Animals

Michael Bond, Creator of Paddington Bear, Dies at 91

The author's stories about a plucky, marmalade-loving bear sold more than 35 million copies worldwide

A large number of ancient marine species, including the massive megalodon shark, disappeared in a marine extinction event roughly 2 million years ago.

Researchers Find Ancient Extinction Event Among Large Marine Creatures

More than a third of large ocean-dwelling species disappeared roughly 2 million years ago

New Species of Amazon Parrot Discovered in Mexico

Researchers say that only 100 blue-winged Amazons, which have distinctive markings and a unique call, exist in the wild

The 1,800-year-old skeleton of a dog, which apparently perished in a blaze in Rome, was discovered during excavations for the metro system.

A Dog From 3rd Century Rome Was Discovered During Subway Excavations

The canine’s skeleton and other artifacts were preserved in a fire, offering a window on Ancient Roman life

The endangered blobfish, once named world's ugliest animal, has leveraged its unusual looks to win the Internet's adoration. Can other less-traditionally appealing creatures do the same?

When It Comes to Conservation, Are Ugly Animals a Lost Cause?

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but good marketing can do wonders

The beast of Gévaudan terrorized French villagers for three years, killing around 100 and injuring nearly 300.

When the Beast of Gévaudan Terrorized France

The tale of this monster grew in the telling, but the carnage still left nearly 100 dead

The fire ant has spread like wildfire around the world, thanks to a winning combination of traits and a little help from humans.

How Humans Helped Ants Invade the World

Waves of globalization brought these warriors to new shores, where certain species spread like wildfire

Grizzly in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Grizzly to Be Removed From Endangered Species List

Their numbers have grown from 136 animals in 1975 to roughly 700 today

Basket of Gulf Shrimp

Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone" May Grow to the Size of New Jersey This Year

Shrimp and fish may suffer as excess rain and nutrients produce one of the largest oxygen-poor zones to date

The olm, or cave dragon, is the largest cave-adapted animal in Europe. These strange creatures spend their entire lives in caves, and face threats from pollution runoff from agriculture and chemical plants on the surface.

Cave Dragons Exist—And Saving Them Could Be Key to Protecting Drinking Water

New DNA techniques are letting researchers track down the largest, strangest cave animals in the world

Small but mighty!

The Little Brown Bat’s Mighty Talent

Accounting for body size, the little brown bat lives longest of any mammal–but no one knows why

This adorable orca could be plotting its next heist.

Crafty Killer Whales Are Harassing Alaskan Fishing Boats

Hungry orcas are making off with tens of thousands of pounds of cod and halibut

Puppy Pics May Add Spark to Struggling Relationships

A new study asked couples to look at photo streams that paired images of their spouses with pictures of pooches

The sun may get all the attention, but our lunar lodestar helps creatures navigate the swells and tides of ocean life.

How Moonlight Sets Nature's Rhythms

Lunar luster triggers mating orgies, guides travelers and even can even provoke magical transformations

A painting depicting a tribute giraffe and a handler sent to China in the 15th century.

The Peculiar Story of Giraffes in 1400s China

During China's short-lived golden age of exploration, two giraffes came to the imperial court

This elk is unimpressed by your feeble attempts to hunt her.

Female Elk Learn to Give Hunters the Slip

The majestic beasts learn how to outsmart hunters—and even modify their behavior based on the kinds of weapons used to kill them

Cats rule the world. But how did they get here?

How Cats Conquered the World

Scientists use 9,000 years of feline genetics to chart their global rise to power

Although scientific discoveries about blood started happening in the seventeeth century, blood transfusions are (mostly) a twentieth-century thing.

350 Years Ago, A Doctor Performed the First Human Blood Transfusion. A Sheep Was Involved

Early scientists thought that the perceived qualities of an animal—a lamb’s purity, for instance—could be transmitted to humans in blood form

The American Lobster, 'Homarus americanus,' found on the northern area of the Atlantic coast of America.

Climate Change, and Cod, Are Causing One Heck of a Lobster Boom in Maine

The complex relationships between humans, lobster, and cod are creating boom times--for now

Pasteur took blood samples from a cow, a sheep and a horse who had died of anthrax.

How Sheep's Blood Helped Disprove This Wacky Nineteenth-Century Theory of Illness

Scientists didn't understand that bacteria caused disease, but then enter Louis Pasteur

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