Tim Caro, University of California, Davis and Martin How, University of Bristol
How the zebra got its stripes is not only a just-so story, but an object of scientific inquiry. New research suggests that stripes help zebras evade biting flies and the deadly diseases they carry.
More than 620 million years of evolution separate crows from humans, but the birds show that they can plan three steps ahead.
Romana Gruber
Alex Taylor, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
New Caledonian crows are famous for using tools to reach a reward. Now scientists have confirmed they can plan several steps ahead, like a chess player contemplating a series of moves.
The Giant Sea Bass at the California Academy of Sciences. Fishes'sense of smell is highly affected by high level of carbon dioxide in the ocean.
Togabi/Wikimedia
Increase of carbon dioxide in the ocean affects the way fish detect predators, mates or food and could threaten not only individual fish but entire populations.
A domestic cat grooming its fur.
Image courtesy of Candler Hobbs (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta).
Domestic cats spend a quarter of their waking hours grooming. But that tongue action on the fur does more than keep fur clean – it also helps keep a cat cool.
Sharks eating seagrass? Sounds fishy, but the reality is that animals don’t conform to the strict categories we try to place on their diets.
Two bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) cooperate in a button-pressing task requiring precise behavioural synchronization.
Dolphin Research Center
Dolphin pairs had to learn to push buttons at the same time to get a reward. So what happened when one dolphin figured that out, while the other still had to learn?
On average, women tend to behave more submissively than men.
Tam Wai/Unsplash
In evolutionary terms, it’s better to be at the bottom of the hierarchy than to be dead – and that’s why submissive behaviours still persist in us humans. Even if we don’t like it.
Researchers have discovered male bottlenose dolphins can retain individual vocal labels – or “names” – to help them recognise each other in their social network, much like humans.
Yes Niles, but are you really happy?
Molly Glassey/Staff dog
Magpies living near airports are less likely to flee from the sound of passing planes, new research shows. But it’s unclear whether this makes them more or less likely to actually get hit.
Golden retriever puppies, among Australia’s favourite pet dogs.
Shutterstock/BIGANDT.COM
Giving male dogs the snip is a common practice in Australia and elsewhere to help reduce the number of unwanted dogs. But it can also lead to some unwanted behavioural problems.