91av - Life 91av - Life / 91av - Life /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 The truth about de-extinction: is it even possible, and why do it? /article/2486422-the-truth-about-de-extinction-is-it-even-possible-and-why-do-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:00:34 +0100 Ambitious projects aim to put dire wolves, woolly mammoths and passenger pigeons back into our ecosystems. But with so many technical and ethical hurdles, what is the real motivation? 2486422-the-truth-about-de-extinction-is-it-even-possible-and-why-do-it|2486422 Stunningly intimate octopus image wins aquatic photography prize /article/2486955-stunningly-intimate-octopus-image-wins-aquatic-photography-prize/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:59 +0100 Kat Zhou has won the Aquatic Life category in the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition, while a shot of a death-defying leap by a lemur took the top prize 2486955-stunningly-intimate-octopus-image-wins-aquatic-photography-prize|2486955 Peculiar plant could help us reconstruct ancient Earth’s climate /article/2487747-peculiar-plant-could-help-us-reconstruct-ancient-earths-climate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:00:20 +0100 Something strange happens to water as it moves through the stems of horsetail plants – and this unique process provides valuable clues for understanding past and present ecosystems 2487747-peculiar-plant-could-help-us-reconstruct-ancient-earths-climate|2487747 Oldest proteins yet recovered from 18-million-year-old teeth /article/2487702-oldest-proteins-yet-recovered-from-18-million-year-old-teeth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:00:04 +0100 The oldest protein fragments ever recovered have been extracted from fossilised teeth found in Kenya's Rift Valley, revealing the remains belonged to the ancient ancestors of rhinoceroses and elephants 2487702-oldest-proteins-yet-recovered-from-18-million-year-old-teeth|2487702 Colossal's plans to "de-extinct" the giant moa are still impossible /article/2487550-colossals-plans-to-de-extinct-the-giant-moa-are-still-impossible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:08:13 +0100 After a controversial project claiming to have resurrected the dire wolf, Colossal Biosciences has now announced plans to bring back nine species of the extinct moa bird 2487550-colossals-plans-to-de-extinct-the-giant-moa-are-still-impossible|2487550 Quick test reveals illegal elephant ivory disguised as mammoth tusks /video/2486529-quick-test-reveals-illegal-elephant-ivory-disguised-as-mammoth-tusks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:30:34 +0100 Researchers say they have developed a new way to distinguish between legal mammoth ivory and illegal elephant ivory.  Elephant ivory is often passed off as mammoth ivory when being imported. As the mammoth is extinct, it is legal to trade this form of ivory as opposed to that from elephant tusks, which was banned in … 2486529-quick-test-reveals-illegal-elephant-ivory-disguised-as-mammoth-tusks|2486529 Protocells self-assembling on micrometeorites hint at origins of life /article/2486181-protocells-self-assembling-on-micrometeorites-hint-at-origins-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:20:36 +0100 Micrometeorites are thought to shower down on planets throughout the universe, so the discovery that they help protocells form could tell us something about the chances of life elsewhere 2486181-protocells-self-assembling-on-micrometeorites-hint-at-origins-of-life|2486181 Orcas are bringing humans gifts – what does it mean? /article/2486216-orcas-are-bringing-humans-gifts-what-does-it-mean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:00:38 +0100 Researchers have documented orcas seemingly gifting rays, seals and fish to scientists and divers, which could suggest they have theory of mind and engage in altruism – even across species 2486216-orcas-are-bringing-humans-gifts-what-does-it-mean|2486216 How symbiosis made Earth what it is – and why it’s key to our future /article/2483956-how-symbiosis-made-earth-what-it-is-and-why-its-key-to-our-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:37 +0100 Two life forms living together helped spark the evolution of all complex life. By learning to appreciate this process more fully, we might be able to harness it to heal our planet too 2483956-how-symbiosis-made-earth-what-it-is-and-why-its-key-to-our-future|2483956 Why you should assume that even the simplest animals are conscious /article/2483940-why-you-should-assume-that-even-the-simplest-animals-are-conscious/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:15 +0100 There is mounting evidence that even surprisingly simple animals, like invertebrates, have a level of consciousness - but not in the way you might think 2483940-why-you-should-assume-that-even-the-simplest-animals-are-conscious|2483940 91av recommends Phoebe Waller-Bridge's documentary Octopus! /article/mg26635490-500-new-scientist-recommends-phoebe-waller-bridges-documentary-octopus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that 91av staff have enjoyed this week mg26635490-500-new-scientist-recommends-phoebe-waller-bridges-documentary-octopus|2485227 A new book reveals the deep flaws in our natural history museums /article/mg26635490-400-a-new-book-reveals-the-deep-flaws-in-our-natural-history-museums/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Natural history museums teach us about our world, but they aren’t telling us the whole story, writes curator Jack Ashby in Nature's Memory mg26635490-400-a-new-book-reveals-the-deep-flaws-in-our-natural-history-museums|2485226 Ash trees are