ConservationApril 1, 2021
Vaccine Could Save Critical Tiger Population
Canine distemper threatens a key group of Amur tigers, but an unconventional vaccination program could help
Stories by Rachel Nuwer
Rachel Nuwer is a science journalist and author. Her latest book is I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World (Bloomsbury, 2023). Follow her on Bluesky @rachelnuwer.bsky.social
CognitionMarch 11, 2021
Baby Talk and Lemur Chatter—but Not Birdsong—Help an Infant’s Brain Develop
Researchers probe the outer boundaries of what types of sounds human infants tune in to for building cognition
BehaviorMarch 1, 2021
People Literally Don’t Know When to Shut Up—or Keep Talking—Science Confirms
We are really bad at navigating a key transition point during one of the most basic social interactions
BiologyMarch 1, 2021
An Octopus Could Be the Next Model Organism
Big-brained cephalopods could shine light on the evolution and neurobiology of intelligence, complexity, and more—and inspire medical and technological breakthroughs
Public HealthFebruary 3, 2021
Pathogen Discovered That Kills Endangered Chimps: Is It a Threat to Humans?
An Ebola outbreak and a few false leads slowed a 15-year search for bacteria that attack the nerves and gut
EngineeringFebruary 1, 2021
Spider Legs Build Webs without the Brain’s Help
Researchers decode spiders’ web-building behavior for application in future robots
CultureJanuary 14, 2021
The World’s Oldest Animal Paintings Are on This Cave Wall
Depictions of pigs found in Indonesia date back at least 45,500 years
EvolutionJanuary 7, 2021
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
CognitionDecember 10, 2020
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
EnvironmentDecember 1, 2020
Chernobyl ‘Exclusion Zone’ Radiation Doses Reanalyzed
Evidence builds that animals are scarcer in more heavily contaminated areas
ConservationNovember 2, 2020
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
BehaviorOctober 20, 2020
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
BiologyOctober 1, 2020
Old Seaweed Reveals Secret of Monterey Sardine History
Decades-old specimens solve a long-standing mystery
ConservationSeptember 29, 2020
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
BehaviorSeptember 11, 2020
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
BiologySeptember 1, 2020
Fish Eggs Survive Journey through a Duck
New research suggests one way fish might spread to distant waters
BiotechJuly 21, 2020
Experimental Blood Test Detects Cancer up to Four Years before Symptoms Appear
The assay looks for stomach, esophageal, colorectal, lung and liver malignancies
BehaviorJuly 10, 2020
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
BiologyJune 23, 2020
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
EvolutionJune 1, 2020
Earliest ‘Chickens’ Were Actually Pheasants
A new analysis ruffles the story of poultry domestication
EvolutionApril 1, 2020
Livestock, Pets and People Will Dominate Future Fossils
The bones of humans and their domesticated animals will overwhelm biodiversity in the fossil record
ConservationMarch 5, 2020
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
Public HealthFebruary 1, 2020
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
ConservationJanuary 10, 2020
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