Natural History
-
5.1KAfrican lions face same threats as extinct Ice Age ancestors
Newly published in the journal Ecography, the study shows that the wildlife that went extinct during the period, including the sabre-toothed cat,...
-
5.7KLong Lost Monitor Lizard “Re-discovered” on Papua New Guinean Island
Scientists have recently found and re-described a monitor lizard species from the island of New Ireland in northern Papua New Guinea. It...
-
5.3KResearchers map the evolution of dog breeds
When people migrate, Canis familiaris travels with them. Piecing together the details of those migrations has proved difficult because the clues are...
-
4.7KDiscovery in northern lakes may be key to understanding early life on Earth
A team of researchers has discovered that many Canadian lakes can provide new insights into ancient oceans, and their findings could advance...
-
12.3KThe Giant Sloth was a Vegetarian – The diet of the fossil Megatherium has been decoded
Together with an international team, Senckenberg scientists examined the diet of the extinct Giant Sloth Megatherium. Based on analyses of the collagen...
-
12.8KMegafaunal extinctions driven by too much moisture
Studies of bones from Ice Age megafaunal animals across Eurasia and the Americas have revealed that major increases in environmental moisture occurred...
-
5.8KSuccessful Dig Reveals an Almost Complete Skull of a Saber-toothed Cat – A third individual saber-toothed cat was discovered in Schöningen
Led by scientists of the Senckenberg Research Institute and the University of Tübingen, the excavation team found the remains of a saber-toothed...
-
11.8KArchaeologists identify skull of sabre-toothed cat
Leiden archaeologists have identified a number of bone fragments that were excavated in Germany two years ago. The fragments are from a...
-
4.9KAntarctic penguin colony repeatedly decimated by volcanic eruptions
One of the largest colonies of gentoo penguins in Antarctica was decimated by volcanic eruptions several times during the last 7,000 years...
-
12.7KLegends of the lost reservoirs
Tucked away in a laboratory in University of Cincinnati's Braunstein Hall are tubes of rock and dirt that quietly tell a story...
-
9.6KCourtship behavior trapped in 100-million-year-old amber
Courtship behaviours, frequent among modern insects, have left extremely rare fossil traces. In odonates, the male must persuade the female to mate...
-
6.8KHawaiian biodiversity has been declining for millions of years
Hawaii's unique animal and plant diversity has been declining on all but the Big Island for millions of years, long before humans...
-
9.3KNew species of parasitic wasp named after ancient god of evil Set shows wicked behavior
Being able to manipulate its host's behavior while growing inside of it, a new species of parasitic wasp seems to have deservedly...
-
8.9KScientists examine plants encased in tar pits to reconstruct ice age ecosystem
For tens of thousands of years, the warm, sticky natural asphalt that occasionally bubbled to the Earth’s surface in the area now...
-
18.0KHumans, not climate change, wiped out Australian megafauna
New evidence involving the ancient poop of some of the huge and astonishing creatures that once roamed Australia indicates the primary cause...
-
9.5KNew theory may explain mystery of Fairy Circles of Namibia
One of nature’s greatest mysteries – the ‘Fairy Circles’ of Namibia – may have been unravelled by researchers at the University of...
-
20.4KAboriginal Australians co-existed with the megafauna for at least 17,000 years
Australia was once home to giant reptiles, marsupials and birds (and some not so giant), but the extinction of this megafauna has...
-
8.9KHidden seeds reveal Canary Islands history
Have you tried the national dish gofio while on holiday on the Canary Islands? If so, you have eaten the same food...
-
8.3KThe loss of plant species triggers the extinction of animals
When plant species disappear due to climate change, this may lead to the subsequent loss of various animal species. Insects which depend...
-
12.8KResearchers investigate ancient species in Gulf of Alaska
Invasive species have shaped island ecosystems and landscapes in the Gulf of Alaska, but their histories are unknown. In a study by...
-
21.1KPredicting extinction — with the help of a Yule tree
At this time of year, the words "Yule tree" may conjure images of brightly decorated balsam firs. But for Lea Popovic, an...
-
8.2KStudy finds capuchin monkeys produce sharp stone flakes similar to tools
In addition to using rocks for various purposes, such as cracking open a seed or fruit to extract the edible part, the...
