Weird News
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Rare Pictures: Scott's South Pole Expedition, 100 Years Later
January 17, 2012
A century after British explorer Robert Scott reached the South Pole, "incredibly rich," rarely seen pictures give an inside look at the ill-fated expedition.
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"White," Albino-like Penguin Found in Antarctica
January 12, 2012
Spotted by tourists in Antarctica, the rare bird has a genetic mutation that dilutes feather pigments.
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World's Smallest Frog Found—Fly-Size Beast Is Tiniest Vertebrate
January 11, 2012
No bigger than a housefly, the new species is the smallest known animal with a backbone, a new study says.
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Worm-Eating Plant Found—Kills via Underground Leaves
January 10, 2012
A Brazilian plant uses sticky underground leaves to trap roundworms, a new study says.
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"Virgin Birth" Record Broken by Hotel Shark
January 6, 2012
A zebra shark at the "world's most luxurious hotel" has experienced four straight years of reproductive success—no male required.
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Fish Mimics Octopus That Mimics Fish
January 5, 2012
For the first time, a jawfish has been caught one-upping a marine master of disguise (with video).
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Deep-Voiced Men Have Lower Sperm Counts, Study Says
January 5, 2012
The deep timbre of a male voice may sound attractive, but low-voiced men actually tend to have lower sperm counts, a new study says.
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Nuclear-Resort Pictures: Come for the Reactor, Stay for the Beach
January 5, 2012
A new Philippine destination has something for everyone: beach, karaoke, wildlife—and a real nuclear power plant (uranium not included).
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Hybrid Silkworms Spin Spider Silk—A First
January 4, 2012
Strong hybrid silk may someday be used to make parachutes and artificial limbs, a new study says.
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2012 Pictures: 6 Maya Apocalypse Myths Debunked
January 3, 2012
See six good reasons why the world (probably) won't end in the new year, despite supposed warnings in the Maya calendar.
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Evolution of Angels: From Disembodied Minds to Winged Guardians
December 23, 2011
From disembodied minds to winged guardians, heavenly messengers haven't always looked like the familiar Christmas tree toppers.
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Small Spiders Have Big Brains That Spill Into Their Legs
December 19, 2011
Tiny spiders have such huge brains for their body sizes that the organs can spill into the animals' body cavities, a new study shows.
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Walking Began Underwater, Strolling-Fish Discovery Suggests
December 13, 2011
Look Ma, no feet! The first walkers may well have been full-on fish, say experts who've seen a prehistoric-like fish walk underwater.
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People Can Hallucinate Color at Will
December 7, 2011
People can hallucinate color just with the power of suggestion, a finding that may help those fearful of hypnosis therapy, a new study says.
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"Yeti" Crabs Farm Food on Own Claws—A First
December 2, 2011
The deep-sea crabs farm bacteria on their furry arms as the crustaceans' main sources of food, scientists have discovered.
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Sex With Humans Made Neanderthals Extinct?
November 25, 2011
Fleeing advancing ice, Neanderthals increasingly encountered modern humans—and interbred to the point of extinction, a new study suggests.
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Why Does Evolution Allow Some People to Taste Words?
November 23, 2011
The neural tangling known as synesthesia may have survived evolution because it offers benefits in creative thinking, a new study hints.
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New "Albino" Spider Found in Australia
November 8, 2011
A new species of spider with an unusual white head has shocked scientists in Australia.
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Pictures We Love: Best of October
October 31, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a lightning-filled eruption, a bubbly beluga, and more.
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Python Hearts Double in Size—Now We Know Why
October 27, 2011
High levels of fats in the snakes' blood balloons their organs after breaking a long fast, experiments show.
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Halloween Pictures: 9 Spooky New Species Found This Year
October 27, 2011
From a Beelzebub bat to a vampire flying frog-see Halloween-worthy species that crept from the shadows into the scientific limelight.
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Male Spiders Give "Back Rubs" to Seduce Their Mates
October 18, 2011
When a male <em>Nephila pilipes</em> wants to get busy without getting eaten, he gives his mate a massage, new research shows.
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How Do Giant Pandas Survive on Bamboo Diets?
October 17, 2011
Panda poop has offered scientists clues to how the iconic bears keep high-fiber diets when they have the guts of carnivores.
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Pictures: Rare "Cyclops" Shark Found
October 13, 2011
A one-eyed fetus whose mother was caught by a fisher is one of only a few sharks with a documented case of cyclopia, new research says.
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Piranhas Bark—Three Fierce Vocalizations Deciphered
October 13, 2011
The fierce fish can be excellent communicators, though their "talk" ranges from "go away" to "no, really, go away," experts have found.
