Orangutans living in zoos are far more curious and investigative than their wild counterparts, engaging in more frequent, diverse, and complex exploration behaviors throughout their lives, according to groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports. The study, which analyzed over 12,000 instances of exploratory object manipulation across 51 Sumatran orangutans ranging from six months to 76 … Read more
Imagine this: you’re on a beach vacation in the Dominican Republic about 5 million years ago. As you wander inland, you suddenly freeze. Something is watching you. Something big. It’s not hiding in the water like modern crocodiles. It’s standing tall on four powerful legs, built for chasing prey on land. With razor-sharp serrated teeth … Read more
What if your entire personality could change within a few weeks? For social “hippie” spiders, that’s exactly what happens, according to groundbreaking research that challenges how scientists understand animal individuality. A team led by the University of Portsmouth tracked African social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola) over four months, testing their behavior every two weeks. Unlike previous … Read more
Have you ever comforted a friend who was upset? It turns out our closest ape relatives do exactly the same thing – and in ways that challenge what scientists have believed for decades. A groundbreaking new study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior has discovered that bonobos and chimpanzees console their distressed friends … Read more
Tiny Buzzing Batteries Power Future Tech Scientists have developed a remarkable device that harvests energy from the natural vibrations of flying bees, potentially eliminating batteries in microrobotic systems while allowing the insects to maintain normal flight patterns. The ultralight piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH), weighing just 46 milligrams – about as much as a small raindrop … Read more
Ever wonder why your dog feels like both your best buddy and your baby? Scientists have just discovered something cool about our relationship with dogs! A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that the way we bond with our dogs is super special – it’s like a mix between how we feel about our … Read more
Researchers have discovered why some female lemurs have abandoned their bullying ways, pointing to changes in how the “love hormone” oxytocin affects their brains. The findings could have implications for understanding aggression in other species, including humans. In most lemur societies, females reign supreme through physical intimidation. But within one branch of the lemur family … Read more
In a remote corner of Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park, wild chimpanzees are engaging in behavior that might feel oddly familiar to humans: sharing alcoholic treats with friends and family. For the first time, researchers have documented wild chimpanzees repeatedly eating and sharing naturally fermented African breadfruit containing measurable amounts of ethanol—what we commonly call alcohol. … Read more
Did you know that birds might be singing about who they really are? Scientists in Australia have discovered that tiny colorful birds called superb fairy-wrens actually reveal their personalities through their songs! Just like how some people are shy and others are outgoing, birds have different personalities too. Some fairy-wrens are more adventurous and curious … Read more
Scientists have created a special food that could be a game-changer for saving honey bees – and it works just like the protein bars humans eat when they need energy! Researchers from Washington State University and Belgium’s APIX Biosciences have developed a complete artificial diet that can keep bee colonies healthy even when they don’t … Read more
Nature’s Secrets, Scientifically Told.