Really big brains can evolve only if constraints on energy intake are lifted
As a species we're so brain-proud it doesn't occur to most of us to ask whether a big brain has disadvantages as well as cognitive benefits.
As a species we're so brain-proud it doesn't occur to most of us to ask whether a big brain has disadvantages as well as cognitive benefits.
Evolution
Dec 21, 2016
3
1420
New U of T Scarborough research has found adult ruby-throated hummingbirds choose to pack on significant weight in the four days before their long migratory flights south for the winter.
Plants & Animals
Oct 13, 2016
0
151
Coral fish become stressed and lose weight if they are separated from each other, hampering their chances of survival, an Australian study revealed on Thursday.
Ecology
Sep 22, 2016
1
118
The idyllic sight of a sea otter mum with a pup clasped to her chest, basking in the peaceful waters of Monterey Bay suckling her youngster can conceal the true extent of her devotion. Lactation is one of the most demanding ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 3, 2016
0
16
New research on male Barbary macaques indicates that these primates have a flexible metabolic physiology, which help them survive by changing the speed of chemical reactions within their bodies, and consequently levels of ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 19, 2016
1
355
A new research paper from Mote Marine Laboratory reveals that nurse sharks have the lowest metabolic rate measured in any shark—new evidence of the sluggish lifestyle that has helped the species survive for millennia.
Plants & Animals
Feb 2, 2016
0
374
Why does a great dane have a shorter lifespan than a pug? The answer lies in a complex relationship between energy usage and lifespan. That relationship is quickly being unraveled through the use of numerical modeling by ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 1, 2016
8
77
University of Adelaide researchers have shown that intelligence in animal species can be estimated by the size of the holes in the skull through which the arteries pass.
Evolution
Jul 15, 2015
3
187
The most aggressive largemouth bass in the lake are also the ones most prized by anglers. These are the fish that literally 'take the bait' and put the fun into both competitive and casual sport fishing.
Ecology
Jun 3, 2015
0
6
Bubbling out of their hibernation burrows as the temperature begins to rise, male red-sided garter snakes only have one thing on their mind: mating. And with females in short supply, the pressure is on. But how much effort ...
Plants & Animals
May 13, 2015
1
11