Buzz
Animals never cease to amaze us with their extraordinary capabilities and mental faculties. Science has evolved a great deal since the days when people believed that flies just appeared from rotting meat, or that anteaters originated from the moon.
Thankfully, the momentum of animal discoveries continues to grow as our understanding and research have advanced. Here are some of the most astonishing things we've uncovered about the fascinating creatures we share this strange world with.
10. Animals Use 'Forest Pharmacies' to Treat Themselves
Science is awesome because it lets us explore the world of self-medicating animals, like monkeys. It also gives fancy names to simple actions, like when your dog or cat munches on grass. This phenomenon is officially known as 'zoopharmacognosy,' the self-medication animals do when they're feeling under the weather.
Animal self-medication is widespread across the natural world, and one intriguing case involves Leontopithecus chrysopygus, also known as the black lion tamarin or golden-rumped tamarin. These small, endangered primates from Brazil have been observed rubbing themselves against the Myroxylon peruiferum tree, spreading its resin on their fur. The reason isn’t just the tree's cinnamon, clove, and honey scent, but because the resin has “antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-parasitic properties.”
It wasn’t only the tamarins that were found self-medicating. Camera traps revealed other animals, such as ocelots, anteaters, peccaries, and at least seven other species, also licking and rubbing against the trees. The peccaries, which resemble pigs, were even spotted “spreading resin on each other’s fur in pairs, head to head.” How sweet!
9. Crab Spiders Practice 'Collective Camouflage'
Crab spiders are named for their crab-like movements, but they are firmly members of the spider family—no need for the classic meme-worthy concept of carcinization here, thank you very much.
Despite this, these creatures may have just given science a breakthrough with what could be the first recorded instance of collective camouflage in spiders. In the tropical forests of China’s Yunnan province, scientists initially observed a seemingly ordinary scene: a male spider sitting atop a female. However, these spiders, known as Thomisus guangxicus, may actually form a 'joint illusion,' as the complementary colors of the male and female combine.
When male crab spiders want to mate, they approach females who are relaxing on flower petals. If their colors contrast too much, the male risks being eaten by predators like lizards, wasps, or birds—being a tiny crab spider is tough. However, if the colors complement each other, the spiders can evade predators while also ambushing their own prey, insects. Mating becomes just an added bonus.
8. Starfish: Where’s the Head?
Recent research from Stanford has explored a mysterious and complex question about starfish: Where is their head? Is it at the center? Or perhaps hidden in one of the arms? The answer, it turns out, is that the head is both everywhere and nowhere at once.
Using 'genetic and molecular tools,' the Stanford team created a 3D atlas of starfish gene expression to solve the Asteroidea conundrum. Fun fact: 'Asteroidea' is the scientific name for starfish, meaning 'star-like' in Greek.
The study revealed that 'head-like regions' are scattered throughout the starfish, both at its center and within each of its limbs. As surprising as it may seem, science also suggests that humans are closely related to this group of creatures, the echinoderms, or spiny-skinned animals.
7. Even Mutts Can Sniff out Sickness
Your pooch has an incredible sense of smell, potentially 100,000 times more capable than the best human smellers. Dogs use this supreme sense of smell to identify each other, discern territories, discover bacon, and sniff out disease.
The last one is important, and it’s known that highly trained canines can detect things like malaria, COVID-19, and some cancers. Recently, and even more importantly, it’s been found that plain-old pet dogs, with no pure-breeding required, can also learn to smell disease with up to 90% accuracy.
Parkinson’s is a debilitating neurological disease affecting 10 million people, with 90,000 new cases a year. How do dogs sniff it out? People with Parkinson’s have “unique chemicals in their sebum,” an oily body fluid. Researchers trained 16 breeds (including Pomeranians and English mastiffs) to identify the disease with an 86% success rate.
6. Termite Mating Hasn’t Changed in 40-Million-Odd Years
Amber fossils are extraordinary because of their rare formation. They capture snapshots of moments, sometimes spanning millions of years, offering us a rare look at ancient eras long past.
Lumps of ancient tree resin have preserved some of the most fascinating fossils ever found, including one particularly remarkable discovery for entomology enthusiasts: two termites locked in a forever embrace.
This inseparable couple was captured in the act of mating around 38 million years ago. These termites, known as Electrotermes affinis, have an unusual side-by-side mating posture. This suggests that their mating technique hasn’t evolved in all this time.
To confirm the theory, scientists observed live termites performing mating rituals (and other activities) on a sticky surface. It may not be the ideal job for everyone, but hey, each to their own.
