Why iNaturalist Users Freaked Out over a Google AI Grant
The nonprofit iNaturalist announced that it received a $1.5-million grant from Google’s philanthropic arm to develop generative AI tools for species identification. The news didn’t go over well
This Ant Has a Sting Worse Than a Fire Ant’s—Here’s How to Avoid It
The Asian needle ant looks ordinary, but its sting can be worse than a fire ant’s and can be dangerous for anyone who has experienced anaphylaxis
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These Hamster Dads Are a Cut above the Rest
This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating the unusually involved Djungarian hamster dads
Skin Cells ‘Scream’ for Help When Injured
Our skin’s epithelial cells send electrical signals like neurons to cry out for help
Animal Lifespans Offer Clues about the Science of Aging
Could the spectrum of animal lifespans hold clues about the science of aging?
This ‘Tower of Worms’ Is a Squirming Superorganism
Scientists have captured the first videos of wild roundworms forming living, wriggling towers that behave as one big superorganism
These ‘Real-Life Mermaid’ Divers Have Remarkable Underwater Abilities—And Genetics
The Haenyeo, an all-female group of divers on South Korea’s Jeju Island, spend much of their lives underwater without equipment—a “superpower” that may be written into their DNA
Black Death Plague That Killed Millions Became Less Fatal because of This Genetic Tweak
Reducing the copies of one gene in the bubonic plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, made it less deadly but potentially more transmissible
Behind the Scenes on the Science of The Last of Us
Behavioral ecologist David Hughes, who consulted on the video game that inspired the hit TV show The Last of Us, speaks about how our experience with the COVID pandemic changed the way we relate to zombie fiction
The Applause for Jaws despite Flaws
Fifty years ago the movie Jaws scared beachgoers and demonized sharks. Now, however, the public is evolving a better understanding
Building an LLM for Dolphin Chatter
A large language model for dolphin vocalization could let us better understand these beloved marine mammals.
Bird Flu Vaccine for Cows Passes Early Test
Researchers have tested an mRNA vaccine against avian influenza in calves with promising results