The male wrinkle-faced bat uses an elaborate display, including a facemask and a combination of echolocation sounds, wingbeats, and whistles to attract females.
Category: Animals
Duckbill Dino Odyssey Ended in Africa – Scientific American
At the tail end of the age of the dinosaurs, a pony-sized duckbill dinosaur called Ajnabia roamed North Africa. But to get there, duckbill dinosaurs had to cross oceans.
Play Helped Dogs Be Our Best Friends – Scientific American
Dogs are amazingly diverse. Selective breeding for a variety of traits created the breeds we have today. Play between humans and dogs was a key part of this process.
Blue Whale Song Timing Reveals Time to Go – Scientific American
Blue whales switch from singing at night to singing during the day when they’re about to migrate.
Cows with Eye Images Keep Predators in Arrears – Scientific American
Cows painted with eyespots kept predators at bay.
Sparrow Song Undergoes Key Change – Scientific American
A tweet goes viral across Canada.
Zombie Crickets Possessed by Water Worms – A Graphic Novel – San Diego Natural History Museum
A graphic novel I researched and co-wrote for the Coast to Cactus exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum
Donut Sugar Could Help Stored Blood Last – Scientific American
Don’t let the title fool you, tardigrades and sea-monkeys also figure prominently in this story.
Horses Recognize Pics of Their Keepers – Scientific American
Without being taught, horses understand that photos are two-dimensional representations of real life, and they remember photos of familiar human faces.
Birds on Rhinos’ Back Help Them Avoid Poachers – Scientific American
Red-billed oxpeckers serve as lookouts for black rhinos, sounding the alarm when poachers approach.
Squid Glowing Skin Patterns May Be Code – Scientific American
E-readers are cool. But what if you’re an e-squid?
City Birds: Big-Brained with Few Offspring or Small-Brained with a Lot – Scientific American
What predicts which bird species will make it in urban environments?
Tiny Wormlike Creature May Be Our Oldest Known Ancestor – Scientific American
Meet your oldest animal relative.
Swamp Wallaby Reproduction Give Tribbles a Run – Scientific American
Swamp wallabies are always pregnant.
Stress from Undersea Noise Interferes with Crab Camouflage – Scientific American
Loud noise from ships thwarts shore crab camouflage.
Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams – Scientific American
~50,000 years before modern humans stepped foot in what is now Italy, Neandertals were gathering clams from the Mediterranean and turning them into tools. My latest podcast for Scientific American.
Moths Flee or Face Bats Depending on Toxicity – Scientific American
Being toxic makes tiger moths lazy when predators approach.
Ant Colonies Avoid Traffic Jams – Scientific American
Ants are less selfish and therefore better at managing traffic than we are. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/ant-colonies-avoid-traffic-jams/#transcripts-body
Odd Bird Migrates Twice To Breed – Scientific American
The phainopepla has bright red eyes, a pointy topknot, and jet-black feathers. But its most unusual characteristic may be its rare reproductive strategy – breeding in two different places during a single season. Listen to my 60-Second Science podcast at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/odd-bird-migrates-twice-to-breed/#transcripts-body
Ancient DNA – Science Magazine Video
Next generation sequencing techniques allow scientists to reconstruct the genomes of extinct animals that once inhabited the Arctic. Video field produced and edited by Susanne Bard
Tardigrade Protein Protects DNA from Chemical Attack – Scientific American
A protein unique to these hardy creatures protects them from damage from radiation and other perils. Listen to the Scientific American 60-Second Science podcast: podcast: https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/tardigrade-protein-protects-dna-from-chemical-attack/#transcripts-body
How Hurricanes Influence Spider Aggressiveness – Scientific American
Can extreme weather events shape animal evolution? 60-Second Science podcast by Susanne Bard. (Photo by Joseph T. Lapp)
Songbird Warm-Ups – AAAS Science Update
Songbirds, like people, may need to warm up their voices before they sing. Written and produced by Susanne Bard
Do Birds Dream of Singing? – AAAS Science Update
Researchers have discovered that when songbirds dream, the vocal muscles they use for singing become active. Written by Susanne Bard.
Humans & Honeyguides – AAAS Science Update
African honeyhunters use a special call to get birds to lead them to the location of hives full of honey. Written by Susanne Bard.
Ant Epigenetics – Science Magazine Video
The role a carpenter ant plays in her nest may be controlled by histone proteins. Video written and edited by Susanne Bard
The Bond Between People and Dogs – Science Magazine
Evan MacLean discusses the role of oxytocin in mediating the relationship between dogs and people, Podcast hosted by Susanne Bard.
California Condor Culture
Captive-bred California condors lack role models to show them how to survive in the wild. But wildlife biologists helping them navigate the modern world. By Susanne Bard
Polar Bears See Ice
Scientists analyzing ancient and modern polar bear DNA have concluded that in just three generations, populations have been moving northward, toward more persistent sea-ice. By Susanne Bard
Glowing Slime
Some animals such as jellyfish and fireflies produce their own light. Scientists have harnessed these properties in the service of biomedical research. Now, they’ve unscrambled the unique chemistry of another glowing creature – a marine worm. By Susanne Bard