Jason G. Goldman

ScienceAnimals

The Reindeer Would Never Actually Work for Santa

It’s December and December means reindeer science. It turns out that reindeer actually prefer keeping their distance from people. Good luck hitching them to a sleigh. According to holiday lore, poor Rudolph was a victim of social exclusion because he was different from the rest of the reindeer. In a move that was lucky for … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Penguin Robots and 9 Other Awesome Animal Science Stories from 2014

From dogs using magnetic fields to pee to tiny cameras hidden inside of penguin robots, science has its share of cute animals. The folks at Nature have put together their picks for the top 10 cute animal stories in science from the past year. We noticed at least one glaring omission… what else is missing? … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Pablo Escobar’s Hippos Are Going Under the Knife for Contraception

By now you probably know the story of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos, which are now wreaking havoc in Colombian wetlands. If you don’t, here’s a quick recap. While Escobar was in power, he worked on creating his own personal zoo on his property, Hacienda Napoles. He imported everything from rhinos and giraffes to … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Rock Star’s Kid Tweets Surprising Photo of Beverly Hills Cougar

The story is really all there in the headline, but it’s one of those stories that, it seems, can only happen in LA. By now you’ve probably heard of P22, the mountain lion (which are also known as cougars, pumas, or panthers, depending on where you live) that lives in LA’s Griffith Park. He’s got … Continued

ScienceAnimals

The Absolute Best Gifts For People Who Love Animals

Gratitude is not unique to our species. Neither is imagination, or politics, or warfare, or dancing. But the trading of gifts – at least those other than food, grooming, or sex – might just be. Here are some gift ideas for the lovers of non-human animals in your life. Upcycled Animal Art Recycling means taking … Continued

ScienceAnimals

This Video of Lion Hunting is Killer

Last month we brought you footage of an African painted dog pack taking down a pregnant impala. Today, we bring you lions hunting a baby buffalo. Here’s the thing: you can’t plan this. When wildlife film documentaries go out into the bush trying to get good footage of something like lion hunting, it can take … Continued

ScienceAnimals

These Might Be The Loneliest Whales in the World

Humpback whales can be found all over the world’s oceans, despite the heavy beating they took in the era of industrial whaling. They undertake one of the longest annual migrations feeding at high latitudes and breeding near the equator. But there’s one peculiar group of humpbacks who live life a bit differently. Above: A whale … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Why Are Killer Whales Suddenly Hunting Humpbacks?

Not for nothing are Orcas called Killer whales, but reports of their hunting the “great” whales (baleen & sperm whales) have been rare, and there is little consensus as to the importance of such predation. But new evidence suggests that Humpback whale calves are a regular snack for the black and white killers. At one … Continued

ScienceAnimals

This Nature Documentary Was Made Inside the World of Grand Theft Auto

Lots of things are wrong with the Grand Theft Auto franchise – violence, sexism, and so on – but I think it’s still pretty cool that the GTA 5 universe has wildlife running (and swimming) around. A YouTuber recorded the CGI wildlife and created a tribute to the Attenborough “grandeur of nature”-style documentary. It’s not … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Painted Dogs Took Down A Pregnant Impala and Nat Geo Streamed It Live

In the run-up to Nat Geo WILD’s Big Cat Week, the network has been livestreaming video from South Africa’s Kruger National Park twice each day online via WILDSafariLive.com. Last week, viewers got a surprise: a pack of wild dogs brought down a pregnant impala. Fair warning: this video is hard to watch. On Saturday morning, … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Photo Safari: Lions

I always thought it was odd that lions were called the King of the Jungle when, in truth, they live on the savannah and in the bush. Still, they’re definitely royalty among the African megafauna. Above, a lioness bares her teeth – it may appear aggressive, but the truth is I managed to catch her … Continued

ScienceAnimals

These Larvae Glow in the Dark, Then Eat You

Well, they’ll only eat you if you’re a tasty insect. A few years ago, wildlife photographer Jeff Cremer was traipsing about the Peruvian rainforest when he noticed some glowing green dots scattered in the dirt. He returned to investigate with some entomologists. After checking the dots out, the scientists suspect they’re click beetle larvae. Cremer … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Why Are All the Sea Stars Dying?

For the last year and a half, sea stars all along North America’s Pacific coast – from Baja California all the way to Alaska – have been withering away into nothingness. Today, researchers announced they’ve found the culprit: it’s a virus. Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) has been known for several decades at least, but … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Photo Safari: Zebras

Compared to the other animals in the African bush, the zebra might get overlooked by some. But I think the three zebra species – Plains, Mountain, and Grevy’s – are some of the most visually striking animals in the world. Here are a few zebra photos from my reporting trip to South Africa. Each of … Continued

ScienceAnimals

A Hippo Learns The Only 100% Effective Birth Control is Abstinence

As part of their management of their animals, zoos get together to create breeding recommendations for each species. But sometimes the animals have their own plans. Despite being on contraceptives, a Los Angeles Zoo hippo delivered a surprise baby on Halloween. When the zoos that comprise the Association of Zoos and Aquariums get together to … Continued

ScienceHealth

Can Brown Bears, House Cats, and Gorillas Teach Us About Human Health?

The fact that humans and animals suffer from many of the same diseases is no longer controversial. But do they have similar causes? How do factors like air quality, social stress, and the built environment contribute to health and illness in people and animals? We live-tweeted the Zoobiquity conference today, which was devoted to discussing … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Meet Afghanistan’s Elusive, Endangered “Vampire” Deer

This is a male musk deer, knowing for growing fangs during the breeding season. A recent survey by the Wildlife Conservation Society confirmed that Kashmir musk deer, one of seven related Asian species, still live in Afghanistan’s Nuristan Province, some 60 years after its last recorded sighting. Above: A Siberian musk deer, which is related … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Our New Batman, Ben Affleck, Fights To Save Real-Life Bats

Bats are a crucial component of healthy ecosystems. They eats massive amounts of insect pests and, like bees, are important pollinators. White-nose syndrome, plus wind farms and habitat degradation, mean they’re in trouble. Batman (and Lois Lane) have come to the rescue. To celebrate National Bat Week, which is this week, Batman v. Superman stars … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Werewolf Science: Do Dogs Really Bite More People During Full Moons?

Once upon a time, one Dr. Simon Chapman of the University of Sydney received a short note from a local farmer: “Have you university types ever looked at whether dog bites happen more around the full moon? It’s a well known fact that they do.” Chapman decided to put this urban legend to the test. … Continued

ScienceAnimals

Don’t Let Your Halloween Candy Kill Orangutans

Sumatra and Borneo are the only places in the world where orangutans – the so-called “red apes” – live in the wild. Both species are endangered, the Sumatran one critically so. And your Halloween candy could be, at least in part, to blame. Above: Sumatran orangutan via Lip Kee/Flickr The Palm Oil Problem Wild orangutans … Continued