Animals

Science

Cold-Water Fish Break The Ice With Antifreeze

12:23pm January 07, 2013

Cold-water fish, snow-dwelling bugs and some grasses have evolved natural antifreeze proteins to avoid turning to ice cubes. Peter Davies, a biologist at Queen's University in Ontario, discusses how these antifreeze substances work, and their applications for human problems--like keeping the ice out of ice cream.

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Cat Tries To Help Inmates Bust Out Of Prison

7:56am January 07, 2013

Authorities at a Brazilian prison noticed a bulky cat wandering on prison grounds. They discovered the small black-and-white cat was hauling in saws, drills, a cell phone and charger — all taped to its body.

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National

Disappearing Mule Deer A New Reality Throughout Western U.S.

7:02pm January 04, 2013

by Luke Runyon

Scientists throughout the West are trying to figure out the mystery of the disappearing mule deer. Since the 1970s, biologists in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah have seen deer populations drop by 50 percent. The potential causes vary. Oil and gas development and the growth in coyote populations top the list.

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From left, bird-watchers John Williamson, Donna Quinn, Bruce Hill and Frances Raskin try to spot as many different species as possible during this season's bird count in Loudoun County, Va.

From Canada To Latin America, The Christmas Bird Count Is On

8:46am January 04, 2013

by Veronique LaCapra

Since 1900, citizen scientists across the Americas have braved bad weather and lack of sleep to participate in the yearly count — essentially, a bird-watching marathon. In the process, these birds have created the world's longest-running database in ornithology and given scientists a great tool for assessing the health of bird populations.

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Bird Sighting Record Broken In Canada

11:16am January 02, 2013

Josh Vandermeulen, 22, is happy as a lark about the record he set for number of birds sited in Ontario, Canada. He drove thousands of miles to see 344 different bird species this year, six more than the previous record.

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Birding for the Holidays

11:36am December 26, 2012

The Audubon's 113th Christmas Bird Count is underway, and thousands of volunteers are taking part this year. Ornithologist David Bonter, and Gary Langham, Audubon's chief scientist, share tips on which species to look out for, and how even birding beginners can get involved.

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Study: Red Noses Help Reindeers Cope With Polar Air

4:20pm December 25, 2012

by Sabri Ben-Achour

It turns out Rudolph wasn't the only reindeer with a bright red nose. All reindeer have red noses, and a new study in the British Medical Journal explains why. Their noses are packed with lots of blood vessels to warm cold air on the way in and soak up heat from their breath as they breathe out.

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Christmas Comes Early At Australia's Taronga Zoo

7:11am December 18, 2012

Late last week, zoo keepers delivered some tasty presents. You could say they were the animal equivalents of holiday cookies — but without sprinkles.

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This photograph from 1934 shows the Carnegie Museum's Apatosaurus skeleton on the right — wearing the wrong skull.

Science

Forget Extinct: The Brontosaurus Never Even Existed

7:09pm December 09, 2012

by NPR Staff

Even if you knew that, you may not know how the fictional dinosaur came to star in the prehistoric landscape of popular imagination for so long. The story starts 130 years ago, in a time known as the "Bone Wars."

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Blue Whale Barrel Roll Caught On Camera

12:00pm December 07, 2012

Reporting in the journal Biology Letters, Jeremy Goldbogen and colleagues say blue whales perform underwater acrobatics when they're eating: they rotate 360 degrees while they gulp krill. Reaching 90 feet in length, blue whales are the largest animals on the planet. Goldbogen is studying their dining habits to understand what fuels their growth.

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