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Scientists finally sequence the vampire squid's huge genome, revealing secrets of the 'living fossil'
By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published
The genetic link between squids and octopuses may just be found in the vampire squid genome.

Can a turtle tuck its head all the way inside its shell?
By Emma Bryce published
Turtle shells evolved over the course of 300 million years, but self-defense wasn't the initial driver, researchers think.

Cassius the giant crocodile died from sepsis after 40-year-old dormant infection burst from 'abscess,' necropsy reveals
By Sascha Pare published
Cassius was an 18-foot-long saltwater crocodile living in captivity in Marineland Crocodile Park in Australia. He died last year at the age of about 120, and we finally know why.

'Very novel and very puzzling': Unknown species of squid spotted burying itself upside down, pretending to be a plant
By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published
A new study reveals an unknown species of whiplash squid burying itself upside down in the deep sea — a first-of-its-kind behavior for cephalopods.

Killer whales are teaming up with dolphins on salmon hunts, study finds — but not everyone agrees
By Chris Simms published
There are eye-opening claims that orcas and dolphins are working together on salmon hunts and sharing food — but not everyone is convinced.

18,000 dinosaur tracks discovered along ancient Bolivian coastline — and they set a new record
By Sascha Pare published
Researchers have counted 16,600 fossilized dinosaur footprints and 1,378 swim tracks at a site in Bolivia that showcase a variety of behaviors and different theropods from the Cretaceous period.

Anacondas became massive 12 million years ago — and it worked so well, they haven't changed size since
By Skyler Ware published
The snakes stayed large and thrived even when cooling temperatures and shrinking habitats killed off other giant reptiles millions of years ago.

What's the difference between a newt and a salamander?
By Alice Sun published
Salamanders and newts are both long-tailed amphibians, but what's the difference between them?

People in China lived alongside 'chicken-killing tigers' long before domestic cats arrived
By Chris Simms published
Leopard cats were living alongside people in ancient China for more than 3,500 years before domestic cats arrived from Europe via the Silk Road.

Large, bone-crushing dogs stalked 'Rhino Pompeii' after Yellowstone eruption 12 million years ago, ancient footprints reveal
By Patrick Pester published
Researchers have found footprints of large, bone-crushing dogs in the 12 million-year-old Ashfall Fossil Beds in northeastern Nebraska, suggesting these large carnivores may have survived a cataclysmic Yellowstone eruption that covered parts of North America in ash.
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