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The Evolutionary Leap That Changed Fish and Led to Life on Land
When we think of the fish that inhabit the deep blue sea today, it’s easy to forget that they haven’t…
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This Smiling Salamander Took Over Minecraft and Social Media But It’s Vanishing in the Wild
You never know what the future holds. You can be used to a life on the cultural margins, living in…
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Chemical Camouflage: Why Squirrels Want to Smell Like Snakes
Squirrels are abundant in the wild, though they have many predators, including the dreaded rattlesnake. But the small mammals do…
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This Tiny ‘Dragon’ Survives Australia’s Desert With Spikes, a Fake Head, and a Genius Water Trick
Despite its intimidating name, Moloch horridus, better known as the thorny devil, is actually a small desert lizard found in…
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What’s the Difference Between a Herpetologist and an Entomologist?
A career in the biological sciences can take you many places. You may find yourself in a cold, sterile laboratory…
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Horse Trainer vs. Equine Behaviorist: What’s the Difference?
Plenty of little kids imagine a future working with horses, and an assortment of jobs involve interacting with these highly…
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Sloths, Capybaras, and Quokkas: Why Certain Animals Become Kid Obsessions
Every couple of years, a new collection of animals find their way into the mainstream. It used to be lions,…
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Scientists Reveal Hidden Species Hiding in Plain Sight Around the World
Throughout history, humans have often believed they fully understood the world around them. You could travel back 500 years, and…
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The Amphibian Apocalypse: How a Deadly Fungus Quietly Wiped Out 90 Species
Reality tends toward entropy, and nature craves balance. The methods behind these maddening processes aren’t pretty, either. Survival of the…
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From Patchy Lizards to Skin-Eating Frogs: The Weird World of Shedding
Wellness retreats are all the rage in the 21st century, but what if all the health benefits could be had…
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Why These Killer Whales Helped Humans Hunt Other Whales
Ask anyone who’s had encounters with killer whales, and they will tell you just how smart they are. Orcas are…
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Blue Blood and 27,000 Teeth: 10 Fascinating Facts About Slugs
Even for the most ardent nature fan, it is all too easy to overlook slugs. Not only are they small,…
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This Giant Moth Lives Just 7 Days … and Collectors Pay Hundreds for Its Wings
The only guarantee in life is death. It comes for us all, one way or another, but some creatures seem…
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How Animal ‘Engineers’ Are Restoring UK Wetlands and Wildlife
Beavers were once a common sight in Northern European countries like Poland, France, and the United Kingdom. However, demand for…
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Foul Play: The Seabird That Defeats Predators with Projectile Vomit
In the animal kingdom, there are several types of responses to danger and trauma. While humans are most familiar with…
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The London Underground Mosquito Myth: Ancient Origins of an Urban Icon
During the Second World War, one particular insect became the scourge of soldiers and citizens alike. Called the London Underground…
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How “Cocaine Hippos” are Rewriting the Rules of the South American Jungle
No one casts a shadow over the history and legacy of Colombia quite like Pablo Escobar. Once the most powerful…
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I’m Squeaking Here! — Inside the Secret Sonic Language of NYC’s Rats
To be a pest is to be underestimated. Sure, pests are annoying, but being a pest also requires a surprising…
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Wings Beneath the Waves: The Rhythmic Journey of the Cownose Ray
It’s easy to forget about the legion of mysterious creatures that live in the ocean. That is, until you are…
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Identifying the ‘Forever Chemicals’ Hiding in Your Pet’s Bowl
The 21st century has seen the realm of foodstuffs transformed into a competitive landscape of processed versus natural, and farmed…
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Everything ‘Jurassic Park’ Got Wrong About This Famous Dome-Headed Dinosaur
The dome-headed dinosaur is easily one of the most standout-looking creatures of the Cretaceous period. The image of their hardy…
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The National Zoo Just Welcomed Its First Elephant Calf in 25 Years—and She Needs a Name
It’s not every day that an endangered species welcomes a new individual in the safety and security of one of…
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Crufts Uncovered: The World’s Largest Dog Show and the Hidden Dangers of Extreme Breeding
Even if you’re not an ardent member of the scene, you probably heard about the Westminster Dog Show in the…
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The Invasive Lionfish Is Spreading Fast and Scientists Want You to Eat It
Head under the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, and you will find one of the most beautiful killers in the…
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The Bandit Kingdom: Discovering Miami’s Best-Kept Secret
Our great planet has a monkey island and a snake island, but what about an island chock-full of the most…
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The 5,000-Pound Face-Off: Inside the Peak of Elephant Seal Mating Season
