Scientists are surprised by animals that research them. Researchers seem to uncover a never-before-seen survival strategy, physical superpower or mental capability with each study. From self-medication to the snake clitorises, here are 12 stories that deepened our understanding of the animal kingdom.
Chimpanzees apply crushed bugs to wounds on themselves and other people in their community. The researchers don't know what insects the animals used to treat their wounds. They theorize that the bugs could act as antibiotics, antivirals, pain-relievers or inflammation reducers.
The structure of the clitoris was described for the first time by researchers. There are at least nine snake species that have the hemiclitoris. Although the snake "hemipenis" had previously been studied, no one had described an equivalent structure in female snakes, leading some scientists to speculate that the hemiclitoris had either been reduced to a remnant or not exist at all.
A study found that honeybees can produce the same amount of atmospheric electricity as a storm. The bigger the cloud of bees, the bigger the electrical field. It is unlikely that the insects are producing lightning storms, but they can still have an effect on the weather.
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As their clutches of eggs near hatching, most octopus moms will abandon their brood and go so far as to eat their own flesh. Scientists have discovered that the changes that take place in a mother's body drive her into a frenzy of self-destruction.
A recent study suggested that bottlenose dolphins taste their peers' pee in order to distinguish themselves. By using their senses of taste and hearing together, dolphins can quickly recognize friends and strangers in their midst.
According to a recent study, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster was more likely to kill the eastern tree frog with high concentrations of the dark color in their skin. The dark skin of the frog may have protected them from the effects of radiation. Frog populations within the zone are darker than those outside.
There is an elastic piece of tissue that stretches from the cranium to the lower jaw of a python. Scientists found that a 14-foot python could fit a 5 gallon bucket in its mouth. They think that larger pythons could fit over larger objects.
According to researchers, crows can distinguish between pairs buried in larger sequence. Trained crows were able to perform as well as human toddlers on tests. The result suggests that the ability to identify a sequence may have evolved for other purposes.
A male orb-weaving spider will jump into the air in order to escape a female who will eat him. A recent study shows how the spring-loaded mechanism in the males' legs allows the spiders to spring upwards at speeds up to 89 centimeters per second.
A trap-jaw ant's jaws snap shut at speeds thousands of times faster than the blink of an eye, and recently, scientists discovered why this incredible force doesn't break the ant's armor. The ants have huge muscles in their heads that they use to draw their jaws apart. When the jaws don'tlatch, forces act on either end of the jaw, so they don't get stuck.
Scientists recently discovered that after hearing the call of an unfamiliar Hippo, Hippos will spray dung into the air. Hippos can tell a Hippo from a stranger by the sound of their hooves.
Scientists were surprised that worms with just 300 brain cells could make complex decisions. The predatory worm Pristionchus pacificus is about 1 millimeter in length and competes with Caenorhabditis elegans for food. Evidence shows that the worms take a number of factors into account when making their decisions.
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