Why thousands of fish washed up on these Texas beaches
Thousands of dead fish washed ashore in southeast Texas this past weekend. The cause of death was low oxygen, meaning fish struggled to "breathe" in the warm weather.
Animals
Central Park birder Christian Cooper on being 'a Black man in the natural world'
Cooper was birdwatching in Central Park in 2020 when a white woman falsely accused him of threatening her. His book chronicles life as a Black birder, gay activist and Marvel comics writer and editor.
Las Vegas pastor spends his free time catching unwanted rattlesnakes
Tim Agnello rounds up rattlesnakes in his neighbors' yards. He finds places in the dessert with enough food, water and shade and then releases the rattlers.
Grin and bear it: A quiet D.C. neighborhood became a hot topic of discussion
This after a young black bear was roaming around residents' backyards. Talk about a frightening scene for your Friday morning commute. The bear was later released back into the wild in Maryland.
Coastal biomedical labs are bleeding more horseshoe crabs with little accountability
Horseshoe crab blood is used to test vaccines around the world. But while Europe has approved a synthetic alternative, biomedical labs are bleeding more crabs from the Atlantic Coast.
Why the FDA tightened rules around antimicrobial medications for animals
NPR's Scott Simon asks William Flynn, a deputy director at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, about the agency's tightening of regulations around antimicrobial drugs for animals.
A statewide survey of California's bumblebees hopes to help conserve them
NPR's Ailsa Chang searches coastal California for wild bumblebees with conservation biologist Leif Richardson, one of the leaders of the California Bumble Bee Atlas.
Humans traveled less during COVID restrictions. Animals traveled more
Animals being tracked by scientists tended to travel longer distances in the early months of the pandemic, when people stayed home. The wildlife also ventured closer to roads.
Octopuses tweak the RNA in their brains to adjust to warmer and cooler waters
The California two-spot octopus can edit the RNA in its brain to produce different proteins as ocean temperatures fluctuate, a new study finds.
Courts have long seen K-9 dogs as impartial. Now police bodycams hold them accountable
Police body cameras have increased accountability for K-9 units, making it easier for defendants to claim unconstitutional searches. A federal lawsuit in Texas illustrates the new dynamic.