Much of the eastern United States is currently undergoing a massive polar vortex, with another one expected to follow. Meanwhile,…
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A Century of Mistaken Identity: The “Prettiest” New Species Discovered in 2025
Sometimes, a creature unknown to science hides in plain sight without anyone realizing its significance. In the case of one…
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Fish Pain Explained: The Hidden Cost of Hooking
The ability of fish to feel pain has been a long-running debate in the scientific community. On one side, you…
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9 Feet of Trouble: Sheriff’s Office Removes Massive Boa from Florida Homeowner’s Yard
Florida is often considered America’s premier jungle, so it should come as no surprise when large creatures are found in…
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Once Thought Extinct, the Coastal Marten Is Still Holding On — Here’s Where Scientists Found It Hiding
Just when you think you have a good idea of the mammals that live in North America, another one appears…
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Hunters Captured a Record-Breaking Python in the Everglades
A Florida python hunter ventured into the brush expecting a small snake based on its tracks, only to find himself…
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“Hey, Ellie!”: New Evidence That Elephants Use Individual Vocal Labels (Names)
The idea that animals have their own forms of language has been explored, shared, and expounded upon by scientists for…
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Beyond Punxsutawney: The Real Science of America’s Most Famous Weather Forecaster
On the morning of February 2nd, a familiar scene took place. It featured a group of men in top hats…
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Hidden in the Splatter: The Complex Evolution of Bird-Dropping Crab Spiders
Sometimes, the best survival strategy is disguising yourself like something no one wants to eat, much less mess with and…
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Frozen Beaver Rescue: Police Officers Save Wildlife in Winter Chill
It’s hard for certain animals to survive in the heart of winter, especially when they are forced to navigate urban…
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Do Bees Have Hobbies? Inside the Study Where Bumblebees Played with Wooden Balls
Take a leisurely look around the animal kingdom, and you will find some indisputable instances of play. There are plenty…
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The Science of “the Giggle”: Why Laboratory Rats Love Being Tickled
If you think laughter and comedy are reserved strictly for humans, you’d be wrong. A study in the late 1990s…
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3 Million Hens, One Building: The High-Tech “Egg City” Redefining Industrial Farming
For the past decade, one peculiar story has made the rounds, detailing something out of a futuristic, dystopian movie: a…
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Found in the Tundra: A 14,000-Year-Old Wolf Pup’s Last Meal Is Rewriting the History of Extinction
Imagine someone digs you up in 15,000 years and discovers what you had for lunch the day that you died.…
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The Identity Thief: How the Fork-Tailed Drongo Scams Its Way to a Free Lunch
Even in places with clement weather and ample resources, nature can be brutal. When it comes to utterly inhospitable environments…
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The God of Ugly Things: New Zealand’s Massive Insect Treasure
People think of New Zealand as two large islands separated by a thin channel of water. However, this country also…
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The Unlikely Predatory Shrimp Battling West Nile Virus
Sometimes, creatures are so strange-looking that they compel us to do a double-take. This Instagram video shows active, trilobite-like creatures…
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Tiny but Mighty: How Monkeys Make Up for Their Size
If you lose your sight, you make up for it with other senses. If one arm is amputated, you learn…
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The Built-In Backpack: Why Hamsters Are Nature’s Most Efficient Survivalists
The hamster has a reputation for being a lovable, cuddly household pet. They may have a penchant for running on…
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Fox and Otter Invade Lincoln: What Forced This Wild Pair Into the City Night?
Humans have built lucrative industries out of safari trips: candid on-the-ground looks at wild animals in their natural habitats. But…
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Reindeer Dig, Ptarmigans Feast: The Tundra’s Unseen Alliance
On this side of the Atlantic, people mostly associate reindeer with Christmas and Santa’s sleigh. However, people who live in…
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The Invisible Stinger: The Terror of the Irukandji Jellyfish
One minute, you’re swimming in the sparkling water off the Queensland coast. The next minute, you’re fighting for your life.…
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This Alaskan Frog Freezes Solid Every Winter, Then Comes Back to Life
The animal kingdom is full of fascinating tricks for enduring sub-freezing temperatures. Birds, for example, often just take flight for…
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The Pebble Ritual: Inside the Secret Cultural World of British Columbia’s Killer Whales
Recently, people have spotted killer whales engaging in some unique behavior. They are rubbing their bellies along the rocks that…
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The Heaviest Parrot Can’t Fly—But Its Strangest Secret Isn’t What You Think
When you think of birds, you might imagine wings flapping silently against a blue sky. The kākāpō, however, lacks these…