Lizard-bot spins its coiled tail to move easily through sand
Moving through sand or snow can be tricky for robots. A new one inspired by both bacteria and seeds can wiggle straight through without trouble
‘Mother’ coral reefs are breathing life into their neighbours
Strong currents in the Red Sea are sweeping huge masses of larvae-rich sea water from one reef to the next
Meet the turtles surviving an invasion of enormous tractors
The eastern painted turtles must now live among enormous, noisy machinery – and studying them is offering clues to how animals survive alongside heavy industry
Goldfish go months without oxygen by making alcohol inside cells
Goldfish and crucian carp have evolved enzymes that turn carbohydrates into alcohol when no oxygen is available – helping the fish survive in ice-locked pools
Fighting to breathe in the face of Canada’s wildfire emergency
British Columbia is facing its worst documented wildfire season in almost 60 years – Mika McKinnon went to the city of Kamloops to find out why
Penguin tail feathers reveal secrets of where they swim for food
Conservationists need to track penguin populations, but tagging hundreds of birds is impractical. A technique borrowed from forensics offers a solution
Genetically engineered salmon goes on sale for the first time
After 25 years of development, the first genetically modified animal intended for human consumption has been sold on the open market in Canada
Bees are first insects shown to understand the concept of zero
Zero is not an easy idea to grasp, even for young humans – but experiments suggest bees might be up to the challenge
On the trail of dragons with blood that can save people’s lives
The gigantic Komodo dragons of Indonesia have been known to kill people – but their blood is rich with peptides that may destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Jellyfish blooms linked to offshore gas platforms and wind farms
Vast blooms of jellyfish are becoming increasingly common – perhaps because human-made offshore platforms act as ideal nursery grounds for young jellies