rapidly evolving some resistance to ash dieback disease /article/2485999-ash-trees-are-rapidly-evolving-some-resistance-to-ash-dieback-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:00:47 +0100 DNA sequencing shows young trees are more likely to have gene variants that confer partial resistance to a fungus that has been wiping out ash trees across Europe 2485999-ash-trees-are-rapidly-evolving-some-resistance-to-ash-dieback-disease|2485999 A closer look at Enigmacursor, the newly discovered dinosaur species /video/2486029-a-closer-look-at-enigmacursor-the-newly-discovered-dinosaur-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:05:26 +0100 A newly discovered species of dinosaur is now on display at London’s Natural History Museum . Researchers have named this new species Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae, a speedy, two-legged herbivore, 64 centimetres tall and 180 cm long that lived about 145 million to 150 million years ago, during the Late Jurassic Period. 91av spoke to  Susannah … 2486029-a-closer-look-at-enigmacursor-the-newly-discovered-dinosaur-species|2486029 Small and speedy dinosaur recognised as a new species /article/2485569-small-and-speedy-dinosaur-recognised-as-a-new-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 25 Jun 2025 01:01:25 +0100 Enigmacursor darted around North America in the Late Jurassic 145-150 million years ago and its skeleton is now on display in London’s Natural History Museum 2485569-small-and-speedy-dinosaur-recognised-as-a-new-species|2485569 Enigmatic lizards somehow survived near Chicxulub asteroid impact /article/2485549-enigmatic-lizards-somehow-survived-near-chicxulub-asteroid-impact/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 25 Jun 2025 01:01:55 +0100 The night lizards may have been the only terrestrial vertebrates that survived in the region of the asteroid impact 66 million years ago, which led to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs 2485549-enigmatic-lizards-somehow-survived-near-chicxulub-asteroid-impact|2485549 Ancient people took wallabies to Indonesian islands in canoes /article/2485490-ancient-people-took-wallabies-to-indonesian-islands-in-canoes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:00:09 +0100 Humans established a wild population of brown forest wallabies in the Raja Ampat Islands thousands of years ago for their meat and fur in one of the earliest known species translocations 2485490-ancient-people-took-wallabies-to-indonesian-islands-in-canoes|2485490 Orcas scrub each other clean with bits of kelp /article/2485501-orcas-scrub-each-other-clean-with-bits-of-kelp/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:00:43 +0100 Drone footage has captured killer whales breaking off stalks of kelp and rubbing the pieces on other orcas, a rare case of tool use in marine animals 2485501-orcas-scrub-each-other-clean-with-bits-of-kelp|2485501 Sea spiders 'farm' methane-eating bacteria on their bodies /article/2485354-sea-spiders-farm-methane-eating-bacteria-on-their-bodies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 20 Jun 2025 22:02:03 +0100 Sea spiders living near deep-sea methane seeps appear to cultivate and eat bacteria on their exoskeletons 2485354-sea-spiders-farm-methane-eating-bacteria-on-their-bodies|2485354 Fish rescue wins 91av Editors Award at Earth Photo 2025 /article/2484379-fish-rescue-wins-new-scientist-editors-award-at-earth-photo-2025/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:16 +0100 This photo series capturing efforts to save the Chinook salmon of the Klamath river in the western US won the 91av Editors Award at the Earth Photo 2025 competition 2484379-fish-rescue-wins-new-scientist-editors-award-at-earth-photo-2025|2484379 The surprising silver lining to the recent boom in invertebrate pets /article/mg26635480-100-the-surprising-silver-lining-to-the-recent-boom-in-invertebrate-pets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From spiders to scorpions, some 1000 different invertebrate species are traded globally as pets. This is bad for biodiversity – but there is an upside, says Graham Lawton mg26635480-100-the-surprising-silver-lining-to-the-recent-boom-in-invertebrate-pets|2484224 Australian moths use the stars as a compass on 1000-km migrations /article/2484724-australian-moths-use-the-stars-as-a-compass-on-1000-km-migrations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0100 Bogong moths are the first invertebrates known to navigate using the night sky during annual migrations to highland caves 2484724-australian-moths-use-the-stars-as-a-compass-on-1000-km-migrations|2484724 Ancient monstersaur had 'goblin-like' teeth and sheddable tail /article/2484652-ancient-monstersaur-had-goblin-like-teeth-and-sheddable-tail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:01:35 +0100 The discovery of a prehistoric tail-shedding reptile reveals more about large lizard life and lineage during the Late Cretaceous Epoch 2484652-ancient-monstersaur-had-goblin-like-teeth-and-sheddable-tail|2484652 Cryopreserved sea star larvae could enable vital species to recover /article/2483376-cryopreserved-sea-star-larvae-could-enable-vital-species-to-recover/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:00:26 +0100 Sea star larvae have been stored at -200°C and thawed for the first time, a step towards restoring populations that have been ravaged by disease 2483376-cryopreserved-sea-star-larvae-could-enable-vital-species-to-recover|2483376 Biotech firm aims to create ‘ChatGPT of biology’ – will it work? /article/2484323-biotech-firm-aims-to-create-chatgpt-of-biology-will-it-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:13:20 +0100 A UK biotech firm spent years gathering genetic data that has uncovered 1 million previously unknown microbial species and billions of newly identified genes – but even this trove of data may not be enough to train an AI biologist 2484323-biotech-firm-aims-to-create-chatgpt-of-biology-will-it-work|2484323 91av recommends the British Library’s Unearthed exhibition /article/mg26635470-600-new-scientist-recommends-the-british-librarys-unearthed-exhibition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that 91av staff have enjoyed this week mg26635470-600-new-scientist-recommends-the-british-librarys-unearthed-exhibition|2483478 Inside Europe's largest jellyfish farm /article/mg26635470-300-inside-europes-largest-jellyfish-farm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Images from a jellyfish-breeding facility in Germany showcase the luminous invertebrates' environmental challenges and medical promise mg26635470-300-inside-europes-largest-jellyfish-farm|2483475 Sauropod dinosaur's last meal reveals that it didn't bother to chew /article/2483275-sauropod-dinosaurs-last-meal-reveals-that-it-didnt-bother-to-chew/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:00:01 +0100 A sauropod dinosaur fossil has been found with preserved stomach contents for the first time, providing insights into what they ate and how 2483275-sauropod-dinosaurs-last-meal-reveals-that-it-didnt-bother-to-chew|2483275 Dazzling oak leaf prints merge science and nature /article/mg26635463-300-dazzling-oak-leaf-prints-merge-science-and-nature/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Artist Clare Hewitt uses fallen oak leaves and sunlight to create her works of art before returning the leaves to the forest mg26635463-300-dazzling-oak-leaf-prints-merge-science-and-nature|2482647 Worms team up to form tentacles when they want to go places /article/2482950-worms-team-up-to-form-tentacles-when-they-want-to-go-places/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:00:23 +0100 Thousands of tiny nematode worms can join up to form tentacle-like towers that can straddle large gaps or hitch rides on larger animals 2482950-worms-team-up-to-form-tentacles-when-they-want-to-go-places|2482950 Why avoiding a sixth mass extinction is easier than it sounds /article/mg26635463-500-why-avoiding-a-sixth-mass-extinction-is-easier-than-it-sounds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Putting an end to a mass extinction sounds like an impossible task, but some researchers argue that doing so would be setting our ambitions too low mg26635463-500-why-avoiding-a-sixth-mass-extinction-is-easier-than-it-sounds|2482766 There’s growing evidence the big five mass extinctions never happened /article/2481371-theres-growing-evidence-the-big-five-mass-extinctions-never-happened/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:25 +0100 Surprising new fossil evidence undermines the idea that there was ever a mass extinction on land – and may force us to reframe the current biodiversity crisis 2481371-theres-growing-evidence-the-big-five-mass-extinctions-never-happened|2481371 Crafty cockatoos learn to use public drinking fountains /article/2482652-crafty-cockatoos-learn-to-use-public-drinking-fountains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 04 Jun 2025 01:01:25 +0100 Sulphur-crested cockatoos are waiting in line at public drinking fountains in Sydney to have their daily drinks of water in the latest example of cultural evolution in urban birds 2482652-crafty-cockatoos-learn-to-use-public-drinking-fountains|2482652 Dinosaur's water-loving nature brought to life in BBC show /video/2482874-dinosaurs-water-loving-nature-brought-to-life-in-bbc-show/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:40:23 +0100 Palaeontologists are finding more dinosaur remains than ever before, and with new technology they can now peer inside these creatures' brains, understand their sensory anatomy and reconstruct whole skeletons from fragmentary remains. Applying novel techniques to a single Spinosaurus skeleton discovered in Morocco, researchers have revealed that this dinosaur was perfectly adapted to an aquatic … 2482874-dinosaurs-water-loving-nature-brought-to-life-in-bbc-show|2482874 Super-invasive termites could spread from Florida around the world /article/2482851-super-invasive-termites-could-spread-from-florida-around-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:32:04 +0100 Two of the most destructive invasive termite species are interbreeding in the US – they can survive a wider range of temperatures and could easily spread across the globe 2482851-super-invasive-termites-could-spread-from-florida-around-the-world|2482851 Does the old concept of companion planting have any science behind it? /article/mg26635450-900-does-the-old-concept-of-companion-planting-have-any-science-behind-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The belief that adding certain plants around crops will boost their growth is an old one, but will your tomatoes' yield and flavour really be improved by growing tasty herbs alongside them? James Wong investigates mg26635450-900-does-the-old-concept-of-companion-planting-have-any-science-behind-it|2481582 Italian festival of the snake-catchers revealed in colourful photos /article/mg26635450-300-italian-festival-of-the-snake-catchers-revealed-in-colourful-photos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The village of Cocullo celebrates a festa dei serpari every May – and scientists are getting in on the action mg26635450-300-italian-festival-of-the-snake-catchers-revealed-in-colourful-photos|2481566 First evidence of ancient birds nesting above the Arctic circle /article/2482217-first-evidence-of-ancient-birds-nesting-above-the-arctic-circle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 29 May 2025 20:00:32 +0100 Tiny bone fragments from Alaska suggest birds started breeding and nesting in the Arctic 30 million years earlier than previously thought 2482217-first-evidence-of-ancient-birds-nesting-above-the-arctic-circle|2482217 Fossils show puzzling lack of evolution during last ice age peak /article/2481751-fossils-show-puzzling-lack-of-evolution-during-last-ice-age-peak/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 28 May 2025 15:00:12 +0100 Thousands of fossils from the La Brea tar pits in California show no signs of mammals and birds evolving in response to shifting temperatures over the past 50,000 years 2481751-fossils-show-puzzling-lack-of-evolution-during-last-ice-age-peak|2481751 We’re getting close to recreating the first step in evolution of life /article/2482049-were-getting-close-to-recreating-the-first-step-in-evolution-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 28 May 2025 11:00:51 +0100 Life is thought to have begun when RNA began replicating itself, and researchers have got close to achieving this in the lab 2482049-were-getting-close-to-recreating-the-first-step-in-evolution-of-life|2482049 Why birds decorate their nests with weird and unnatural objects /article/2481300-why-birds-decorate-their-nests-with-weird-and-unnatural-objects/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 23 May 2025 14:00:04 +0100 Puzzlingly, many birds add human-made material to their nests with no obvious function – now there is evidence that these home improvements might ward off predators 2481300-why-birds-decorate-their-nests-with-weird-and-unnatural-objects|2481300 Flash floods sweep through vital sanctuary for Australian animals /article/2481536-flash-floods-sweep-through-vital-sanctuary-for-australian-animals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 23 May 2025 11:46:07 +0100 Wildlife carers fostering some of Australia’s most precious animals have had to rescue them one by one from rising waters and are now racing to repair fencing that keeps feral predators away 2481536-flash-floods-sweep-through-vital-sanctuary-for-australian-animals|2481536 Giant ground sloths evolved three different times for the same reason /article/2481349-giant-ground-sloths-evolved-three-different-times-for-the-same-reason/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 22 May 2025 20:00:48 +0100 An analysis of the sloth family tree suggests three different groups of the animals evolved to gigantic sizes in response to cold and dry conditions 2481349-giant-ground-sloths-evolved-three-different-times-for-the-same-reason|2481349 Penguin poo helps keep Antarctica cool /article/2481436-penguin-poo-helps-keep-antarctica-cool/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 22 May 2025 17:00:28 +0100 Huge colonies of penguins in Antarctica fill the air with ammonia, which boosts particles in the atmosphere that allow climate-cooling clouds to form 2481436-penguin-poo-helps-keep-antarctica-cool|2481436 Colossal scientist now admits they haven’t really made dire wolves /article/2481409-colossal-scientist-now-admits-they-havent-really-made-dire-wolves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 22 May 2025 15:33:55 +0100 Despite a huge media fanfare in which Colossal Biosciences claimed to have resurrected the extinct dire wolf, the company's chief scientist now concedes that the animals are merely modified grey wolves 2481409-colossal-scientist-now-admits-they-havent-really-made-dire-wolves|2481409 The first teeth were sensory organs on the skin of ancient fish /article/2481186-the-first-teeth-were-sensory-organs-on-the-skin-of-ancient-fish/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 21 May 2025 17:00:37 +0100 Teeth are good for chewing and biting, but they are also sensitive – and that may have been their original function hundreds of millions of years ago 2481186-the-first-teeth-were-sensory-organs-on-the-skin-of-ancient-fish|2481186 Supergiant crustaceans could live across half the deep-sea floor /article/2480859-supergiant-crustaceans-could-live-across-half-the-deep-sea-floor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 21 May 2025 01:01:05 +0100 The enigmatic crustacean Alicella gigantea is the world’s largest amphipod, but like all deep-sea creatures it hasn’t proved easy to find 2480859-supergiant-crustaceans-could-live-across-half-the-deep-sea-floor|2480859 Capuchin monkeys are stealing howler monkey babies in weird fad /article/2480552-capuchin-monkeys-are-stealing-howler-monkey-babies-in-weird-fad/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 19 May 2025 17:00:33 +0100 A group of white-faced capuchins on a remote island have started stealing infants from another primate species, and researchers don’t know why 2480552-capuchin-monkeys-are-stealing-howler-monkey-babies-in-weird-fad|2480552 Remarkable photos highlight the haunting resilience of nature /article/2479524-remarkable-photos-highlight-the-haunting-resilience-of-nature/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:26 +0100 Acclaimed photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier showcase a changing planet as part of the Photo London photography fair 2479524-remarkable-photos-highlight-the-haunting-resilience-of-nature|2479524 Grisly new book reveals what zombie insects can teach us /article/mg26635430-400-grisly-new-book-reveals-what-zombie-insects-can-teach-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In Rise of the Zombie Bugs, Mindy Weisberger zooms in on how parasites hijack the brains of their tiny host