Animals

Petting dogs is good for your brain – but they have to be real

Petting a dog lights up the part of the brain that regulates and processes social and emotional interactions, a new study has found.

Animals Evolution

Radiation-protected pitch-black frogs are taking over Chernobyl

Chernobyl tree frogs have a much darker colouration than frogs captured in control areas outside the zone.

Animals

Dogs can smell when you’re stressed (if they can be bothered)

Dogs can tell when you’re stressed out with near perfect accuracy based only on your breath, apparently.

Animals

Totally not-evil scientists crossed a mosquito with bees and a ‘clawed frog’

It might actually be key to saving hundreds of thousands of lives a year.

Animals

How many ants are there? About 20,000 million million, maybe more

Have you ever wondered exactly how many ants live on Earth?

Health

Cow mucus lube shows promise as condom alternative

Don’t want to wear a condom? How about just smearing some cow mucus down there? 

Animals

Australian whales – musical geniuses of the ocean?

Scientists have worked out who the creative geniuses of the whale world are.

Evolution

Teeth likely evolved on the outside of our ancestors’ mouths – study

Be glad you exist this far down the evolutionary line.

Animals

Web of lies: Nearly half of all news about spiders isn’t true

If this story was about spiders, there’s a good chance it would contain a factual error.

Animals

Dogs cry with happiness when they see their owners

Dogs cry when they’re happy to impress their favourite humans, new research has found.

Animals

Ancient frogs, tired and shagged out after a long croak, probably drowned

They survived the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs… but not this.