animal behavior – Page 9 – The Loh Down On Science

Smells Like Lemur Spirit

February 21, 2019 Rachel Rosenzweig

Scary! A creature that can smell your weakness! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When we think of creatures that smell weakness, we imagine…vampires! Sci-fi villains! That TERRIFYING clown in IT??!! Well, science has added a new creature to that list: LEMURS?! Rachel Harris from

Risky Red Tide

February 15, 2019 Paul Levine

Could the new AA be algae-holics anonymous? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with The Loh Down On Science. Harmful algal blooms, or red tides, are bad news for everyone. Toxic red algae grow out of control. They poison shellfish and the people who eat them. Tiny shrimp-like creatures called copepods

Puffa Fish

January 4, 2019 Loh Down Staff

Now, for some breathtaking research on puffer fish! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Puffer fish famously inflate into spiky spheres that are difficult for predators to eat. To do so, they swallow huge amounts of water. Their super-stretchy stomachs expand like water balloons. It’s

Cutest Study Ever

December 31, 2018 Loh Down Staff

Ah, nature! Trees, rivers… hamster wheels? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Running wheels aren’t just for pet hamsters. They’re lab tools—used, say, to study exercise in mice. But running literally in circles seems nutty. Indeed, many consider the behavior a neurotic byproduct of captivity.

Hey Goat Buddy!

December 10, 2018 Ted Yoo

Man’s new best friend. . . the humble goat? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Humans and animals have a long history together. Goats, horses and other domesticated animals have helped develop society. Dogs have become our best friends! But do any of them think

Mommy Deer-est

November 22, 2018 Loh Down Staff

Who loves the sound of a baby crying? Apparently, everyone! This is Sandra Tsing Loh, with the Loh Down on Science, saying: It’s fundamental! Baby mammals emit distress calls for many reasons: hunger, separation, capture—and having the TV switched off during Sponge Bob. These calls share common acoustic traits among

Super-Predator

November 14, 2018 Hurik Muradyan

Oooh — where’s that wascally wabbit?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Hey early risers – have you noticed more animals on your morning run versus your afternoon walk? Do all the bunnies leave for afternoon tea time? Unlikely! Kaitlyn Gaynor at U-C Berkeley wanted

Scaredy-Crows

October 31, 2018 Loh Down Staff

Animal grouping phrases: A parliament of owls! A murmuration of starlings! A murder of crows?!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. University of Washington researchers Kaili Swift and John Marzluff observed, and wondered: Why do crows gather around their dead? To find out, first, the

Bat Talk

October 30, 2018 Loh Down Staff

Overheard in the bat cave – conversation? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. That’s what Genevieve Wright at the University of Maryland wanted to know. In previous studies, Wright and colleagues found that brown bats seem to make six different types of social calls. Their

Naptime for Jellies

September 18, 2018 Jessica Monterrosa Mena

Sleep is for the weak. Or is it? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. During sleep, the brain declutters, organizes memories, and rejuvenates. But what about animals without a brain? Do they ever need a snooze? Enter the Cassiopea jellyfish. With no heart, bones, or