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Spawn of Medieval "Black Death" Bug Still Roam the Earth
October 12, 2011
Modern plague bacteria are still basically the same as the bug that caused the Black Death in medieval Europe, a new DNA study shows.
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Kraken Sea Monster Account "Bizarre and Miraculous"
October 11, 2011
An artistic kraken—a giant squid-like sea monster—is said to be behind a fossil graveyard. Critics call the find "fun" but "implausible."
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Pictures: First Quadruple Rainbow Ever Caught on Camera
October 7, 2011
Rescued from the realms of theory and myth, triple and quadruple rainbows have been caught on camera for the first time.
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Pictures: Best Micro-Photos of 2011
October 6, 2011
From mini insect "monsters" to solar cells-turned-abstract art—see the best microphotos chosen in the annual Small World photo competition.
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Secrets of Smell: Different Nose Parts for Stinky, Sweet
October 3, 2011
Receptors in human noses are grouped to help the brain discern good smells from bad ones, an "exciting, disturbing" study suggests.
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Pictures We Love: Best of September
September 30, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month--a tool-using octopus, a giant typhoon wave, and more.
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Ig Nobel Prizes Honor Wasabi Alarm, Odd Beetle Sex, More
September 30, 2011
Wasabi as a wake-up call, beetles that mistook bottles for mates, and failed doomsday prophets were among this year's research honorees.
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New Life-Forms Found at Bottom of Dead Sea
September 28, 2011
New life-forms have been found living in freshwater springs at the otherwise barren bottom of the Dead Sea, new research shows.
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Particles Moved Faster Than Speed of Light?
September 23, 2011
A claim that neutrinos traveled faster than light would be revolutionary if true, but "I would bet against it," physicist says.
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Squid Males "Bisexual"—Evolved Shot-in-the-Dark Mating Strategy
September 20, 2011
In the dark ocean depths, male squid looking for "love" will mate with other males just as much as with females, a new study says.
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Space Debris: Five Unexpected Objects That Fell to Earth
September 9, 2011
As NASA eyes a 6.5-ton satellite due to fall from orbit, get a roundup of notable objects that previously made it back to Earth.
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How "Zombie" Virus Liquifies Caterpillar Hosts
September 8, 2011
Scientists have identified a single gene that helps a caterpillar-brainwashing virus do its dirty work, a new study says.
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Pictures: Biggest Crocodile Ever Caught?
September 6, 2011
An allegedly 21-foot saltwater crocodile captured alive in the Philippines could be the biggest known croc—but some experts are skeptical.
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Pictures We Love: Best of August
September 1, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—an invisible man, sardine "storm," Swiss daredevil, and more.
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Cloned Fathers Mate With Insect Daughters—From Inside
August 17, 2011
Insect females have begun developing internal clones of their fathers, which fertilize the females eggs—which could end males altogether.
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Small Squid Have Bigger Sperm—And Their Own Sex Position
August 15, 2011
"Sneaker" males' sperm has evolved for a second female reproductive reservoir, reserved just for them, a new study says.
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"Sea Monster" Fetus Found—Proof Plesiosaurs Had Live Young?
August 11, 2011
Like most mammals, giant, dinosaur-era marine reptiles gave birth to live young, a new fossil study hints. But did the monsters mother?
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Other Universes Finally Detectable?
August 9, 2011
A new method for detecting bruises from collisions with other cosmoses could "forever change how we view our own universe," experts say.
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Why Giant Bugs Once Roamed the Earth
August 9, 2011
Dragonflies the size of modern birds ruled 300 million years ago because smaller larvae were at risk of oxygen toxicity, a new study hints.
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Major Deep-Sea Smokers Found—"Evolution in Overdrive"
August 8, 2011
A hotbed of "evolution in overdrive" the newfound volcanic vent field, which teems with odd animals, is a North Atlantic first.
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Vampire Bats Have Vein Sensors
August 3, 2011
Here's a finding that might make your blood run cold—vampire bats have specially evolved nerves that can sense the heat of your veins.
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Spiky Rat Uses Plant Poison to Turn Its Hair Deadly
August 3, 2011
An African rat chews poison bark, then wears the deadly drool—making the rodent the first animal known to apply external lethal poison.
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Parasite Creating Deformed Frogs in Western U.S.
August 3, 2011
Amphibians with "sick and twisted" deformities remain widespread in the U.S. West, and pollution may be making it worse, new research says.
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Pictures We Love: Best of July
July 28, 2011
Slimy seas, stormy skies, a bull's ear—National Geographic photo editors eye the month's best new pictures and find ten favorites.
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Secrets of Giant Cloud Holes Revealed
June 30, 2011
Mysterious cloud formations made by aircraft may owe their huge sizes to a little bit of heat, a new study suggests.