animals mg26635430-400-grisly-new-book-reveals-what-zombie-insects-can-teach-us|2479641 Robert Macfarlane is wrong to cast rivers as life forms in new book /article/mg26635410-200-robert-macfarlane-is-wrong-to-cast-rivers-as-life-forms-in-new-book/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 We should protect Earth's rivers and forests with laws. But it is another matter to claim them as living beings, as Robert Macfarlane does in his new book Is a River Alive? mg26635410-200-robert-macfarlane-is-wrong-to-cast-rivers-as-life-forms-in-new-book|2478020 Exquisite new-to-science frog species has golden legs and odd habits /article/2479613-exquisite-new-to-science-frog-species-has-golden-legs-and-odd-habits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 14 May 2025 20:00:05 +0100 A newly described poison dart frog, which is about the size of a thumbnail, has been found in the forests of the Juruá river basin in Brazil 2479613-exquisite-new-to-science-frog-species-has-golden-legs-and-odd-habits|2479613 Fossil tracks rewrite history of animals leaving water to live on land /article/2479817-fossil-tracks-rewrite-history-of-animals-leaving-water-to-live-on-land/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 14 May 2025 17:00:45 +0100 The footprints of a reptile-like creature appear to have been laid down around 356 million years ago, pushing back the earliest known instance of animals emerging from the water to live on land 2479817-fossil-tracks-rewrite-history-of-animals-leaving-water-to-live-on-land|2479817 All living things emit an eerie glow that is snuffed out upon death /article/2479590-all-living-things-emit-an-eerie-glow-that-is-snuffed-out-upon-death/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 09 May 2025 15:52:44 +0100 Our bodies emit a stream of low-energy photons, and now experiments in mice have revealed that this ghostly glow is cut off when we die 2479590-all-living-things-emit-an-eerie-glow-that-is-snuffed-out-upon-death|2479590 Chimps share 'building blocks of musical rhythm' with humans /article/2479462-chimps-share-building-blocks-of-musical-rhythm-with-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 09 May 2025 17:00:56 +0100 Just like humans, chimps have rhythm when drumming, which suggests that the trait evolved in our common ancestor 2479462-chimps-share-building-blocks-of-musical-rhythm-with-humans|2479462 Is the fungal science in The Last of Us going off the rails? /article/2479490-is-the-fungal-science-in-the-last-of-us-going-off-the-rails/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 09 May 2025 13:00:01 +0100 With season 2 unfolding, the science of the fungal horror drama is becoming shakier. It is a pity that the creators haven’t thought about terrifying scenarios of real-life infection, says Corrado Nai 2479490-is-the-fungal-science-in-the-last-of-us-going-off-the-rails|2479490 What if we could experience life as another species? /article/mg26635420-100-what-if-we-could-experience-life-as-another-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 07 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In this latest instalment of our speculative column Future Chronicles, an imagined history of future inventions, Rowan Hooper explores the pros (and cons) of networking our brains with those of other animals mg26635420-100-what-if-we-could-experience-life-as-another-species|2478907 The birds upending our idea of shared parenting /article/2479275-the-birds-upending-our-idea-of-shared-parenting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 07 May 2025 17:00:44 +0100 Superb starlings appear to swap between parent and ‘nanny’ roles to help raise chicks over their lifetimes, even when they aren’t related to them 2479275-the-birds-upending-our-idea-of-shared-parenting|2479275 Strange microbes give clues to the ancestor of all complex life /article/2479335-strange-microbes-give-clues-to-the-ancestor-of-all-complex-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 07 May 2025 17:00:32 +0100 The origin of complex eukaryotic cells, of the type found in all plants and animals, is shrouded in mystery. Now, strange microbes from wetlands in China are helping us to understand when they first emerged, and what they were like 2479335-strange-microbes-give-clues-to-the-ancestor-of-all-complex-life|2479335 England has just given the thumbs up to gene-edited plants. Hooray! /article/2479154-england-has-just-given-the-thumbs-up-to-gene-edited-plants-hooray/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 07 May 2025 11:00:24 +0100 A UK parliamentary committee has greenlit gene-edited plants. This is great news, as it will boost food production and reduce waste, says Michael Le Page 2479154-england-has-just-given-the-thumbs-up-to-gene-edited-plants-hooray|2479154 Best evidence yet that dolphin whistles are like a shared language /article/2478894-best-evidence-yet-that-dolphin-whistles-are-like-a-shared-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 02 May 2025 15:00:33 +0100 While dolphins are known to transmit information in their whistles, until now it hasn't been clear whether the marine mammals used the same sounds to indicate a shared understanding of a concept 2478894-best-evidence-yet-that-dolphin-whistles-are-like-a-shared-language|2478894 91av recommends Ocean with David Attenborough /article/mg26635410-400-new-scientist-recommends-ocean-with-david-attenborough/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that 91av staff have enjoyed this week mg26635410-400-new-scientist-recommends-ocean-with-david-attenborough|2478022 Welcome to a great, straightforward guide to the tree of life /article/mg26635410-300-welcome-to-a-great-straightforward-guide-to-the-tree-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Max Telford's new book, The Tree of Life, is a millennia-spanning exploration of the history – and future – of evolutionary relationships mg26635410-300-welcome-to-a-great-straightforward-guide-to-the-tree-of-life|2478021 How Greenland sharks live for hundreds of years without going blind /article/2478628-how-greenland-sharks-live-for-hundreds-of-years-without-going-blind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 01 May 2025 16:00:33 +0100 Greenland sharks show no signs of retinal degeneration despite living for up to 400 years, and scientists have identified genetic adaptations that may explain how 2478628-how-greenland-sharks-live-for-hundreds-of-years-without-going-blind|2478628 Let's remember that extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence /article/mg26635412-800-lets-remember-that-extraordinary-claims-need-extraordinary-evidence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Several recent scientific findings, including signs of life on an exoplanet and 'de-extinction' of the dire wolf have caused a stir but when a claim seems too good to be true it probably is mg26635412-800-lets-remember-that-extraordinary-claims-need-extraordinary-evidence|2478263 Should you water your orchid with ice cubes? /article/mg26635400-900-should-you-water-your-orchid-with-ice-cubes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 There's a fierce debate raging in the horticulture world over whether adding ice cubes to your orchid is beneficial or damaging for this tropical plant. James Wong investigates mg26635400-900-should-you-water-your-orchid-with-ice-cubes|2477146 Can a strange state of matter explain what life is – and how it began? /article/mg26635401-500-can-a-strange-state-of-matter-explain-what-life-is-and-how-it-began/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0100 Laboratory experiments have coaxed simple molecules into states that naturally become more complex, hinting at the origins of evolution itself mg26635401-500-can-a-strange-state-of-matter-explain-what-life-is-and-how-it-began|2477153 Chronicling nature activism in a coastal corner of India /article/mg26635400-700-chronicling-nature-activism-in-a-coastal-corner-of-india/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Intertidal is Yuvan Aves's extraordinary, personal exploration of the rich wildlife offsetting the urbanity of Chennai, India. While its focus is a small strip of Indian coast, its issues are global mg26635400-700-chronicling-nature-activism-in-a-coastal-corner-of-india|2477134 'Bone collector' caterpillar wears dead insect body parts as disguise /article/2477925-bone-collector-caterpillar-wears-dead-insect-body-parts-as-disguise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 24 Apr 2025 20:00:52 +0100 A carnivorous caterpillar species camouflages itself with dead insects so it can live safely alongside spiders, stalking their webs and stealing their prey 2477925-bone-collector-caterpillar-wears-dead-insect-body-parts-as-disguise|2477925 Oldest ant fossil ever found shows how ants took over the world /article/2477845-oldest-ant-fossil-ever-found-shows-how-ants-took-over-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:00:28 +0100 A fossilised 113-million-year-old hell ant from Brazil adds to the evidence that the first ants evolved in the southern hemisphere before moving north – and beyond 2477845-oldest-ant-fossil-ever-found-shows-how-ants-took-over-the-world|2477845 Dire wolf 'de-extinction' criticised by conservation group /article/2477747-dire-wolf-de-extinction-criticised-by-conservation-group/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:51:15 +0100 The attempted creation of dire wolves could undermine conservation efforts by making people think extinct species can be revived, says the International Union for Conservation of Nature 2477747-dire-wolf-de-extinction-criticised-by-conservation-group|2477747 Bats that walk backwards have developed unusual navigation strategy /article/2477402-bats-that-walk-backwards-have-developed-unusual-navigation-strategy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:00:57 +0100 Greater mouse-tailed bats crawl backwards over cave walls, and it seems they use their long tails to help feel their way 2477402-bats-that-walk-backwards-have-developed-unusual-navigation-strategy|2477402 Giant coral colony discovered in Red Sea tourism hotspot /article/2477277-giant-coral-colony-discovered-in-red-sea-tourism-hotspot/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:00:32 +0100 A huge colony of Pavona coral near the coast of Saudi Arabia is thought to be the largest living example found in the Red Sea 2477277-giant-coral-colony-discovered-in-red-sea-tourism-hotspot|2477277 Stone Age dog skeleton hints at complex early relationship with pets /article/2477380-stone-age-dog-skeleton-hints-at-complex-early-relationship-with-pets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:00:40 +0100 A nearly complete skeleton found in a cave in France belonged to a group known as the Palaeolithic dogs and its skeleton suggests it had a confusing relationship with humans 2477380-stone-age-dog-skeleton-hints-at-complex-early-relationship-with-pets|2477380 Images capture the timeless beauty of America's ancient forests /article/mg26635390-600-images-capture-the-timeless-beauty-of-americas-ancient-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Photographer Mitch Epstein's years-long project highlights the majesty and vulnerability of old growth forests across the US mg26635390-600-images-capture-the-timeless-beauty-of-americas-ancient-forests|2476250 