nature

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, But You Can’t Clean Up Their Drinking Habits

Medicine & Technology Any pet lover knows that it comes as no surprise to discover that dogs aren’t quite as graceful as their feline friends, the cat. While a kitten will take a hundred little sips to lap up a saucer of milk, a puppy will likely splatter the milk all over the floor before drooling out half of the contents – and we love them for that. But while you may chalk up the messy behavior to a carefree disposition or a hasty nature, behavioral ethologists who study the exquisite techniques of getting a drink have recently discovered that cats and dogs have distinct strategies of their own. And each one benefits the species in its own unique way.

Grand Canyon Wolf—Female Offers New Hope of Grand Canyon Pack’s Return

Earlier this month when news broke that an endangered gray wolf from the northern Rocky Mountains may have made its way all the way to the national forest near Grand Canyon National Park, environmentalists and national park officials questioned the highly unlikely scenario of a lone wolf returning to the park where they were driven to extinction over six decades ago. But new DNA tests, conducted on feces remnants collected by park officials, confirmed on Friday Nov. 21 that the suspect captured in pictures throughout the park since Oct. 30 is indeed a lone wolf – and a female at that.

How Crops Will Change the Atmosphere of the Future—CO2 On the Rise

There’s a lot more to consider when looking at climate change in future models than meets the eye. Yes carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels plays a part, but so can the simple changes in the agricultural practices that feed a growing world. And a new study published this week in the journal Nature reveals that levels of carbon dioxide will likely be on the rise, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, as summer heat and the tail-end of the growing season will spark major crop plants to release CO2 in parts of the growing season.

How Early Man Survived at the ‘Roof of the World’—And Found the Secret to Beer Too

For early man, surviving and conquering niche environments, like that of the Tibetan Plateau of Asia, was a difficult task that required the perfect combination of conditions. Tribes needed to learn how to work together, to traverse harsh terrain, to find/build shelter, and above all they had to learn how to feed themselves year-round. And while the surmounting odds of surviving the domain known as the “Roof of the World” were stacked against them, with extreme altitudes, relentless winds, frigid temperatures and low-oxygen conditions complicating the living conditions they had in their new home, researchers now say that early men were able to conquer this uninhabited ecosystem thanks to a cold-hardy crop used to make beer – barley.

Wandering Northwoods Moose Suddenly Found Dead on Sleepy Eye Farm

It’s been a strange story from the beginning, but now it’s taken an even more tragic turn for the worse. Nearly two weeks ago reporters in Minnesota revealed that a large 7-foot-tall moose, native to the habitat of Northwoods, travelled hundreds of miles to the farmlands of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and found a temporary new home in Verna and Leonard Wendiner’s backyard.

Should Mysterious Craters in Siberia Be Cause for Concern?

Earlier this past summer when a mysterious giant crater was discovered in northern Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula, many believed the phenomenon to be far too strange to be a natural occurrence. Ironically named “Yamal” which means “the end of the world”, much skepticism surrounded early news of the phenomenon. And when images hit the web a myriad of theories abounded, leading viewers to throw reason to the wind claiming that the crater was either a man-made hoax, a site for a meteorite crash, or even the workings of an alien UFO.

Massive Crater in Siberia Sparks Conversations of UFOs and Bermuda Triangle

For those who have ventured to Siberia in their lifetime, you know that there is a mysterious air about the desolate arctic tundra plains. But earlier this summer when a giant sinkhole was discovered in northern Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula, researchers realized just how strange it may be.

In Chimpanzee Sexual Selection, Nice Guys Finish Last

Behavioral studies of our close relatives the chimpanzee often reveal origins of what we believe to be distinctly “human” interactions. Grooming behavior, child rearing and even gang formation have all been identified in chimpanzee populations, but in a recent study conducted in Tanzania, researchers from Arizona State University say that they may have found the origins or far more disturbing behavior—bullying and male-on-female violence.

Coalition Sues Fish & Wildlife Service For Fate of Mexican Gray Wolves

Early Wednesday morning, Nov. 12, after alleging that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to develop a comprehensive and viable recovery plan for the endangered Mexican Gray Wolf, a coalition of conservation organizations filed a lawsuit against the government agency seeking a court order demanding that such a plan be developed.

Why Researchers Have to Go In Disguise—The Penguin in the Room

Looking for a way to observe king penguin colonies in the ice fields of Antarctica, researchers led by Yvon Le Maho from the University of Strasbourg, France developed a fluffy little rover shaped in the image of a penguin chick so that they could get an up-close view of the male penguins’ nesting behaviors.

Why Researchers Have to Go In Disguise—The Penguin in the Room

Looking for a way to observe king penguin colonies in the ice fields of Antarctica, researchers led by Yvon Le Maho from the University of Strasbourg, France developed a fluffy little rover shaped in the image of a penguin chick so that they could get an up-close view of the male penguins’ nesting behaviors.

Penguin-Friendly Rover Finds Its Place Amongst the Crowd

It’s a story, much like the ones you’ve heard before. An orphaned bird must stand alone within its flock, to find its own place amongst its peers. But this isn’t the story of an ugly little duckling that turns into a swan, or one of a tap-dancing emperor penguin with a knack for hip hop. This is a tale of a remote-operated rover that brought researchers into the fold of a penguin colony, for a view unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Penguin-Friendly Rover Finds Its Place Amongst the Crowd

It’s a story, much like the ones you’ve heard before. An orphaned bird must stand alone within its flock, to find its own place amongst its peers. But this isn’t the story of an ugly little duckling that turns into a swan, or one of a tap-dancing emperor penguin with a knack for hip hop. This is a tale of a remote-operated rover that brought researchers into the fold of a penguin colony, for a view unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Vampire-Like Deer Reveals Itself in Time for Halloween

It’s a fanged creature unlike any other, and it clearly won’t need a costume this Halloween. The unusual herbivore, the Kashmir Musk Deer is a species that was once native to the northern ranges of Afghanistan. Though, in spite of the fact that the species has not been seen for more than 60 years, a team of researchers headed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently revealed that more than a handful of the rare species have been identified in alpine meadows of northeast Afghanistan, just in time to come out for Halloween.

Endangered Gray Wolf May Have Made a Trip to Grand Canyon

It’s a photo worth a thousand words, and one of a near impossible candidate. Captured in the national forest near Grand Canyon National Park, authorities revealed Thursday Oct. 30 that a collared endangered gray wolf from the northern Rocky Mountains may be roaming the lands. A species that environmentalists and national park officials haven’t seen since the 1940’s when the gray wolf was driven to extinction in the area.
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