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"Exceptional" Giant Squid Found Dying off Florida
June 30, 2011
A stirring, intact giant squid gave a fishing party a shock this week—and could give researchers new insights, scientists say.
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Hybrid Cuban-American Crocodiles on the Rise
June 24, 2011
There's a new Cuban crisis—the island country's rare crocodile is being bred out of existence by its American cousin, a new study says.
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Pictures: First True Cocaine Submarine
June 24, 2011
See the first fully submersible drug sub captured by the U.S. in Colombia—a swamp-built vehicle that can carry six underwater for a week.
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Sacks of Human Waste Reveal Secrets of Ancient Rome
June 23, 2011
A giant "septic tank" in volcano-smothered Herculaneum held clues to everyday Roman existence, including—not surprisingly—what they ate.
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Sawfish Snout Has Sixth Sense, Splits Prey in Half
June 16, 2011
Sawfish use a sixth sense based in their snouts to hunt and dismember their prey, new research shows for the first time.
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Sleep Preferences Predict Baseball Success, Study Says
June 15, 2011
What times major league baseball players hit the hay can predict when they'll hit it out of the park, new research shows.
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Pictures: Nat Geo Picks of the Week
June 10, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the week, including a cross-eyed opossum, an epic ashfall, and more.
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Why Skunks Have Stripes: To Point to Fierce Anal Glands?
June 2, 2011
Some mammals' stripes may direct predators' eyes straight to sources of danger—such as fierce anal glands or sharp teeth—a new study says.
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New "Devil Worm" Is Deepest-Living Animal
June 1, 2011
Found miles under the Earth, a newfound worm species is the deepest-dwelling animal yet discovered, a new study says.
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Photos: Shape-Shifting Cuttlefish Can Mimic Pictures
June 1, 2011
Cuttlefish use visual cues to rearrange their bodies for maximum camouflage, a new study confirms.
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3-Foot "Shrimp" Discovered—Dominated Prehistoric Seas
May 27, 2011
By far the largest ever found of its kind, the spiny fossil predator "would have made enough scampi to feed an army," one expert quipped.
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Revealed: How Area 51 Hid Secret Craft
May 20, 2011
Veterans of the secret U.S. base reveal how they shielded futuristic prototypes—and jury-rigged low-tech decoys.
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Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More
May 13, 2011
They date back at least to ancient Roman times, but Friday the 13th superstitions won't be getting much of a workout this year. Luckily for triskaidekaphobia sufferers, today is 2011's only Friday the 13th.
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"Zombie" Ants Bite at High Noon, Then Die
May 11, 2011
A fungus is turning carpenter ants into puppets, and now scientists have a better idea how and when the infection does its gruesome work.
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Sea Urchin Body Is One Big Eye
May 2, 2011
Sea urchins may use their entire bodies—from the ends of their "feet" to the tips of their spines—as huge eyes, a new study says.
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Is Your Brain Sleeping While You're Awake?
April 27, 2011
If you're sleep-deprived, key parts of your brain may be dozing even when you're awake, according to a new study of rats.
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Eyes Made of Rock Really Can See, Study Says
April 14, 2011
Sea creatures called chitons can use beadlike structures made of rock to distinguish shapes of approaching predators, a new study says.
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Alien Wasps Abduct, Drop Ants to Get Food
April 6, 2011
When competing for food with an ant swarm, a wasp will pluck an ant from the pile, fly away, and drop the insect, a new study says.
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Pictures: Trees Cocooned in Webs After Flood
March 31, 2011
Documented by an aid worker, millions of spiders and possibly insects took to the trees to spin webs after heavy floods inundated Pakistan in 2010.
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"Castrated" Spiders Are Better Fighters, Study Says
March 30, 2011
Males that break off their genitals during sex aggressively guard their mates, perhaps because they "have nothing to lose," scientists say.
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Electric Wand Makes Fire Disappear
March 30, 2011
With a wave of the hand, scientists can now extinguish small fires, and someday firefighters may be able to too—no spells required.
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Odd Saber-Toothed Beast Discovered—Preyed on ... Plants?
March 24, 2011
Saber teeth can turn up in the strangest places—such as in the fossil head of the new pre-dinosaur vegetarian discovered in Brazil.
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Giant Rabbit Fossil Found: Biggest Bunny Was "Roly-Poly"
March 22, 2011
Giant fossils found in Spain are from the biggest known rabbit species—a "beach bum" that couldn't hop and had short ears, experts say.
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Fish "Walks" on Beach to Spawn
March 18, 2011
Every spring on California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to lay their eggs—though their sandy habitat is in decline, experts say.
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Why Transylvanian Chickens Have Naked Necks
March 15, 2011
Scientists have cracked why the Transylvanian naked neck chicken has a featherless neck—and it isn't to give vampires easier access.
