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Small dogs are more likely to have an extra row of teeth like sharks

13 February 2024

Some pet dogs retain their baby teeth, creating two rows that resemble the mouth of a shark. A new analysis shows that the condition is more prevalent in smaller breeds and obese dogs


No clear evidence that meditation or mindfulness makes you happy

20 July 2023

Commonly recommended ways to boost our mood – which can also include expressing gratitude or spending time in nature – are often based on small, poorly designed studies


Bone disease in sabre-toothed tigers may be a sign of inbreeding

12 July 2023

An analysis of bones from the La Brea tar pits in California reveals that sabre-toothed tigers and dire wolves had very high rates of osteochondrosis, which may stem from a dwindling gene pool as they neared extinction


Sex between two males is extremely common in wild macaque monkeys

10 July 2023

Almost three-quarters of male macaques observed by scientists mounted other males, and the behaviour may help to strengthen alliances


Giving jaguars 'food poisoning' may stop them from killing livestock

7 July 2023

Jaguar attacks on pets and farm animals are a common problem, but after developing a drug-induced stomach ache, the big cats seem to learn not to kill certain animals


Handout picture supplied by Makoto M. Itoh. A Pelophylax nigromaculatus frog photographed for his study study Female pond frog vocalisation deters sexual coercion by males. mac_itoh@yahoo.co.jp

Female frogs may croak to deter males from mating with them

30 June 2023

Some female black-spotted frogs croak when a male approaches, and it’s not a come-on – the signal seems to persuade males not to attempt coercive mating


Ancient reptiles' long necks made them vulnerable to decapitation

19 June 2023

Extremely long necks probably helped ancient marine reptiles ambush prey in murky waters, but also made them easy targets for decapitation by predators


Stone Age blueprints are the oldest architectural plans ever found

17 May 2023

Plans etched into stone tablets depict vast hunting traps called desert kites built 9000 years ago, showing a mastery of geometry long before the invention of writing


DNA from 25,000-year-old tooth pendant reveals woman who wore it

3 May 2023

A new technique for extracting DNA from ancient artefacts without destroying them could give us unprecedented insights about the people who made or wore them


Male elephant seals with large harems die younger

2 May 2023

Mating with groups of up to 50 females and fighting off rivals takes its toll on dominant male elephant seals


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