Biology

​Although the platypus may seem like a real oddball of an animal, it turns out that a prehistoric reptile had some of the same key features. Like the platypus (which is a mammal, albeit one that lays eggs), Eretmorhipis carrolldongi had small eyes, four flippers, and a flexible duck-like bill.

A benzodiazepine seeping into waterways is causing young Atlantic salmon to behave strangely, with fish in the wild migrating more rapidly and taking more risks on their journey from river to ocean. It even seems to be messing up their social lives.

Ichthyosaurs were intriguing prehistoric aquatic creatures, in that they looked kind of like dolphins but were actually reptiles. Scientists have now classified a previously-unknown species, that distinguished itself by diving deep.

Arsenic is toxic to almost all life forms, but now researchers have discovered that some microbes in the Pacific Ocean actively breathe it. The discovery has implications for how life may adapt to a changing climate, as well as where we might find it on other planets.

Researchers have found compelling evidence to confirm that a specific pod of clever killer whiles in the Gulf of California has developed an astonishing new skill: hunting enormous whale sharks by attacking their undersides.

​Guys who aren't so great at thinking things through can blame testosterone, according to new research that seems to backup the old stereotype of the hot-headed guy. A new study links the sex hormone to relying on "gut instincts" over self reflection and more deliberate, slow consideration.