Octopus Skin Senses Light, No Eyes or Brain Needed
The skin of a California octopus species has a molecular light-sensing mechanism that allows it to change color to match its surroundings with no input from the creature's eyes or brain. Dina Fine Maron reports
Animals Don't Use Facebook but They Have Social Networks, Too
Lee Dugatkin, evolutionary biologist and behavioral ecologist at the University of Louisville, talks about his article in the June Scientific American called "The Networked Animal," about how social networks in disparate animals species affect the lives of the entire group and its individual members. His co-author is Matthew Hasenjager, a doctoral candidate in his lab
Seashell Shapes Show Strength for Safety
Analysis of clamshell and screw-shaped shells reveals the structures withstand much greater forces than would a simple sphere or cylinder. Cynthia Graber reports
First Warm-Blooded Fish Discovered
The opah's warm blood allows it to swim faster at depths nearing 400 meters
The Richest Reef: A Bagful of New Species
Divers on a research expedition to the Philippines' Coral Triangle uncover a trove marine biodiversity
Feathered Dinosaurs on Post-its
Sometimes, the pathway to a new idea becoming universally accepted requires a steady stream of little nudges, small pebbles thrown into the lake.
Pop Music Gets Its Fossil Record Analyzed
An investigation of more than 17,000 hit tunes suggests popular music undergoes periods of shifting diversity, and that new styles evolve in bursts. Christopher Intagliata reports
A Five-Minute Taste of Deep Sea Exploration
NOAA’s research ship Okeanos Explorer and its ROV Deep Discoverer (aka D2) wrapped up their latest exploration of the seafloor and marine canyons around Puerto Rico last week.
Yi qi Is Neat but Might Not Have Been the Black Screaming Dino-Dragon of Death
A couple of weeks ago I hatched a plan to write about all the neat new dinosaur-themed studies that had just appeared in print; I began by penning my thoughts on the Brontosaurus issue.
Shades of Sensitivity
The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death.
When Do Scorpions Spray Their Enemies?
Some animals defend themselves by spraying liquid at potential threats. Perhaps the most well-known example of this is the skunk, whose spray contains chemicals that smell awful to the animals it's defending itself from.
Book Review: How to Clone a Mammoth
Books and recommendations from Scientific American