First fossil hyena tracks found in South Africa – how expert animal trackers helped: “The art of tracking may well be the origin of science.” This is the departure point for a 2013 book by Louis Liebenberg, co-founder of an organisation devoted to environmental monitoring. The connection between tracking in nature, as people have done …
The curious link between animal hibernation and ageing – and what humans could learn from it: Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock When the cold and dark winter is setting in, some of us envy animals that can hibernate. This long, deep rest is an example of how nature develops clever solution to difficult problems. In this case, how …
Farming tuna on land heralded as a win for sustainability – but there are serious concerns around animal welfare: Intense fishing pressure has taken a toll on Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks. Steven4z/Shutterstock Atlantic bluefin tuna used to be caught only relatively rarely, mainly by sports fishermen in North America. But this all changed in the …
How animal traits have shaped the journey of species across the globe: The devastating tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011 set off a series of events which have long fascinated scientists like me. It was so powerful that it caused 5 million tonnes of debris to wash into the Pacific – 1.5 million tonnes …
Shared horse and human burials show how deeply the vikings cared for their animal companions: Is your pet part of the family? That’s nothing new. Archeological evidence exists to suggest that the vikings held their own animals in high – even intimate – regard, taking them with them on voyages. Earlier this year, scientific evidence …
How climate change is causing a communication breakdown in the animal world: Damselfish are finding it harder to detect predators. Vojce / shutterstock What do the following changes have in common? Some ant species are struggling to follow trails, as warming temperatures cause a certain pheromone they use to communicate to decay. The water fleas …
Backpack-wearing chickens are helping change the way we study animal welfare: Iaroslav Konnikov/Shutterstock The chicken sheds I conduct research in are enormous – over three-quarters the length of a football field and 20 metres wide. In each house, around 28,000 near-identical broiler chickens, which are the type we use for meat, are reared in six-week …
South Africa is famous for its biodiversity: a new network will store and manage its plant and animal samples: Biobank samples can be used to support research in a range of disciplines. luchschenF/Shutterstock South Africa has created a network of facilities to store hundreds of thousands of samples of biological material from plants, animals, bacteria …
Of mice and matriarchs: the female-led societies of the animal kingdom: Meerkats live in matriarchal groups Jason Boyce/Shutterstock Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking long reign was exceptional in many ways – not least because England has been ruled by men for most of the last thousand years. Until recently, the crown was passed to the monarch’s …
Animal Farm has been translated into Shona – why a group of Zimbabwean writers undertook the task: Alan Hopps/Getty Images Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has in some ways become like Animal Farm. Like the pigs in the classic 1945 novel by English writer George Orwell, the country’s post-liberation leaders have hijacked a revolution that …
‘Clubbing a bunny to death is very effective but it sure does look bad’: the inside stories of urban animal control: Public acceptance of killing urban wild animals varies. Elena Berd/Shutterstock In July 2022, a walrus, affectionately nicknamed Freya, was culled near Norway’s capital city in the Oslo fjord – crowds of people approaching her …
What is life like as a wild animal? Probably nicer than you think: Miroslav Hlavko/Shutterstock If you know anything about the experiences of animals reared in captivity for food, fur or human amusement, you might imagine that the lives of wild animals are idyllic. If nature is conceived as a sort of Garden of Eden …
Animal consciousness: why it’s time to rethink our human-centred approach: Aleksey Mnogosmyslov/Shutterstock While we may enjoy the company of companion animals or a fleeting encounter with wildlife, many people believe humans have a superior consciousness of the world we live in. Every now and then, though, new study findings about the surprising intelligence of other …
Grand National protests: Animal Rising campaigners reveal how exploiting animals harms us too: Britain’s 175th annual Grand National horse race is set to take place on Saturday April 15. The protest group Animal Rising (formerly known as Animal Rebellion), an offshoot of the larger climate movement Extinction Rebellion, plans to disrupt it with direct-action tactics, …
What the complicated social lives of wasps can teach us about the evolution of animal societies: The yellowjacket wasp has a reputation as a British picnic invader Denis Vesely/Shutterstock It’s spring in England. The daffodils are in full bloom. A queen yellowjacket (Vespula) wasp emerges from your loft, dopey with hibernation and hungry for nectar. …
Animal architecture: why we need to design buildings for wildlife as well as people: How did early humans first learn to build? It’s quite possible that it was by observing animals that had already mastered the art. Indeed, when you look at the animal world many birds, insects and mammals are excellent architects and builders. …
Scientists ignored animal clitorises for centuries – now we’re discovering just how varied they are: Mikhaylovskiy/Shutterstock The sometimes astonishing sex lives of animals are well known, especially the huge range in penis structures, evolved to increase the number of offspring that males father. For example, ducks have corkscrew-shaped penises, and echidnas (also known as spiny …
Schiaparelli couture show featured animal heads inspired by Dante’s Inferno – here’s what they mean: Dante running from the Three Beasts by William Blake (1824-1827). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, CC BY-SA The spectacle of the spring/summer 2023 Schiaparelli couture show began before a single model set foot on the runway. Media personality Kylie Jenner …