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Pictures: Lifelike "Wet Mummy" Found During Roadbuilding
March 10, 2011
Freed from a liquid-filled coffin last week, the centuries-old Chinese woman had been found when roadbuilders stumbled upon a tomb.
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Photos: "Zombie" Ants Found With New Mind-Control Fungi
March 3, 2011
Mind-controlling fungi that create ''zombie'' ants in Brazil's rain forests are more diverse than thought, a new study says.
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Male Monkeys Wash With Urine to Attract Females?
March 2, 2011
Talk about "eew" de toilette—male monkeys that rub their fur with urine may be making themselves irresistible to females, a new study says.
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Amelia Earhart Spit Samples to Help Lick Mystery?
February 18, 2011
Geneticists plan to mine DNA from envelope seals to help identify remains of aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished over the Pacific in 1937.
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11 Thomas Edison Predictions That Came True—Or Didn't
February 11, 2011
Celebrated Friday with a Google doodle, Thomas Edison was the "nation's inventor philosopher." See how his predictions hold up in 2011.
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Squid Get Violent After Touching Eggs, Study Says
February 11, 2011
A chemical on longfin squid eggs causes males to rapidly shift from calm swimming to extremely aggressive fighting, scientists say.
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Frogs Evolve Teeth—Again
February 10, 2011
Lower-jaw teeth in frogs re-evolved after an absence of 200 million years, challenging evolutionary thinking, scientists say.
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Biggest Bear Ever Found—"It Blew My Mind," Expert Says
February 3, 2011
There's a new titleholder for biggest bear ever found—an ancient South American giant short-faced bear that weighed up to 3,500 pounds.
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Bat Uses Pitcher Plant as Toilet; Plant Benefits
February 2, 2011
It's no load of crap—a carnivorous plant in Borneo survives mostly off of bat feces, a new study says.
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UFO-Like Clouds Linked to Military Maneuvers?
January 28, 2011
Three "hole-punch clouds" recently appeared close together, sparking suspicions of a military connection—and they may not be all wrong.
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First One-Fingered Dinosaur Found—Dug for Bugs?
January 24, 2011
The parrot-size T. rex cousin probably used its enlarged digit to probe termite mounds, a new study says.
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Fish as Good as College Students in Numbers Test
January 7, 2011
College students showed roughly the same numerical skills as mosquitofish when presented with a laboratory test, a new study says.
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"Vampire Flying Frog" Found; Tadpoles Have Black Fangs
January 7, 2011
The mountain jungles of Vietnam are home to a new breed of vampire—a tree frog whose tadpoles sport fangs.
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Why Are Birds Falling From the Sky?
January 6, 2011
Seemingly freak bird die-offs in Arkansas and elsewhere are making headlines. But is it just media hype? And what causes airborne die-offs?
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Prehistoric Bird Had Wings Like Nunchucks
January 5, 2011
A flightless bird with wings like martial arts weapons once thrashed its foes on what's now Jamaica, a new study says.
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Giant Cave Pictures: World's Biggest Found in Vietnam
January 3, 2011
The recently explored Son Doong cave, filled with poisonous centipedes and towering stalagmites, beats out the previous world-record holder for the largest single cave passage ever found, British explorers report. <br />
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Space Circles Are Proof of a Pre-Big Bang Universe?
December 27, 2010
Ring-like patterns in primordial radiation suggest a universe existed before the big bang, according to a controversial new study.
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Pictures: Lighthouse Turned Into Ice Castle
December 23, 2010
Wrapped for the holidays, an Ohio lighthouse is so coated in ice that even its light is obscured, thanks to freezing spray from Lake Erie.
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Ten Weirdest New Animals of 2010: Editors' Picks
December 7, 2010
A fish with "hands," a T. Rex leech, and a self-cloning lizard are among National Geographic News's picks for the weirdest new species in 2010.
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Top Ten Discoveries of 2010: Nat Geo News's Most Popular
November 30, 2010
A time-bending earthquake, a fish with "hands," and "Yoda bat" are among National Geographic News's most visited coverage of 2010 discoveries.
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Best Cosmic Mindblowers of 2010 From Nat Geo News
November 29, 2010
From the end of time to black hole portals, wrap your brain around our editors' picks for some of the odder astrophysics concepts of 2010.
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"Flamboyant" New Squid Worm Surprises, Delights Experts
November 24, 2010
With head tentacles and iridescent "oars," the new sea species is "definitely flamboyant," one expert said. "I'm delighted by it."
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How Snakes Can "Fly"
November 23, 2010
Looking up and doing the twist are among "flying" snakes' best moves, a new DARPA-funded study finds.
