Animals

Peponapis pruinosa is a species of bee in the tribe Eucerini, the long-horned bees. This bee relies on wild and cultivated squashes, pumpkins, gourds and related plants.

As Beekeepers Lose More Hives, Time For New Rules On Pesticides?

6:08pm November 24, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Beekeepers lost 42 percent of their hives last year. NPR and PBS NewsHour investigate what's behind the plight of the pollinators. Some scientists say pesticides called neonics are being overused.

One Of Last 4 White Rhinos Euthanized At San Diego Zoo

6:58pm November 23, 2015

One of the last four northern white rhinos was euthanized at the San Diego Zoo Sunday. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to Rick Schwartz, the zoo's global ambassador, about how the species was so decimated and what might be done to save it.

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National

One Of The World's Last Northern White Rhinos Has Died

3:08pm November 23, 2015

by Alexandra Starr

One of only four known northern white rhinoceroses was euthanized at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Sunday.

The giant roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, shows its three serrated lips.

Can A Parasitic Worm Make It Easier (Or Harder) For A Woman To Conceive?

2:36am November 21, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Maybe. A nine-year study in Bolivia found an unexpected association between the parasitic worms in a woman's guts and her fertility.

National Institutes Of Health To Retire Last 50 Research Chimps

6:37pm November 20, 2015

The National Institutes of Health announced their 50 remaining chimps will be going into retirement. NPR's Ari Shapiro spoke with Cathy Willis Spraetz, president and chief executive of Chimp Haven, where the chimps will ultimately be housed.

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Pigeons Identify Cancerous Tissues On Medical Images, Study Says

7:01am November 20, 2015

Researchers say pigeons can be trained to spot cancerous breast tissue on x-rays and slides. Gathering results from a lot of pigeons, "flock sourcing," brings the accuracy rate up to 90 percent.

AquaBounty's salmon (rear) have been genetically modified to grow to market size in about half the time as a normal salmon — 16 to 18 months, rather than three years.

Genetically Modified Salmon Is Safe To Eat, FDA Says

6:51pm November 19, 2015

by Dan Charles

In a long-awaited ruling, the agency said that a salmon created to grow faster is fit for human consumption. Environmental and food safety groups vow to fight the decision.

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A bison herd with calves travels through Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park. The park has proposed a cull of 1,000 bison, primarily cows and calves, this winter.

Yellowstone Park Proposes Cull Of 1,000 Bison This Winter

4:34pm November 19, 2015

by Camila Domonoske

The park proposes killing mostly cows and calves in this year's annual cull. The park's bison population neared 5,000 this summer; a 15-year-old agreement with Montana calls for a population of 3,000.

NIH Retires The Last Of Its Research Chimps

11:15pm November 18, 2015

by Laura Wagner

After retiring hundreds of research chimpanzees in 2013, the National Institute of Health said that 50 remaining chimps would no longer be used for medical studies.

Some cats are hilariously alarmed by cucumbers. Is setting them up for surprise a mild prank, or a mean one?

Back Away From That Cucumber, Say Some Cat Lovers

7:37pm November 18, 2015

by Camila Domonoske

Yesterday we — along with much of the rest of the Internet — posted a popular video of cats apparently terrified by cucumbers. Now National Geographic wants us all to rethink such antics.