A drawing showing what Prototaxites might have looked like 400 million years ago. (Image credit: Painting by Mary Parrish, National Museum of Natural History.) A strange ancient life form thought to be the first large organism to live on land…
This is a close-up image of a common garden fly. (Photo by Amith Nag Photography/Moment via Getty Images) As you explore any part of the planet, pay attention and you will find insects. Check your backyard and you may see…
The Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi) is one of the most venomous marine organisms on Earth. Two Australian fishermen were recently airlifted to hospital by helicopter after being stung by one of the world’s most venomous jellyfish while out in the…
For a long time, sharks were considered mute creatures, relying on their stealth to hunt and avoid predators. But now, for the first time, shark sounds have been recorded. New recordings show whitetip reef sharks (Mustelus lenticulatus) – small bottom-dwelling…
The newly identified dinosaur species Duonychus tsogtbaatari had two unusually long sickle-shaped claws on each limb. (Photo: Masato Hattori) Paleontologists have found a new species of dinosaur with unusual claws in Mongolia. The newly described genus and species belong to…
A 15-million-year-old freshwater fish fossil. The fish’s stomach contents indicate that its diet consisted primarily of ghost flies. (Photo credit: Salty Dingo 2020) Freshwater fish fossils dating back 15 million years found in Australia represent a completely new species previously…
The remains of the mammoth were found in Austria. (Photo courtesy of ÖAW-ÖAI/Marc Händel) Scientists in Austria have discovered the remains of five giant woolly mammoths that are 25,000 years old. The animals appear to have been hunted and killed…
We know that animals have their own complex communication systems. But can they understand what we say? (Image credit: debibishop via Getty Images) In the early 20th century, a famous horse named Clever Hans was touring Germany. He amazed onlookers…
Greater potoos have impressive eyes located on the sides of their heads, giving them excellent night vision. (Image credit: Allissondias, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Name: Greater Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) Habitat: Central and South America. What it eats: large…
Penguins do not have the ability to fly, but they have retained their flight muscles and adapted them for swimming. (Photo by JUAN BARRETO via Getty Images) Birds are commonly associated with flight, but not all birds can take to…
Yellowstone bison were driven to extinction in the late 19th century by intensive commercial hunting. (Photo credit: National Park Service/Jacob W. Frank) Bison in Yellowstone National Park spent more than a century split into two genetically distinct herds. But new…
Henry (not pictured) was a Nile crocodile captured in Botswana in 1903. (Image credit: BirdImages/Getty Images) Today (December 16) the world’s oldest crocodile, Henry, celebrates his 124th birthday at a conservation centre in South Africa. The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)…