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Large, "Glamorous" New Glowing Squid Species Found
November 16, 2010
The big, red new squid species—perhaps one of several—underscores the richness of undersea mountain life, experts say.
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Cricket Has World's Biggest Testicles (But Puny Output)
November 9, 2010
The tuberous bushcricket's large testicles—the world's biggest, proportionately—don't mean greater output, a surprising new study says.
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Photos: X-Ray History—Hidden Kittens, Quackery, and More
November 8, 2010
See some of the most important—and oddest—images associated with x-rays, whose 115th anniversary is marked Monday with a Google doodle.
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"Mind-Boggling" Pictures: Goats Scale Dam in Italy
November 1, 2010
Yes, these viral pictures of goats clinging to an impossibly steep rock face are real. Get the facts behind the Internet rumors.
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Halloween Costume Pictures: Spooky Styles a Century Ago
October 29, 2010
From roller skates to swastikas, see how people in the early 1900s celebrated what one expert calls the United States' "rogue holiday."
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Chupacabra Science: How Evolution Made a Mythical Monster
October 29, 2010
Just in time for Halloween, scientists say they've cracked the mystery behind the "goat sucking" monster—and it's all too real.
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New Snub-Nosed Monkey Discovered, Eaten
October 27, 2010
Pictured moments before humans ate it, a snub-nosed monkey represents a new species that sneezes when it rains.
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Fuzzy Critters' Crystallized Pee Changes Climate Record?
October 15, 2010
The crystallized pee of the rodent-like rock hyrax is filling in gaps in our understanding of climate change, experts say.
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Pictures: Return to the Crystal Caves
October 8, 2010
Returning to Mexico's otherworldly Cave of Crystals, explorers have uncovered a new cavern, microscopic life-forms, and more.
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Giant Crystal Caves Yield New "Ice Palace," More
October 8, 2010
It looks like Superman's fortress and is nearly as hard to get into, but that hasn't kept explorers from uncovering new secrets on and around Mexico's deep, deadly Cave of Crystals.
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BO Attracting Predators to Birds
September 30, 2010
New Zealand birds' ripe body odor is giving the animals away to predators—and deodorant might actually help save species, experts say.
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Flooding Farms on Purpose—For the Birds
September 23, 2010
In response to the BP oil spill, U.S. farmers are flooding fields to create untainted wetland stopovers for migrating birds.
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"Sea Snot" Explosion Caused by Gulf Oil Spill?
September 23, 2010
A "blizzard" of sticky life-forms caused by the BP spill may have crippled the base of the Gulf of Mexico food chain, early results suggest.
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Einstein's Relativity Affects Aging on Earth (Slightly)
September 23, 2010
Standing higher on a staircase will make you age faster, according to new research that confirms Einstein's theories on Earthly scales.
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Giant Vacuum to Help Bugs in Oiled Marshes?
September 17, 2010
Using huge hoses, researchers are vacuuming up marsh bugs along the oiled Gulf coast. By comparing their samples to bugs collected before the spill, teams hope to determine the effects of oil on creatures near the bottom of the food web.
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Photos: World's Biggest, Strongest Spider Webs Found
September 17, 2010
A new spider species in Madagascar weaves 80-foot webs out of the world's toughest biological material, new studies say.
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Astronauts' Fingernails Falling Off Due to Glove Design
September 13, 2010
Astronauts with wider hands are more likely to have their fingernails fall off after working or training in space suit gloves, according to a new study.
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Fire Tornado Filmed in Hawaii
September 10, 2010
While battling a blaze on the slopes of Mauna Kea in August, a Hawaii firefighter captured rare footage of a fire tornado, or fire whirl. Video.
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Hunchback Dinosaur Found: Carnivorous "Camel"
September 8, 2010
The otherwise fearsome new one-ton predator, Concavenator corcovatus, sported an odd hunchback and scrawny "protofeathers," puzzling scientists.
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Pictures: What Drives Death Valley's Roving Rocks?
September 8, 2010
What causes stones to sail in the hottest place in North America? New evidence suggests the mysterious rocks "float" on winter ice.
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Tarzan Chameleon Found in Tarzan Forest, Near Tarzanville
September 2, 2010
The discovery on Madagascar of the new species—given away by its flat snout—is a "Tarzan yell for conservation," a new study says.
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"Whispering" Bat Evolved to Trick Prey
September 1, 2010
The barbastelle bat has lowered its voice to evade detection by moths with keen hearing, a new study says.
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Pictures: World's Biggest Tent Rises in Kazakhstan
August 31, 2010
Kazakhstan's new Khan Shatyr evokes a traditional dwelling but boasts futuristic fancies such as an indoor "beach," a monorail, and more.
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Ancient Sorcerer's "Wake" Was First Feast for the Dead?
