Why Do Birds Get Divorced?
For blue tits, timing can be a factor in whether they remain together or part ways
Stories by Jason G. Goldman
Ticks on Uptick Where Big Game Declines
Areas of Kenya without large wildlife saw tick populations rise as much as 370 percent—meaning more danger to humans. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Lion Conservation Challenges Giraffe Protection
Having lions and giraffes together in protected areas means far lower survival rates for juvenile giraffes. Jason Goldman reports.
Bonobos Might Not Be So Laid-Back after All
The apes may focus on dominance rather than morality when it comes to interpreting social behaviors
Mongoose Societies Are Skeptical of Strangers
It takes months for members of a mongoose breeding society to trust newcomers with important tasks like watching for predators. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Lizards Learn a Silly Walk after Losing Their Tails
Leopard geckos compensate for the lost appendage’s movement
Sharks Rule the Reef's Underwater Food Chain
When sharks prowl shallow waters, fish quit foraging and hide—sparing seaweed from being grazed in those areas. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Sharks Rule the Reef's Underwater Food Chain
When sharks prowl shallow waters, fish quit foraging and hide—sparing seaweed from being grazed in those areas. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Invasive Frogs Don't Bug Hawaiian Birds
Coquí frogs are invasive species in Hawaii. But they don’t seem to bug the islands’ native and nonnative birds. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Chimps Able to Apprehend Another Chimp's Mind-Set
By listening to the calls of their brethren, chimps seem to be able to understand the mind-sets and perspectives of other chimps. Jason Goldman reports.
Even without Hands Honeybees Show Handedness
About half the honeybees in a test exhibited no sidedness, but the other half was split 50–50 between righties and lefties—perhaps to navigate obstacles more efficiently. ...
Gratitude: Uniquely Human or Shared with Animals?
If we wish to make an argument that some animals possess at least some sort of proto-gratitude, or the cognitive building blocks required for them to feel and express gratitude, we first have to decide what gratitude really means...
Polluted Water Whale Invents New Feeding Strategy
The Bryde's whale has come up with a passive but more efficient feeding strategy in the hypoxic waters of the Gulf of Thailand.
A Moth with a Potent Cocktail of Poison
The wood tiger moth is the first species known in which fluids from various parts of the moth’s body each target a different type of predator. Jason Goldman reports.
Australian Bird Dips Its Dinner
A chance observation led researchers to add the Australian Magpie to the short list of birds that dunk their food in water before eating.
1 Sneeze, 1 Vote among African Wild Dogs
Individuals in packs of African wild dogs appear to sneeze to make their wishes known regarding when to get up and hunt.
Giant Tree-Dwelling, Coconut-Eating Rat Species Discovered
The finding was the result of years of searching for the elusive creature
Hurricanes: Bad for People, Good for Dolphins
Katrina led to a marine-mammal boom, and Harvey, Irma and Jose might do the same
Grazing Cattle Change the Menu for Birds
When cattle graze the desert's natural landscape, birds face changes in food availability—and some species are unable to adapt. Jason Goldman reports.
Pumas React to Humans like Prey
Even though we do not hunt pumas for food, the big cats have reason to fear us
