What Forms of Creativity Turn You On?
It’s no secret: creativity is sexy. People all over the world rank creativity as a highly desirable quality in a partner, and people who are creative across a variety of fields report more sexual partners (similar results have been found in specific fields such as visual art, music, and humor).
Massive Genetic Effort Confirms Bird Songs Related to Human Speech
The sequencing of genomes of 48 bird species explains the evolutionary roots of vocalization and could offer insight into human speech disorders
Butt-Breathing Turtle Now Critically Endangered
Few reptiles can breathe underwater. Australia is home to one of the exceptions, the white-throated snapping turtle (Elseya albagula), which can extract oxygen from water through its backside via a process called cloacal respiration.
Birds Roost on New Evolutionary Tree
In a massive first-of-its-kind whole-genome analysis involving 48 bird species, researchers have created a new avian evolutionary tree. Steve Mirsky reports
10 Original Gifts for Science and Art Geeks
It’s time again for me to offer up a few quirky gift ideas for the science enthusiasts in your life. I guarantee these will be the most original gifts under the tree!
E.O. Wilson's Thrilling Prophecy of "Paradise" on Earth
Edward Wilson has earned the right to title his latest book The Meaning of Human Existence, which coming from almost any other author would sound laughably pretentious.
Strange Life in an Improbable Place
Once similar to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, Antarctica now demands that life adapt to extreme cold—which explains, for instance, the existence of fish there that make their own antifreeze and lack red blood
The Giant Transparent Ribbons of Eel Larvae
Author's note: This is the latest post in the Wonderful Things series. You can read more about this series here. It is startling how different the larvae of fish can be from the adults that produced them, as I wrote in a blog post a few months ago.
Origins of Human Alcohol Consumption Revealed
A single genetic mutation 10 million years ago endowed human ancestors with an enhanced ability to break down ethanol, likely as they shifted to a terrestrial lifestyle
The Spiders That Would Be Ants
Some arachnids go to extraordinary lengths to mimic the appearance and behavior of ants
These Amazing Spiders Look Remarkably Like Ants [Slide Show]
Ant-mimicking spiders are the ultimate imposters
Vultures's Gut Bacteria Make Sure Rotten-Meat Diet Isn't Fatal
Gut bacteria and strong gastric juices show how the birds can live on decaying flesh.