August 30, 2010
First feast? Packed with tortoise "leftovers," the earliest known shaman's burial hints that the first villagers made peace by partying.
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"Firecane" Myth Busted—No Danger on Katrina Anniversary
August 25, 2010
Flaming, oily hurricanes, aka firecanes, and "black rain" are no danger to Gulf residents on Katrina's fifth anniversary—or to anyone, anywhere, experts say.
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"Snot Otter" Sperm to Save Giant Salamander?
August 20, 2010
To save North America's biggest salamander—the hellbender, or "snot otter"—conservationists are freezing its sperm.
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Evolution Surprise: Bacteria Have "Noses," Can Smell
August 18, 2010
The single-celled organisms can detect the aroma of ammonia, says a new study that suggests the sense of smell evolved earlier than thought.
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Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More
August 13, 2010
They date back at least to ancient Roman times, but Friday the 13th superstitions won't be getting much of a workout this year. Luckily for triskaidekaphobia sufferers, today is 2010's only Friday the 13th.
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Oyster Herpes: Latest Symptom of Global Warming?
August 6, 2010
Don't worry—it isn't a side effect of eating oysters. But a virulent new herpes strain could continue spreading as seas warm, experts say.
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Pictures: "Ghost" Robot Lets User Cuddle, Chat Remotely
August 5, 2010
Part phone, part ventriloquist's dummy, the Telenoid R1 robot can stand in for distant relatives, friends, or teachers, its creators say.
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Fossil "Cat Crocodile" Had Mammal-like Teeth
August 4, 2010
With canines, molars, and a sliding jaw, the newfound fossil crocodile Pakasuchus kapilimai could do one thing no other known reptile can or could: chew.
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Video: Record-Breaking Sea-Creature Surveys Released
August 2, 2010
See some of the deep-sea stars of a new "roll call"—thousands of ocean species found during recent expeditions. Video.
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Sea Discoveries Spawn Music Video
August 2, 2010
Featured in a new "roll call" of life from 25 key ocean regions, marine oddities oscillate, swim, and skitter to an ocean "chorus." Video.
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Jumbo Squid Flash, Flail in First Ever Squid-cam Video
July 29, 2010
Filmed away from humans for the first time, jumbo squid light up during an expedition that also found them to have superstrong bites.
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Alligator "Feeding Frenzy" Video Shows Teamwork
July 28, 2010
In a new viral alligator "feeding frenzy" video a fisher boats through hundreds of hyped-up alligators. Despite their snapping, the gators show true teamwork, experts say.
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Bowls of Fingers, Baby Victims, More Found in Maya Tomb
July 21, 2010
With bowls of human fingers, a burned baby, and jeweled teeth, a Maya king's tomb is rich in oddities—and archaeological gold.
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Pictures: Walls of Fat Clog London Sewers
July 20, 2010
Nine double-decker buses' worth of congealed food waste filled a London sewer until shovel-wielding "flushers" hacked it away last week.
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Parasitic Wasp Swarm Unleashed to Fight Pests
July 19, 2010
A huge "army" of parasitic wasps was unleashed in Thailand on Saturday to control a devastating pest outbreak, scientists say.
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"Extinct," Pop-Eyed Primate Photographed for First Time
July 19, 2010
The pop-eyed Horton Plains slender loris has been seen for the first time in 60 years—alive and cute, if not exactly well.
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Pictures: Surprising Creatures Found Deep off Australia
July 16, 2010
See a "prehistoric" shark, a hairy anglerfish, jellyfish glowing like Avatar extras, and more—dark-adapted oddities of the Deep Australia Project.
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Jungle Cat Mimics Monkey to Lure Prey—A First
July 13, 2010
Sure it's a "poor imitation," but an Amazon cat's unprecedented monkey call shows surprising "psychological cunning."
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Photos: Glowing Oil Could Aid Gulf Spill Cleanup
July 8, 2010
A crime scene tool reveals that beached oil from the Gulf spill glows in ultraviolet light, which could be a boon to cleanup crews.
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Mouse Tears Are Aphrodisiacs
July 2, 2010
A pheromone in male tears makes female lab mice more receptive to mounting, a Japanese study says.
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New Leviathan Whale Was Prehistoric "Jaws"? (Pictures)
June 30, 2010
A newfound prehistoric sperm whale with giant teeth likely attacked other whales—and possibly giant sharks, scientists say.
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Big Cats Wild for Calvin Klein Cologne?
June 24, 2010
Bronx Zoo cheetahs are attracted to Calvin Klein's "Obsession for Men," which scientists have tested to lure wild big cats close to camera traps. Video.
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Planes Create Weird Clouds—And Snow, Rain Fall Out
June 16, 2010
Airplanes, it turns out, can change the weather—at least at the hyperlocal scale, a new study says.
