The rusty-patched bumblebee was recently the first bee in the Continental United States to be listed as an endangered species, and scientists might have found one reason why: a parasitic fungus is literally making the males too fat to mate. Once ingested, the fungus (Nosema bombi) swells in the bumblebee’s tissues until the bee gets so […] More
Researchers in the Bahamas discovered a surprisingly well-preserved specimen of an extinct giant tortoise that died about 1,000 years ago. The tortoise species, named Chelonoidis alburyorum, is related to the Chaco tortoise from South America and the endangered giant tortoise which is found only on the Galapagos Islands. Caribbean giant tortoises, like this one, became […] More
Today we know orcas as large, ferocious predators who sit at the top of the ocean’s food chain and regularly feed on whales, sharks, dolphins, fish and other sea creatures. But an ancient and much smaller species of dolphin may be an early ancestor of the fierce killer whale. Scientists discovered a fossil specimen of […] More
There are a lot of species in the animal kingdom that could pass for twins. While it’s not always a big deal to know which is which, in this first case, knowing could save your life! Check out our favorite and most shocking animal look-alikes on the next page… [nextpage title=””] Coral Snake vs. Scarlet […] More
Image: Wikimedia Commons There are big, bad things happening on our ice shelves. Emphasis on the big. In 2012, documentarians in Greenland filming the award-winning film “Chasing Ice” witnessed a 75-minute long record-breaking calving event. “Calving” is the term for a huge chunk of ice breaking off an ice sheet. The piece that broke off […] More
When you think migration, you may picture birds or whales. The largest migration on earth, though, includes much smaller creatures — a lot of them. A study published in the journal Science covers the seasonal migration of insects, which is almost eight times larger than the annual migration of birds that migrate from Britain to […] More
Sonograms are just adorable, right? Scientists have upped the cuteness (or maybe creepiness) by capturing the first-ever shark sonogram. Researchers Neil Hammerschlag of the University of Miami and James Sulikowski of the University of New England teamed up to perform an ultrasound on “Emily,” a 12-foot tiger shark who was pregnant with 20 tiny, squirmy, […] More
Image: Wikimedia Commons Some of the most deadly animals in the world pack a secret weapon: highly venomous fangs, teeth and stingers that can immobilize and kill attackers and prey. Not to be confused with poisonous animals (which deliver their toxins when touched or eaten), venomous animals actually inject toxic chemicals directly. Keep in mind […] More
Image: Mike Pennington One of Alaska’s most abundant species of fish is modifying its breeding patterns as a result of climate change, according to a recent study from the University of Washington. The three-spined stickleback fish — which makes up more than half the fish population in many Northern lakes — are breeding earlier and more often […] More
As if you needed a new reason to love elephants, they may soon be saving human lives. Scientists have replicated a protein found in the blood of elephants that may have cancer-curing properties. At the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah, oncologist Doctor Joshua Schiffman has been working with the protein for years. “Elephants almost never […] More
A warning for arachnophobes: there are very, very big spiders in this post. The Goliath birdeater tarantula is found in the South American rainforest and is the largest spider in the world. The size of a Goliath birdeater According to biologists, despite the name, it only rarely preys on adult birds. That makes sense, though. You need […] More
These creatures may be living on borrowed time: they’re some of the rarest animals on earth. It may not be long before these species are just a memory. How many have you ever heard of? Sumatran Rhinoceros The smallest living rhino has more in common with extinct wooly rhinoceroses than our modern rhino species. Poached […] More
