News
Pigeon Bones Found at an Ancient Cyprus Settlement Reveal That Our Relationship With These Birds Began Earlier Than We Thought
1+ day, 17+ hour ago (427+ words) Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent If you live in a city, pigeons are probably part of your daily life. But before they were considered an urban nuisance, humans domesticated them and used them as messengers, as a source of meat and…...
A Tiny Endangered Creature That 'Moves Like Greased Lightning' Has Been Found in an Unexpected Place
11+ mon, 3+ week ago (743+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent "It jumped right out at me," says Fred Ford, a senior threatened species officer with the New South Wales government, to the Australian Associated Press. "You have to be out there looking…...
Scientists Detect an Elusive Giant Squid and Many Other Surprising Marine Animals Near Western Australia Thanks to DNA in the Water
2+ day, 18+ hour ago (395+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Margherita Bassi | Daily Correspondent Comparing the gathered e DNA to genetic reference data revealed that a surprising ocean neighbor had recently swum by: a rare giant squid. These massive marine creatures can grow to about 43 feet…...
The Mere Presence of Humans'Not Just Our Changes to the Land'Can Alter Wild Animals' Behaviors, a New Study Suggests
6+ day, 15+ hour ago (616+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent The world is in the throes of a'biodiversity crisis, with numerous animal species declining or disappearing altogether. Scientists know that much of this turmoil stems from human development'physical changes to the landscape…...
Articles tagged as Weird Animals | Smithsonian Magazine
7+ mon, 2+ week ago (799+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine When Did Crabs Evolve Their Iconic Sideways Scuttle? Scientists Traced It to a Common Ancestor That Lived 200 Million Years Ago The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the…...
Belugas Can Recognize Themselves in Mirrors, Joining a Short List of Nonhuman Species That Show Signs of Self-Awareness
1+ week, 57+ min ago (543+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent Belugas are highly intelligent marine mammals with'intricate communication systems and strong social bonds. Now, new research suggests that the toothed whales are also self-aware. According to a study published May 20 in the…...
Whalers Didn't Just Sing Sea Shanties and Seek Adventure. Proof of Laborers' Grueling Work Is in Their Skeletons, Buried in the Arctic
1+ week, 17+ hour ago (511+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent Whaling took a brutal toll on laborers in the 17th and 18th centuries, reshaping their bodies so dramatically that the effects can still be seen in their skeletons today. In a new study published…...
Mediterranean Monk Seals Hide in Underwater 'Bubble Caves' to Avoid Tourists During the Busy Summer Season, a Study Suggests
1+ week, 1+ day ago (446+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent When summer tourism heats up, Mediterranean monk sealstake refuge in hidden underwater "bubble caves'less-than-ideal hangout spots compared to their typically larger, more accessible caves. The discovery, described in a study published April…...
A Dimpled Koala Fossil Found in a Cave in Western Australia Revealed Why This Previously Unknown Species Went Extinct
1+ week, 3+ day ago (425+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent This led Travouillon and his colleagues to examine 98 bones from fossil specimens across the museum's collection. They compared the fossils with modern koala skeletons using detailed skull and tooth measurements and other…...
Can Insects Feel Pain? New Research Suggests That Crickets Do
1+ week, 3+ day ago (588+ words) More from Smithsonian magazine Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent Can crickets feel pain? New research suggests these ubiquitous bugs may experience "pain-like" sensations, adding to the growing list of nonhuman species that seem to feel lingering discomfort. "If they're capable of…...