Bumblebees' Little Hairs Can Sense Flowers' Electric Fields
The fields bend the hairs and that generates a nerve signal, scientists say.
Animals
Using Algorithms To Catch The Sounds Of Endangered Frogs
Scientists are turning to big data to try to save California's state amphibian. They're using software to comb through hours of recordings to find the red-legged frogs that remain.
Gorilla Killed To Save Boy At Cincinnati Zoo
After a 4-year-old slipped into the gorilla enclosure on a crowded day at the Cincinnati Zoo, a security team killed the gorilla to save the child. A tranquilizer shot was deemed too dicey.
Wrecked By Superstorm Sandy, Conservationists Work To Restore Migratory Birds' Refuge
The migratory birds of the East Coast are about to get back a piece of habitat they lost to Hurricane Sandy — a freshwater pond in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York City.
Working Horses Can Now Breathe A Whinny Of Relief
The World Organisation For Animal Health has adopted its first standards to provide good care for equines — part of a broad agenda at its just-concluded powwow.
New England, Back Away From The Seal Pups
Please do not take selfies with the animals, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration asks. It's pupping season, so there may be a tempting number of seals about this weekend.
On The Trail Of The Wily Wild Hog
These descendants of wild boars were brought over from Europe decades ago. They're highly invasive and hugely destructive — threatening native bears and deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Hunting And National Parks Don't Mix Except When It Comes To Feral Hogs
There's an aggressive hunting program going on in the back country of Great Smoky Mountains National Park targeting wild hogs. Hogs are invasive and hugely destructive to the natural environment.
Bella And Max Are Top Dog Names In New York City
Since 2008, Bella has been the city's most popular dog name. That's when the last of Stephenie Meyer's vampire-themed Twilight novels featuring heroine Bella Swan was published.
For Female Fruit Flies, Mr. Right Has The Biggest Sperm
It's not unusual for males to try to impress females with big body parts. Consider antlers on deer, or elaborate tails on peacocks. Some male fruit flies take a different approach: giant sperm.