Carrying offspring is even more energetically expensive than previously assumed, a study shows. Mammals, especially humans, have the highest costs… more
Beavers and otters had long disappeared from large parts of Europe. Now both are returning and are astonishing the experts… more
Researchers observed a male orangutan treating a painful facial wound with chewed leaf material from a well-known medicinal plant… more
Compromising the hippie monkey image? Researchers have found that male bonobos behave aggressively more often than chimpanzees… more
The fear of sharks prevents some people from going swimming on a beach in Australia. And many people are horrified at the sight of a hairy spider. In his book “Disreputable Animals,” Stephan Wunsch explains where such fears come from. He also reports on bizarre methods that scientists use to create terrifying animals… more
Jellyfish have a bad image. They are of great importance for life in the oceans… more
The life of the Austrian physician and ethologist Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) contains both light and dark chapters. In her novel biography “Lorenz,” which is worth reading, the journalist Ilona Jerger devotes herself to both the Nobel Prize winner’s scientific career and work as well as his private life… more
Striped marlins increase the contrast of their body markings in order to coordinate their attacks when hunting in groups on schools of fish, according to observations… more
Birds are among the most observed animals in the world. However, research has long underestimated them. In her book “The Secret World of Birds,” Jennifer Ackerman reports new findings about their songs, their senses, and their intelligence that amaze even veteran ornithologists… more
An experimental study suggests that the clownfish known from the film “Finding Nemo” apparently recognize competitors of their own species by the number of vertical stripes they have… more