WEIRD ANIMALS
Beer could be making you a mosquito magnet. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Sep 12 – We don’t fully understand why some people appear more attractive to mosquitoes – largely because it’s complicated, a tangled web of physiological factors, geography and species. But …
Domesticated animals have grown in body size – while wildlife continues to shrink. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Sep 07 – In the largest study of its kind, scientists have accurately documented the massive change in animal morphology over the last 1,000 years, …
More than a decade ago starfish started dying from a mysterious disease. Scientists have now finally figured out what has been going on. Bennett Whitnell/Hakai Institute – By Chelsea Haney 2025 Sep 05 – A mysterious marine epidemic has erased billions of sea stars …
The researchers know that birds sing longer in light-polluted areas, but aren’t sure if that’s a positive or negative development. Photo by Claus H. Godbersen on Unsplash – By Michael Franco 2025 Aug 21 – If you’ve noticed that you’re hearing birdsong longer into …
Colorful gardens can be pollinator-friendly with native flowering plants. Borchee/E+ via Getty Images – By Claire Therese Hemingway, Assistant Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Published: 2025 Aug 18 – People often prioritize aesthetics when choosing plants for their gardens. They …
While infection from it is rare, the brain-eating amoeba has a formidable kill rate. Created with ChatGPT 5 – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 18 – One of the most dangerous microorganisms on Earth, Naegleria fowleri has a well-earned nickname as the “brain-eating amoeba,” …
An orchard orb weaver spider rests in the center of her web. Daniela Duncan/Moment via Getty Images – By Ella Kellner, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Charlotte Published: 2025 Aug 13 – Have you ever walked face-first into a …
The secret language of sea stars has been uncovered for the first time. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Jul 20 – They’ve been crawling across the seafloor for more than 500 million years – predating the dinosaurs – yet sea stars remain some …
Pepper has become an unlikely disease research hero. John Lednicky – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Jul 14 – Black cats may be considered bad luck in many Western societies, however, one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to a team of scientists, playing …
Honey from this species of Australian stingless bee has remarkable antimicrobial properties. Wikimedia Commons/Graham Wise CC BY 2.0 – By Paul McClure 2025 Jun 29 – Honey produced by some species of Australian stingless bees possesses impressive bacteria- and fungi-killing properties, according to new …