5. Cats Enjoy Fetch (When They Feel Like It)
In a captivating scientific tale that seems to have been designed to entertain researchers, it turns out that cats enjoy playing fetch. However, they are quite selective about when they engage in the game, according to a survey involving over 900 cat owners.
Research published in the journal Scientific Reports reveals that most cat owners observed their cats learning the art of fetching on their own, without any formal training. The study delved into the concept of 'animal agency,' aiming to determine who initiates the game more often: the owners or their cats. For those familiar with feline playtime, the answer may not be surprising, as reported by Science News Explores. 'The survey collected data from 1,154 cats, with more than 94% of them not having been trained to fetch.'
Interestingly, Siamese cats emerged as the most enthusiastic fetchers. This activity provides a wonderful opportunity for bonding between species and helps keep cats both entertained and content.
4. Animal Remains in Idaho Lake Could Offer Clues About Ancient Martian Life
This intriguing discovery comes from a lake that existed millions of years ago. About 16 million years ago, a lava flow blocked a narrow valley, allowing a lake to form. The Clarkia Miocene Lake region developed the ideal depth, creating an environment that carefully preserved a mix of 'microbial, plant, and animal remains' at the lake’s bottom. So well, in fact, that some of the recovered leaves still retained their autumn hues.
Among the other discoveries were traces of fats, fibrous plant material, and possibly even DNA. This could offer an intriguing analogy for how we search for evidence of past life on Mars. Our neighboring red planet also hosted lakes, and these sediments might have preserved tiny organisms or other signs of life that may have once existed.
Researchers have noted that Clarkia shares striking similarities with Mars, including chemicals and rock types that resemble those found in Jezero Crater. Additionally, the Martian rocks formed under conditions of higher temperatures, high humidity, and a carbon dioxide-heavy atmosphere. The biomarkers discovered at Clarkia could assist scientists in creating a threshold for detecting Martian biomarkers on Jezero and elsewhere.
3. Sperm Whales Use Their Diarrhea to Defend Themselves
An extraordinary event unfolded off the southern coast of Western Australia: a pod of sperm whales used a 'bubble of poo' to fend off their attackers. Yes, you read that right—this whale defense strategy was described in the article with surprising eloquence.
When up to 30 killer whales targeted a group of sperm whales, the whales formed a defensive formation called a 'rosette,' where their heads faced inward and their tails pointed outward. Scientists have dubbed this unusual technique 'defensive defection,' which involves the release of a 'cloud of diarrhea.'
Sperm whales, whose diet centers around squid, produce reddish feces, which they stir up into a whirlpool by waving their tails. However, before the spectacle, there was a moment of alarm as the reddish bubble of diarrhea was initially mistaken for blood. Further investigation showed that the whales were fine, albeit smellier, due to their clever defensive maneuver. Interestingly, orcas attacking the larger sperm whales is rare, yet this behavior seems to be on the rise. Could humans evolve a similar survival tactic? I sure hope so.
2. Do Flowers Act as 'Antennas' for Bees?
An intriguing hypothesis some scientists are exploring is that the relationship between bees and plants may be more complex than we think. This theory arises from new thinking about bees and flowers sharing an electrical connection.
A study proposes that flowers might function as large antennas for the electrical signals emitted by bees. Once a bee transmits its charge to a flower, the electrical signal travels through the flower, down into the soil, and to other flowers. Why might this happen? Perhaps it helps drive pollination by signaling the flowers to make their nectar more accessible to pollinators. Remarkably, no physical contact is needed—just the bees' wing beats could trigger a subtle electrical difference.
While the idea is fascinating, not all scientists are convinced, and further research is required. However, if true, the concept of electrical communication between flowers and bees—rather than the traditional chemical signals—could be a groundbreaking discovery.
1. The Adorably Tiny Andean Deer
The Andean valleys are home to a host of extraordinary creatures, including a deer so small it looks like it was imagined by Pixar.
The Peruvian dwarf deer, scientifically known as Pudella carlae, is almost too small to believe. It’s about the size of a dog, standing just 15 inches (38 centimeters) tall and weighing only 22 pounds (10 kilograms).
This tiny deer belongs to the 'pudu' group, which holds the title of the world’s smallest deer species. It’s a significant discovery in the world of animal research, as it was the first new cervid (deer family member) identified in 60 years. Who knew such discoveries were so infrequent?
The pudu deer calls the unique and diverse Huancabamba Depression home—a dry, broad river valley in northern Peru that separates the Andes. Though the valley spans just 30 miles (49.3 kilometers), it is an ecological hotspot, harboring hundreds of endemic species of plants and animals. Could any of them be as charming as this deer? That’s a question for an entirely different field of study: adorab-ology.
