Environment
Parrots Are Making the U.S. Home
Released or escaped parrots are now living in most states and are breeding in at least 21. For some, it’s a second chance at survival.
Stories by Lucy Huang
Biology
Software Sniffs Out Rat Squeaks
Algorithms learned to sift ultrasonic rat squeaks from other noise, which could help researchers who study rodents’ emotional states. Lucy Huang reports.
Environment
Harder-Working Snakes Pack Stronger Venom
Snake venom toxicity depends on snake size, energy requirements and environmental dimensionality more than on prey size.
Biology
Ants Stick to Cliques to Dodge Disease
Ants infected with fungal pathogens steer clear of other cliques within the colony—avoiding wider infection, and allowing for a sort of immunity. Lucy Huang reports.
Behavior & Society
Seeing Superman Increases Altruism
Subject who saw a Superman poster were more likely to offer help than were people who saw another image.
Cognition
Who's a Smart Dog?!
An estimate of dog intelligence requires looking at non-dogs as well to understand what's special to canines and what is just typical of the taxonomic groups they're in.
Wellness
Consensual Hugs Seem to Reduce Stress
People who had a conflict in a given day but also got hugged were not as affected by the negative interaction as were their unhugged counterparts.
Behavior & Society
Confident Tone Overcomes Accent Distrust
English as-a-first-language Canadian study subjects were less trusting of statements in English spoken with a foreign accent, unless the speaker sounded confident about their assertion.