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Crocodiles Body Surf to Hop Between Islands
June 7, 2010
Rather than swimming, the reptiles ride currents to travel long distances, according to a study co-designed by the late Steve Irwin.
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Mammoth-Belch Deficit Caused Prehistoric Cooling?
June 4, 2010
By killing off woolly mammoths and other Ice Age megamammals, humans may have sparked a thousand-year cooling event, a new study says.
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Photo in the News: Giant Sinkhole Swallows Guatemala Homes
June 1, 2010
Deeper than the Statue of Liberty is tall, the chasm is blamed in the deaths of three people so far.
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Frogs Shake Booties Before Fights
June 1, 2010
In a stunning display of amphibian machismo, tree frogs boogie before they brawl in this unprecedented video.
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Sinkhole in Guatemala: Giant Could Get Even Bigger
June 1, 2010
Spurred by tropical storm Agatha, the sinkhole swallowed a three-story building in Guatemala Sunday—and it could get even bigger.
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First Photos: Weird Fish With Transparent Head
May 27, 2010
With a head like a fighter-plane cockpit, a Pacific barreleye fish shows off its transparent head and barrel-like eyes in the first specimen ever found alive.
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Photos: Dracula Fish, Bomber Worm on Top New Species List
May 26, 2010
From a psychedelic fish to a "phallic" fungus, see some of the most unusual species described in 2009, as chosen by a team of taxonomists.
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Male Antelope Scare Females Into Staying for Sex
May 21, 2010
To keep wandering females close, male topi antelope will begin snorting and staring at nonexistent predators, a new study says.
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Alpacas to Help Fight Gulf Spill?
May 14, 2010
Human hair, pet fur, and now alpaca fleece from zoo animals are being used to make booms designed to keep oil off the U.S. Gulf Coast. Video.
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Ball Lightning May Be All in Your Head
May 14, 2010
The mysterious floating orbs might simply be hallucinations caused by brains overstimulated by magnetism, a new study suggests.
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Colossal Squid a Soft, Sluggish Drifter
May 12, 2010
Perseus would have nothing to fear from this kraken-like sea beast: The squid's energy needs suggest it's just a slow, aimless drifter.
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Pictures: Rare Bees Make Flower-Mud "Sandwiches"
May 10, 2010
Colorful "flower sandwiches" of mud and petals provide havens for rare solitary bee larvae, a new study says.
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Glowing Sea Beasts: Photos Shed Light on Bioluminescence
May 7, 2010
A new report reviews why, for sea species, bioluminescence can be a very healthy glow—and how so many creatures evolved it in so many ways.
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"City of Gonads" Jellyfish Discovered
May 6, 2010
Unlike every other known jellyfish, Csiromedusa medeopolis—the new underwater wonder from down under—keeps its gonads on display.
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Why Deep-Sea Creatures Glow
May 6, 2010
Most of the animals in the deep sea naturally emit light known as bioluminescence, a trait that presents many mysteries to scientists. Video.
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Pictures: Ancient Egypt Crocodile Mummies Revealed
April 30, 2010
A crocodile's last meal and an ancient fishhook are among "exciting" details revealed by new CT scans of the 2,000-year-old mummies.
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Please DO Feed the Bears, Biologist Says
April 29, 2010
Giving bears snacks may keep the animals away from homes and campsites, one biologist says. Others warn the practice is ineffective—possibly dangerous.
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Noah's Ark Found in Turkey?
April 28, 2010
Explorers are "99.9 percent" sure they've found Noah's ark in Turkey. Others say the claim is all wet.
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Sperm Recognize "Brothers," Team Up for Speed
April 21, 2010
In promiscuous mouse species, sperm from the same male team up like Tour de France racers to give themselves an edge in the dash for the egg, a new study finds.
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Tiny New Sea Species Discovered—First Ever Video
April 20, 2010
Recent ocean expeditions have uncovered some of the world's smallest species—in spectacular abundance.
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Prehistoric Mummies Poisoned
April 16, 2010
Arsenic-laced drinking water caused the demise of some of the world's oldest mummies, found in the harsh northern deserts of Chile, a new study says.
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"Tyrant King" Leech Discovered, Attacks Orifices
April 16, 2010
The new "tyrant king" leech has extremely large teeth, which it uses on mammals' orifices, a new study says.
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"Major," Green Meteor Lights Midwest Night Sky
April 15, 2010
See the huge, greenish fireball that turned night to day before likely landing in Wisconsin—and get the science behind the sky show.
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Octopus vs. Sea Lion—First Ever Video
April 9, 2010
It's a first. Outfitted with a Crittercam, an Australian sea lion has filmed itself hunting, and eating, a large octopus. Video.
