt, then bark, and then scream, all in a row. And according to a study published today in the journal Communications Biology, that series of expressions might carry its own meaning, almost like a chimp phrase. Over the course of 2019 and into 2020
Crows are seen as a commanding symbol around the world, including as a sacred animal in Aboriginal culture and as a harbinger of death in Ancient Greece. The birds have played a prominent role in several cultures due to their widespread presence—about 40 species occupy Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and Central America. Now
Fiddler crabs and snapping shrimp rely on enlarged claws to impress or fight off members of their own species—and the bigger the weapon, the better the odds of winning over a mate. But large appendages can be a real energy drain. “[It’s] this kind of slow burn of a cost that happens all the time,”
Deep below the ocean—3,000 feet beneath the surface, where sunlight cannot seep—the sea is smothered in a cold, inky darkness. But a bobbing bright light sometimes breaks through the abyss. The glimmering shades of blue and green mesmerize curious fish and squid, tempting them closer. They likely think that they’ve stumbled upon a prized floating
Not every owl is a night owl. Of the 200-plus owl species that fly the world today, the vast majority are nocturnal or crepuscular and hunt at dusk, night, or dawn. But a select few are diurnal or cathemeral, meaning they’re most active in the daytime, or really, anytime. This can be determined by a
The following is an excerpt from The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent by Danielle J. Whittaker. Copyright 2022. Published with permission by Johns Hopkins University Press. “Birds don’t have a sense of smell, so I don’t understand why you’d study that anyway.” This extraordinary statement, expressed offhandedly by neurobiologist Dr. Jim Goodson while we
Somewhere in the last decade, in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, a parrot learned to pull the lid off of a trash can. First it stood on the edge of the lid and, bending head over heels, pried open a gap with its beak. With the lid in its mouth, it stepped onto the bin’s
