Because animals are just more interesting
Scientists in Maryland have found that captive capuchin monkeys get aggressive after a communal rub-down with onions. The oniony aroma could mask hierarchy-determining scents. Or it could be the shame.
Things are more cooperative at pond level. Unable to survive outside their watery home, it seems that water fleas rely on the hairy abdomens of fellow pond-dwelling insects to pick up and transport their eggs, thus ensuring a wide dispersal, according to Belgian scientists.
Poorly bees are no match for scientists in Leicester. Injected with an immune system-stimulating substance, one group of bees took longer to remember which artificial flower contained sweet, sweet sugar water, suggesting links between the immune system and learning.
Malaysian pen-tailed treeshrews can take their drink. German scientists have discovered that the tiny mammal lives on a diet of fermented nectar with a maximum alcohol content of 3.8% — about the same as a good mild ale — but doesn’t show any signs of intoxication.
Post a Comment