Living material made from fungus could make buildings more sustainable /article/2476888-living-material-made-from-fungus-could-make-buildings-more-sustainable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:00:48 +0100 Researchers have used a fungus and bacteria to create rigid, living structures similar to bone and coral, which could one day be used as a self-repairing building material 2476888-living-material-made-from-fungus-could-make-buildings-more-sustainable|2476888 First ever confirmed image of a colossal squid in the deep ocean /article/2476783-first-ever-confirmed-image-of-a-colossal-squid-in-the-deep-ocean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 15 Apr 2025 22:00:39 +0100 The colossal squid is the largest invertebrate on the planet, but it is also surprisingly elusive. An image of a 30-centimetre-long juvenile is our first glimpse of the animal in its natural habitat 2476783-first-ever-confirmed-image-of-a-colossal-squid-in-the-deep-ocean|2476783 Puppy intelligence tests can predict how dogs will turn out as adults /article/2476398-puppy-intelligence-tests-can-predict-how-dogs-will-turn-out-as-adults/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:00:49 +0100 Puppies’ performance in cognitive tests at 3 to 7 months old can give a strong indication of their personalities and trainability as adults 2476398-puppy-intelligence-tests-can-predict-how-dogs-will-turn-out-as-adults|2476398 What the surprising lives of solitary animals reveal about us /article/mg26635380-100-what-the-surprising-lives-of-solitary-animals-reveal-about-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:30:00 +0100 A new understanding of why some animals evolved to be loners, and the benefits that brings, shows that a social lifestyle isn’t necessarily superior mg26635380-100-what-the-surprising-lives-of-solitary-animals-reveal-about-us|2474981 Dolphins are dying from toxic chemicals banned since the 1980s /article/2476080-dolphins-are-dying-from-toxic-chemicals-banned-since-the-1980s/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:00:33 +0100 Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are commonly found in the bodies of short-beaked common dolphins that get stranded on UK beaches, and are linked to the animals’ risk of infectious diseases 2476080-dolphins-are-dying-from-toxic-chemicals-banned-since-the-1980s|2476080 Rethink of fossils hints dinosaurs still thrived before asteroid hit /article/2475463-rethink-of-fossils-hints-dinosaurs-still-thrived-before-asteroid-hit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:00:20 +0100 The number of dinosaurs may have been stable before the asteroid impact, despite evidence that species were getting less diverse 2475463-rethink-of-fossils-hints-dinosaurs-still-thrived-before-asteroid-hit|2475463 No, the dire wolf has not been brought back from extinction /article/2475407-no-the-dire-wolf-has-not-been-brought-back-from-extinction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 07 Apr 2025 20:45:32 +0100 Colossal Biosciences claims three pups born recently are dire wolves, but they are actually grey wolves with genetic edits intended to make them resemble the lost species 2475407-no-the-dire-wolf-has-not-been-brought-back-from-extinction|2475407 The animals revealing why human culture isn't as special as we thought /article/mg26635374-000-the-animals-revealing-why-human-culture-isnt-as-special-as-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0100 Even animals with very small brains turn out to have cultural traditions, which poses a puzzler for biologists wondering what makes human culture unique mg26635374-000-the-animals-revealing-why-human-culture-isnt-as-special-as-we-thought|2474490 Cannibal spiders have strange trick to stop their siblings eating them /article/2475097-cannibal-spiders-have-strange-trick-to-stop-their-siblings-eating-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:00:27 +0100 A spider species eat their siblings as soon as they die but tolerate each other when they are alive, suggesting a mysterious signal helps them to determine when to dine on a nest mate 2475097-cannibal-spiders-have-strange-trick-to-stop-their-siblings-eating-them|2475097 Largest ever US honeybee die-off has destroyed 1.6 million colonies /article/2475203-largest-ever-us-honeybee-die-off-has-destroyed-1-6-million-colonies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 04 Apr 2025 20:00:29 +0100 Beekeepers often experience some seasonal losses, but this past winter, more than half of all US honeybee colonies died off, potentially the largest loss in US history 2475203-largest-ever-us-honeybee-die-off-has-destroyed-1-6-million-colonies|2475203 Bonobos use a kind of syntax once thought to be unique to humans /article/2474993-bonobos-use-a-kind-of-syntax-once-thought-to-be-unique-to-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 03 Apr 2025 20:00:06 +0100 The way bonobos combine vocal sounds to create new meanings suggests the evolutionary building blocks of human language are shared with our closest relatives 2474993-bonobos-use-a-kind-of-syntax-once-thought-to-be-unique-to-humans|2474993 Plant skin grafts could result in new kinds of vegetables /article/2474681-plant-skin-grafts-could-result-in-new-kinds-of-vegetables/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:00:26 +0100 A company in the Netherlands says it has perfected a way to create "graft chimeras" with the skin of one plant and the innards of another 2474681-plant-skin-grafts-could-result-in-new-kinds-of-vegetables|2474681 Monkeys use crafty techniques to get junk food from tourists /article/2474184-monkeys-use-crafty-techniques-to-get-junk-food-from-tourists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:02:32 +0100 At the Dakshineswar temple complex in India, Hanuman langurs beg for food by grabbing visitors’ legs or tugging on their clothes – and they don’t stop until they get their favourite snacks 2474184-monkeys-use-crafty-techniques-to-get-junk-food-from-tourists|2474184 Cave spiders use their webs in a way that hasn't been seen before /article/2474403-cave-spiders-use-their-webs-in-a-way-that-hasnt-been-seen-before/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:00:13 +0100 Cave-dwelling orb spiders have adapted their webs so they act as tripwires for prey that crawl on the walls of the caves 2474403-cave-spiders-use-their-webs-in-a-way-that-hasnt-been-seen-before|2474403 Stunning new animated series tells the story of a cure-all mushroom /article/mg26535360-600-stunning-new-animated-series-tells-the-story-of-a-cure-all-mushroom/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 A naturalist finds a hallucinogenic mushroom with the power to cure all ailments in the animated series Common Side Effects. Big Pharma is hot on his trail in this beautifully made show, says Bethan Ackerley mg26535360-600-stunning-new-animated-series-tells-the-story-of-a-cure-all-mushroom|2473209 The anus may have evolved from a hole originally used to release sperm /article/2473713-the-anus-may-have-evolved-from-a-hole-originally-used-to-release-sperm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 28 Mar 2025 13:00:29 +0000 The long-standing question of how animals came to have an anus may have been solved by studies of which genes are active during development in various animals 2473713-the-anus-may-have-evolved-from-a-hole-originally-used-to-release-sperm|2473713 Camera trap spots endangered elephant mother and calf on the move /article/mg26535360-200-camera-trap-spots-endangered-elephant-mother-and-calf-on-the-move/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 A weatherproof box and motion-trigger camera help photographer Will Burrard-Lucas capture images of rarely seen African elephants mg26535360-200-camera-trap-spots-endangered-elephant-mother-and-calf-on-the-move|2473205 Ancient wasp may have used its rear end to trap flies /article/2473810-ancient-wasp-may-have-used-its-rear-end-to-trap-flies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 27 Mar 2025 01:00:48 +0000 Bizarre parasitic wasps preserved in amber about 99 million years ago had trap-like abdomens that they may have used to immobilise other insects 2473810-ancient-wasp-may-have-used-its-rear-end-to-trap-flies|2473810 Why do giraffes have spots? Not for the reason you might think /article/2473915-why-do-giraffes-have-spots-not-for-the-reason-you-might-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:00:25 +0000 The size and shape of a giraffe’s spots seem to influence how well the animals survive when temperatures get hotter or colder than normal 2473915-why-do-giraffes-have-spots-not-for-the-reason-you-might-think|2473915 Sharks aren’t silent after all /article/2473690-sharks-arent-silent-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Tue, 25 Mar 2025 23:01:29 +0000 A species of houndshark called Mustelus lenticulatus makes sharp clicking noises when handled. Until now, sharks as a group were thought to be universally quiet 2473690-sharks-arent-silent-after-all|2473690 Bizarre fossil may have been an entirely new type of life /article/2473272-bizarre-fossil-may-have-been-an-entirely-new-type-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:00:26 +0000 Chemical analysis suggests the 400-million-year-old fossil Prototaxites was neither plant, animal or fungus – hinting at a mysterious life form that went extinct long ago 2473272-bizarre-fossil-may-have-been-an-entirely-new-type-of-life|2473272 Why you don't need to worry about 'over-potting' your plants /article/mg26535350-800-why-you-dont-need-to-worry-about-over-potting-your-plants/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Traditional advice tells us to only move growing plants to a pot one size larger. The science shows that you don't need to bother with this slow transition, says James Wong mg26535350-800-why-you-dont-need-to-worry-about-over-potting-your-plants|2472359 What the extraordinary medical know-how of wild animals can teach us /article/mg26535350-700-what-the-extraordinary-medical-know-how-of-wild-animals-can-teach-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000 Birds do it, chimps do it, even monarch butterflies do it – and by paying more attention to how animals self-medicate, we can find new treatments for ourselves mg26535350-700-what-the-extraordinary-medical-know-how-of-wild-animals-can-teach-us|2472358 Monkeys choose babysitters based on who has more parenting experience /article/2473124-monkeys-choose-babysitters-based-on-who-has-more-parenting-experience/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:00:54 +0000 Young female black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys often want to hold other females’ infants, but mothers are much more permissive of experienced caregivers 2473124-monkeys-choose-babysitters-based-on-who-has-more-parenting-experience|2473124 Two-fingered dinosaur used its enormous claws to eat leaves /article/2473027-two-fingered-dinosaur-used-its-enormous-claws-to-eat-leaves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=life Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:00:41 +0000 A dinosaur fossil discovered in Mongolia boasts the largest ever complete claw, but the herbivorous species only used it to grasp vegetation 2473027-two-fingered-dinosaur-used-its-enormous-claws-to-eat-leaves|2473027