Chimpanzees React To A Robo-Doll
A large portion of what animals do is interact with each other. As a social species, we can hardly go an hour without some kind of interaction with another human, be it face-to-face or via text or email.
Stories by Felicity Muth
Unique Science Communication: Isabella Rossellini
I recently wrote an article about science communication, and in it mentioned that people can communicate science in many different ways using many different types of media.
Bumblebees Are More Flexible Than We Knew
I recently wrote about how bumblebees were able to perform some seemingly impressive feats, although the underlying reason they could do so was relatively simple.
Left-Eyed Fish Are Faster Learners
You may have heard the claim that left-handed people are smarter than right handed people. Specifically, it seems that left-handed people are over represented in musicians, architects and art and music students.
Robins Pay Attention To Which Way You’re Looking When Stealing From You
In a week where gaze-following seems to be the hot topic, there being studies in both primates and dogs, another study took a rather different approach to looking at gaze-following.
Dogs Follow the Gaze of Humans, Especially When There’s Food Involved
I recently wrote about how humans and other primates follow the gaze of others. This week I read about two more interesting findings relating to gaze-following, the first in dogs, the second in robins.
How To Get Into Science Communication Online
I recently taught a class on science journalism and science communication. Although there have been a few articles on this topic already (in particular I'd recommend reading Ed Yong's and Carl Zimmer's) I thought I'd share a bit of advice from my own experience.
Is It Possible To Forget? Investigating the Suppression of Memories
Everyone has experiences happen to them that they'd rather forget about. Every so often though, you might have a reminder of that experience: perhaps someone says something to you or you see something that jogs your memory.
What Are You Looking At?: Is Gaze-Following Particularly Human?
Imagine that you walk into a room, where three people are sitting, facing you. Their faces are oriented towards you, but all three of them have their eyes directed towards the left side of the room.
How Do Male Spiders Get Away With Giving Worthless Gifts to Females?
In many animals, males give females a gift in the hope of getting to mate with her. This might sound overly simplistic, but this really can be how it happens.
Forget The Flea Circus, Bees Can Do All The Tricks
When we think of animals doing tricks, we’re likely to think of dogs or maybe even a parrot But you probably didn’t think of bumblebees.
Does Your Dog Know What Sex You Are From The Sound of Your Voice?
After glancing at the people in the photo above, what did you think? Perhaps you just thought ‘four people’, or ‘older people’, but it’s likely if I asked you to describe it you would say, ‘two men, two women’.
Mice Will Approach Another Mouse in Pain, But Only When He's Top Mouse
Mice, like us, are social animals. As social animals they like to hang out with each other. Also like us, they don't just hang out with anyone.
Why Does This Lizard Have Such Fabulous Colours?
Despite having the underwhelming name the `common wall lizard', this lizard sports some amazing colours on its underside. Although its back is a boring brown colour, presumably to be less visible to predators, the males have some fabulous colours on their bellies, as well as UV-blue patches down their sides (sadly not visible to us).
Scientists Get Primates to Play Cards
A few months ago I moved to Reno, Nevada. Although I haven't been to a casino yet myself, living in a so-called `casino town' makes you acutely aware of the effects of gambling on people.
Spiders are Disturbed by Human Noise
Regardless what you might think of spiders, once you find out a bit about their behaviour it's hard to deny that they are at the very least, interesting animals.
Best of Not Bad Science
I recently realised that I had published 50 blog posts here at Scientific American Mind. When I first became interested in science writing as a PhD student a few years ago, I had no idea that I would end up having the privilege of writing for an online science magazine of such high calibre.
Disproving Hollywood Stereotypes: The Bare Bones of Piranha Behaviour
Article by Amy Deacon People eat fish, Grogan. Fish dont eat people reassures the camp leader in the film Piranha, shortly before a shoal of incredibly voracious fish turn the waters alongside the camp site red, in a savage attack on innocent bathers.
Human Noise Disturbs Different Fish in Different Ways
It is well known that animals are affected by human noise pollution. For example, dark-eyed junco birds that live in cities sing both louder and with a different song than their countryside counterparts.
Black Widows Have More Control Over Their Attacks Than You Think
Imagine that youre being attacked by a lion. Or if you happen to be a lion-wrestler, imagine that its a shark. How hard are you going to fight back?