Many spine-bearing creatures, or vertebrates, have a curious bit of tissue deep in their brains called the pineal gland. It ...

Termites became social powerhouses by stripping away genes tied to competition and independence. This genetic shedding locked in monogamy, boosted cooperation, and paved the way for their ...

Termites are among the most successful animals on Earth, forming vast societies that can number in the millions. But how did ...

Early in development, many animals pick a team—male or female—based on their genetics, and, with time, acquire the ...

Two emerging viruses could become the United States’ next big public health threats, scientists warned Wednesday. The animal-borne influenza D virus and canine coronavirus have been flying under the ...

The fossils offer a rare glimpse into a cataclysmic event that brought a sudden end to the greatest explosion of life in our planet's history.

A team of scientists from the University of Manchester have uncovered some of the earliest evidence of advanced, camera-like ...

V isit the Antarctic and you’ll find penguins. Lots of penguins. Chubby, slow (on land, at least), feathery penguins. And do ...

Joy—fleeting woo-hoo moments like "catching the perfect wave"—is felt by many diverse animals, and researchers want to know how they express it in various situations and why.

An ancient ancestor of spiders and relatives doubled its genome about 400 million years ago, setting the stage for the ...

Mating calls and rituals can be intercepted, or drowned out, by invasive species. Scientists are just starting to understand ...

For almost two decades, scientists have debated whether sponges or comb jellies are the first animal lineage. Now some are ...