Bonobos can tell when they know something you don’t
Recognising that someone lacks information you possess is key for effective communication and cooperation, and bonobos seem to share this skill with humans
January 2025 sets surprise record as hottest ever start to a year
Meteorologists expected global temperatures to start falling after record highs in 2023 and 2024 – instead January 2025 hit a new high
Rice variant slashes planet-warming methane emissions by 70 per cent
Using traditional crossbreeding, researchers have created a new strain of rice that produces much less methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when it is grown in flooded fields
Omega-3 supplements seem to slow down biological ageing
Taking a daily omega-3 supplement appears to slow down the rate of biological ageing by three months – and even more so if you also take vitamin D and exercise
Most detailed survey of particles around the sun reveals new mysteries
More than a decade of data about the particles zipping around our sun could be used to solve many mysteries, from the behaviour of individual particles to the history of our solar system – while raising new questions
Salamanders fill their toes with blood before each step
Wandering salamanders pump their toes full of blood before lifting their feet, a trick that may help them release their sticky grip while conserving energy
Rat populations in cities are booming as the planet warms up
Global warming is helping rats thrive in major cities around the world, with Washington DC seeing the fastest growth in rats
Amazon river dolphins may send messages with aerial streams of urine
Male dolphins have been observed shooting jets of urine into the air and other dolphins seem to follow the stream, perhaps to pick up social cues
‘Obsolete’ muscle that wiggles ears actually activates while listening
A muscle that we thought served no purpose beyond enabling some people to wiggle their ears is actually active when we are trying hard to listen
Scratching an itch could help boost your immune defences
Mice that were free to scratch their itchy ears saw the number of immune cells go up and levels of infection-causing bacteria decline