With 6 Left, Controversial Fish Species Faces Extinction
Are we about to witness the extinction of the controversial delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus)? The most recent survey for the tiny fish, over which decades of battles over water rights have been fought, counted just four females and two males.
Fossils of Huge Sea Creature Shine Light on Early Arthropod Evolution
A fossil discovery of a joint-legged animal foreshadows the appearance of giant filter-feeding sharks and whales in more recent times
Neandertals Turned Eagle Talons into Jewelry 130,000 Years Ago
As longtime readers may have noticed, I have an abiding interest in Neandertals. To help me keep up with the latest scientific insights into these mysterious relatives of ours, I have a Google alert set for "Neandertal" (and the alternate spelling, "Neanderthal").
The Atomic Worm-Lizard and Other Aprasia Flapfoots
I'm feeling the urge to blog about lizards. So, today I'd like to talk about the Aprasia species, a group of short-tailed, near-limbless gekkotans that belong to the Australian Pygopodidae family, the so-called flapfoots, flap-footed lizards or pygopods.
Mass Deaths in Americas Start New CO2 Epoch
A new proposal pegs the start of the Anthropocene to the little ice age and the Columbian Exchange
If Apes Go Extinct, So Could Entire Forests
Bonobo poop matters. Well, maybe not the poop itself, but what's in it. You see, bonobos eat a lot of fruit, and fruit contains seeds. Those seeds travel through a bonobo's digestive system while the bonobo itself travels through the landscape.
Some European Languages Came by Steppe
A new genetic analysis reveals a massive migration from the central Asian grasslands into Europe 4,500 years ago—implying that some languages followed. Christopher Intagliata reports
Under What Circumstances Do We Find Robots Trustworthy?
Each year it seems a little less like science fiction to ask your phone for advice about local chinese food or trust your car to get you to a new location.
‘Extinct’ Myanmar Jerdon’s babbler spotted for the first time in 70 years
Hey there, pretty bird. Welcome back. We've missed your jersey caramel colours and big, brown eyes since pretty much forever. What's new with us?
The Physics of Diving Gannets, Bird Navigation, and Speedy Tiger Beetles
Jen-Luc Piquant was at the APS March Meeting in San Antonio, Texas this week, a longtime favorite conference, and often touted as the largest physics conference of the year, covering a diverse range of topics: biophysics, fluid mechanics, materials (exotic or otherwise), complex systems, quantum mechanics — it’s a treasure trove of cool cutting-edge physics.
Whale Grandmas' Longevity Linked to Knowledge
Whale females, like humans, live well past menopause, a trait possibly selected for because their knowledge base can help their entire clan survive. Dina Fine Maron reports
Jawbone Fossil May Mark Dawn of Humankind
A 2.8-million-year mandible and a digital model of a key fossil paint a complicated picture of the genus Homo