An orangutan named Rakus went through a difficult time in the summer of 2022. Researchers heard a fight between male orangutans in the treetops of a rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia; A day later, they saw that Rakus had a pink scar under his right eyelid. A piece of meat the size and shape of a… Read More »
The Earth is home to millions of discovered plant and animal species, and many more are not yet known. They all play vital roles in each other, their ecosystems, and the overall health of the planet, creating what is known as biodiversity. So what exactly is biodiversity? This is a shortened version of two scientific… Read More »
Josh Newton, a PhD candidate at Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences in Australia, collects spider webs so he can analyze them for animal DNA. (Morten Allentoft – image credit) Josh Newton is probably not very popular with spiders. After all, the Australian scientist has a tendency to ruin his hard work. “I did… Read More »
These strange invasive species can damage crops and soil and threaten native plant and animal species.Monique van Someren/Getty Images; Image by Jaguar Tambako/Getty Images; Craig Cordier/Getty Images Invasive animals threaten native species, damage agricultural crops, and pose health risks to humans. Some of the more peculiar invasive species are hammerhead worms and giant snails. Here… Read More »