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New Giant Lizard Discovery "an Unprecedented Surprise"
April 7, 2010
It has a double penis, lives on a crowded island, and is as long as a man. So how did Varanus bitatawa go unidentified till now?
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Bulging Mutant Trout Created: More Muscle, More Meat
March 30, 2010
The genetically engineered fish boast at least 15 percent more flesh for eating—but is that good?
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Goliath Tiger Fish: "Evolution on Steroids" in Congo
March 29, 2010
On an unprecedented Congo River run, scientists and kayakers have found potential new species, the spike-toothed goliath tiger fish, and evidence that the African river may be the world's deepest.
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First Amphibious Insects Found in Hawaii
March 23, 2010
Twelve new caterpillar species are at home on land or underwater, although scientists are baffled about how the submerged bugs breathe.
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Mutant All-Black Penguin Found
March 16, 2010
An all-black king penguin—a very rare mutant—was spotted and filmed on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Video.
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First Proof Gorillas Eat Monkeys?
March 5, 2010
Monkey DNA has been found in gorilla feces—suggesting that maybe, just maybe, the big apes eat meat after all.
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Atlantic Octopus Mimics Flounders—A First
March 4, 2010
An octopus in the Caribbean can mimic not only the shape of a flounder, but also the fish's color and swimming style, most likely in an attempt to avoid predators, researchers say.
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Glowing Animals: Pictures of Beasts Shining for Science
March 3, 2010
Dogs, cats, monkeys, worms, fish: all now glow in the dark, thanks to one jellyfish and a whole lot of research. In this photo round-up of glowing animals (and the odd plant), see the gamut of what science has done with a few fluorescent proteins.
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Weed Killer Makes Male Frogs Lay Eggs
March 1, 2010
One of the most common weed-killers in the United States can transform male frogs into fully functional females, a new study says.
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Sharks vs. Pig Carcass: Experiments Surprise Scientists
February 26, 2010
After dropping dead pigs into the sea and watching via Webcams, researchers were "very surprised" to see marine scavengers risk low-oxygen waters for a meal.
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"Drunk" Bats Fly Right--Discovery Surprises Scientists
February 9, 2010
Some bat species can fly and communicate just as well while inebriated as while sober—even with blood alcohol levels that would exceed legal limits in humans.
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Groundhog Day Pictures: Punxsutawney Phil, Now and Then
February 2, 2010
The groundhog has spoken, predicting six more weeks of winter in 2010. See Punxsutawney Phil through the years—plus Groundhog Day origins and a wild woodchuck.
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"Sex Puppeteers" Force Sex Change, Virgin Birth in Bugs via Genes
January 26, 2010
Fast-spreading parasites are forcing victims into sex changes, inducing virgin births, and turning animals into "gross monsters"—all via genetic sabotage, a new study finds.
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Pictures: Dinosaur "Death Pits" May Be Fossil Footprints
January 19, 2010
Following in a giant dinosaur's footsteps could be fatal—but not for the reasons you might suspect. A new study suggests that death traps filled with rare raptor fossils may have been created when a behemoth strolled across ashy mud.
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Surprise! Radioactive Water Jugs Not as Healthy as Advertised
January 18, 2010
Think you know why an early-20th century drinking-water jar lined with uranium ore was a serious health risk? Surprisingly, radioactivity was only a minor part of the problem, a new study says.
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Venomous Dinosaur Discovered--Shocked Prey Like Snake?
January 7, 2010
Jurassic Park may have had it partly right. Some raptors did have venom, though it was more stupefying than lethal, a new study suggests.
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APOCALYPSE PICTURES: 10 Failed Doomsday Prophecies
January 7, 2010
Just as some people today believe a Maya calendar pinpoints 2012 as the end of the world as we know it, people through centuries and across cultures have long forecast our collective doom.
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Abstaining Boobies Get "Sexier"
January 7, 2010
Male blue-footed boobies that take a yearlong sex sabbatical get a brighter shade of blue in their feet the following year, which makes them more attractive to females, a new study says.
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Cell Phone Use May Fight Alzheimer's, Mouse Study Says
January 6, 2010
cell-phones-alzheimers-disease-mice
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Rabbits Milked for Human Protein; Drug Soon for Sale?
January 6, 2010
Rabbits Milked for Human Protein; Drug Soon for Sale?
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Top New Species of 2009: Nat Geo News's Most Viewed
December 14, 2009
Strange beasts—including a giant rat, a lungless worm, and a vegetarian spider—dominated National Geographic News's most popular new-species coverage of 2009.
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Bears Go Bald at Zoo; Experts Stumped
December 14, 2009
Three spectacled bears at Germany's Leipzig Zoo have mysteriously lost their fur, and no one knows why they developed the non-life-threatening condition.
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