False killer whales use acoustic squint to target prey

Hunting in the ocean's murky depths, vision is of little use, so toothed whales and dolphins (odontocetes) rely on echolocation to locate tasty morsels with incredible precision. Laura Kloepper from the University of Hawaii ...

How the zebra got its stripes

If there was a 'Just So' story for how the zebra got its stripes, I'm sure that Rudyard Kipling would have come up with an amusing and entertaining camouflage explanation. But would he have come up with the explanation that ...

Winter diets? The secret is to chill the extremities

It is well known that large mammals living in temperate climates lower their metabolism in winter. But does this represent a mechanism for coping with less food or is it merely a consequence of having less to eat? For the ...

Koalas' bellows boast about size

Koalas have a well-earned reputation for being dopey. Sleeping 19 hours out of every 24, and feeding for 3 of the remaining 5 hours, there doesn't seem to be much time for anything else in their lethargic lifestyle: that ...

Acidifying oceans could hit California mussels, a key species

Ocean acidification, a consequence of climate change, could weaken the shells of California mussels and diminish their body mass, with serious implications for coastal ecosystems, UC Davis researchers will report July 15 ...

Waves and the perception power of seals

If you ever thought that murky waters would stop seals in their (hunting) tracks, think again. Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) extend their vibration-sensitive whiskers to find food when their vision is obstructed. But can ...

Seals sense shapes using their whiskers to feel wakes

Hunting in the North Sea, harbour seals often encounter murky water that impedes their vision; but it doesn't affect their ability to chase prey. Extending their vibration-sensitive whiskers, the mammals are almost as efficient ...

Animals have personalities, too

An individual's personality can have a big effect on their life. Some people are outgoing and gregarious while others find novel situations stressful which can be detrimental to their health and wellbeing. Increasingly, scientists ...

How spring-loaded filaree seeds self launch

When filaree seeds ripen and burst, they are launched with an inbuilt spring. Scientists based at the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University have discovered that the inbuilt spring stores energy as the ...

How diving leatherback turtles regulate buoyancy

Virtually nothing is known about leatherback turtle diving strategies, but on Nov. 12, 2010, an international team of UK and US based scientists publish their discovery that leatherbacks regulate their buoyancy by varying ...

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