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Daddy longlegs may be capturing and devouring frogs in the tropical forests of South AmericaDaddy longlegs have been observed eating frogs in South America, suggesting that these arachnids may be predators of vertebrates.
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Seal pups were dying from a 'corkscrew killer' on a Canadian island. It turned out to be cannibals.Dead seal pups on a Canadian island have been found with mysterious spiral-shaped injuries for years. The wounds were thought to be the work of sharks or boat propellers, but new research confirms a different cause.
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Bruce the parrot is missing his upper beak — but that hasn't stopped him from becoming an undefeated jousting championA kea parrot in New Zealand who lost the top part of his beak when young has developed a new way to fight other males that has made him unbeatable.
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Snakes keep evolving into cannibals — here's what scientists think is going onA review of over 500 reports of cannibalistic behavior in snakes finds it's appeared multiple times in different evolutionary lineages, leading researchers to hypothesize it's beneficial for snakes under certain circumstances.
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'System in flux': Scientists reveal what happened when wolves and cougars returned to YellowstoneLarge carnivores are both clashing and coexisting in the western United States. Although wolves dominate cougars and steal their prey, cougars' shift from elk- to deer-heavy diets, paired with a rugged landscape for escape, might help cougars avoid violent wolf encounters.
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'Part of the evolutionary fabric of our societies': Same-sex sexual behavior in primates may be a survival strategy, study findsA new study comparing 59 species of primates linked same-sex sexual behavior to scarce resources and more predators in socially complex species. The findings show diverse sexual behaviors are common — and likely beneficial in primates.
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New map of Antarctica reveals hidden world of lakes, valleys and mountains buried beneath miles of iceThe map shows diverse geological features shaping Antarctic glaciers from below, which can improve climate models of ice melt.
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Did reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone really cause an ecological cascade?Previous research on the effect of wolves on the food web has been criticized, raising questions about the predator’s role in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
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Plants self-organize in a 'hidden order,' echoing pattern found across natureScientists have discovered a "perfect disordered hyperuniform" pattern in how plants arrange themselves across many dry landscapes that allows them to make the most of water resources.
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Early test of new laser-free eye treatment shows promiseIn lab experiments, scientists are testing a new way to reshape the cornea and correct impaired vision, but the research faces many hurdles before it could be approved for use in humans.
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Thousands of bumblebee catfish captured climbing waterfall in never-before-seen footageScientists don't know much about the rare bumblebee catfish, native to the rivers of Brazil. One research team was lucky enough to observe thousands of them climbing to scale a waterfall, probably to find opportunities to mate.
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Never-before-seen cousin of Lucy might have lived at the same site as the oldest known human species, new study suggestsAn unidentified early hominin fossil that might be a new species confirms that Australopithecus and Homo species lived in the same region of Africa in the same time frame.
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Plants have a secret, second set of roots deep underground that scientists didn't know aboutA global analysis deep in soil found 20% of plants studied have an unexpected deeper set of roots more than 3 feet underground.
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Hells Canyon caves reveal unexpected finding about America's deepest gorgeAbout 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon, Hells Canyon was rapidly carved when a lake spilled over about 2.1 million years ago, new research estimates.
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Australian 'trash parrots' have now developed a local 'drinking tradition'Wild cockatoos in Western Sydney have learned to drink from water fountains — choosing to drink from them even if they have to queue.
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Dinosaur age tsunami revealed from tiny chunks of Japanese amber, study findsAmber deposits in Japan show unique deformations that suggest trees were swept out to sea during a tsunami about 115 million years ago, giving paleontologists a new way to identify past tsunamis.
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Cuttlefish appear to wave at each other in what researchers think could be a form of communicationCuttlefish flash patterns and colors on their skin to communicate, and they may wave their tentacles to send visual and vibrational signals, scientists hypothesize.
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The Mariana Trench is home to some weird deep sea fish, and they all have the same, unique mutationsDeep-sea fish adapt to some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. New research analyzing their evolution finds the same mutation across fish species that have evolved on separate timelines — alongside human-made pollutants contaminating the deep sea.
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Killer Australian fungus can gobble up widespread, pesticide-resistant armyworm from the insideFall armyworms have spread throughout the world, destroying crops and evolving insecticide resistance. New research in Australia suggests fungi that attack the worms could be a promising pest control method.
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Why is this giant desert turning green? Scientists may finally know the answer.Many deserts face worsening droughts, but India's Thar Desert has become 38% greener in the past 20 years due to increased rainfall and expanding agriculture in the region, according to a new study.
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'Woolly devil' flowers in Texas desert are the 1st new plant genus discovered in a US national park in almost 50 yearsA newly discovered plant found by a national park volunteer in the Texas desert is a small, fuzzy flower that pokes up between rocks. With its limited range, this species could be threatened by climate change.
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Reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone helped entire ecosystem thrive, 20-year study findsA new study calculates the long-term effects of reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, which ultimately helped willow shrubs that feed wildlife in stream habitats.
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Dogs may have domesticated themselves because they really liked snacks, model suggestsCompeting theories explain how dogs came to be domesticated from wolves. Now, a new study adds further support to the idea that they domesticated themselves.
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'Contagious' peeing may have deep evolutionary roots, chimp study suggestsPeople often go to the bathroom in groups, and according to new research chimpanzees do the same, possibly to strengthen group social bonds.
