The World’s Oldest Animal Paintings Are on This Cave Wall
Depictions of pigs found in Indonesia date back at least 45,500 years
Stories by Rachel Nuwer
Dog Domestication May Have Begun because Paleo Humans Couldn’t Stomach the Original Paleo Diet
Unable to digest large amounts of protein, hunters likely left scraps that could have led to the taming of wolves
Chernobyl ‘Exclusion Zone’ Radiation Doses Reanalyzed
Evidence builds that animals are scarcer in more heavily contaminated areas
Young Ravens Rival Adult Chimps in a Big Test of General Intelligence
At just four months of age, the birds performed equally well as great apes on understanding numbers, following cues and many more tasks
Rain Forest Canopy Bridges Aid Slow Lorises, Gibbons and Other Threatened Species
The world’s most endangered primate is only the latest example of an arboreal animal benefiting from this simple yet effective conservation solution
Presidential Debates Have Shockingly Little Effect on Election Outcomes
The upcoming debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump may be one of the least consequential in decades, experts say
Old Seaweed Reveals Secret of Monterey Sardine History
Decades-old specimens solve a long-standing mystery
Online Reptile Trade Is a Free-for-All That Threatens Thousands of Species
More than one third of all reptile species, including highly endangered ones, are sold internationally, primarily as pets
Fish Eggs Survive Journey through a Duck
New research suggests one way fish might spread to distant waters
Why Trump-Favoring Voters Ignored a Deadly Hurricane Warning
Rush Limbaugh and other conservative pundits’ “hurricane skepticism” in 2017 may have influenced individuals’ decision to pack up the car or shelter in place
Experimental Blood Test Detects Cancer up to Four Years before Symptoms Appear
The assay looks for stomach, esophageal, colorectal, lung and liver malignancies
Americans Increase LSD Use—and a Bleak Outlook for the World May Be to Blame
Millennials and older adults lead the surge while Gen Z stays on the sidelines
A Gene May Help Discern Language Tone Differences: Is It Shí or Shì?
Subtle variations in our DNA may have led to the modulation of pitch to convey word meaning
Earliest ‘Chickens’ Were Actually Pheasants
A new analysis ruffles the story of poultry domestication
Livestock, Pets and People Will Dominate Future Fossils
The bones of humans and their domesticated animals will overwhelm biodiversity in the fossil record
The Camera Will See You Now: New Tech Takes Wildlife Vitals from Afar
Measuring zoo animals’ heart and breathing rates from a distance keeps them—and humans—safe
Scientists Solve a Deadly TB Mystery
Tools used to reconstruct the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis could also be applied in real time to ward off would-be epidemics
To Stop Wildlife Crime, Conservationists Ask Why People Poach
A novel study in Nepal shines light on why people commit wildlife crime and how others might be dissuaded from doing so in the future
Study Reveals Loss of Laos’s Final Tigers
Even bountiful habitat will not save species if poaching cannot be stopped
Ocean Acidification Could Eat Away at Sharks’ Teeth and Scales
The fishes’ ability to swim and feed could be compromised
