Animals continuously baffle our human minds with their impressive abilities, habits, survival strategies, and intelligence. I mean, we have come a long way from believing that barnacle geese grew from barnacles or that flies spontaneously grew from meat. All thanks to the ever-evolving world of science. So, let’s have a look at some of the recent animal discoveries made!
#10 Sperm Whale Diarrhea
One of the most bizarre animal defense mechanisms I’ve ever heard about occurred around the southern coast of Western Australia. A group of sperm whales pooped themselves to safety! A pod of around 30 orcas, or killer whales, attempted to attack a group of sperm whales who luckily had a trick up their sleeves. The sperm whales formed a rosette (a group defense formation with their heads facing the middle and their tails outwards) and then boom, the sperm whales released a cloud of poo! Due to the sperm whales squid filled diet, their poo was a reddish color which they then swished into a whirlpool and scared of the infamous killer whales! Yet, at first, the red whirlpool of diarrhea was thought to be blood giving researchers witnessing the ordeal quite the fright. Luckily, close inspection revealed the sperm whales were fine, and just used an innovative defense mechanism.
#9 Starfish Head Location
Did you know starfish have a fivefold radial symmetry? This means that they can be divided into five identical segments. Because of this, the question of where their head lies has been boggling minds for years! To get to the bottom of this mystery, a Standford study used genetic and molecular tools to render a 3D atlas of starfish gene expression. And they finally found the answer! Starfish’s headlike region is distributed with some in the center of the seastar, and others in the center of each limb. So, in other words: starfish don’t have a head, they are a head! Another cool starfish fact: They have eyes on the tip of each arm, meaning that they can see in all directions!
#8 Are Flowers Antennas For Bees?
Bees and flowers go hand in hand! But recently, scientists have been exploring the idea that the relationship between bees and plants is more complex than we once thought. A recent study proposes that flowers could be acting as an antenna for electrical signals produced by bees. And once a bee transmits its charge to a flower, the electrical signals are transferred through the flower down into the soil and to other flowers. It is thought that this electric signal helps drive pollination by letting the flowers know it is time to produce their pollen as the bees are ready to help! As well as letting other bees know that the flower has already been visited. It is even thought that no contact is needed to trigger this process, and that just by flapping their wings bees trigger the voltage difference. However, not everyone is convinced this is true and a lot more work and research is needed. Yet, the idea of electrical communication not just chemical, between flowers could be a significant discovery.
#7 Animals Self-Medicate
Did you know the term used for animals self-medicating is ‘zoopharmacognosy’? This refers to when animals ingest or topically use plants, soil, or insects to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of pathogens or even other animals. How cool! The most well-known animal self-medication is probably when your cat or dog eats grass when they have a stomach ache. But another fascinating example of this is performed by the black lion tamarin, scientifically known as Leontopithecus chrysopygus. These threatened small Brazilian primates rub themselves against the Myroxylon peruiferum tree, locally known as the cabreúva. Yet, they don’t just cover themselves in the tree’s resin because it smells nice, but because it has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-parasitic properties. But the black lion tamarin isn’t the only animal aware of the tree’s healing properties. Ocelots, anteaters, and peccaries were also seen rubbing themselves against the tree. One can’t help but wonder, how did these animals hear about the medicinal properties of the tree?
#6 Crab Spiders Camoflouge As A Collective
Crab spiders got their name from their crab-like gait, not because they have pinchers! Scientifically known as Thomisus guangxicus, these spiders gave science another potential first: they camouflage together, a first for spiders. Scientists found a male crab spider sitting on a female spider in China’s tropical forests, which didn’t seem od at first. They’re just mating, right? Right. But during the mating, these two form a joint illusion with their complementary colors, camouflaging them from potential predators! When a male is on the search for a partner, they choose females whose colors complement their own and avoid those who don’t! This allows the spiders to hide from their predators and gives them the opportunity to ambush their prey. Now, that sounds like a win-win situation.
#5 Any Dog Can Smell Illness
It is no secret that dogs have an incredible sense of smell. I mean, have you ever tried to hide a snack from your pup? Impossible! They use their sense of smell to identify each other, territories, and even diseases. For a while now highly trained dogs have been used to smell cancer, Covid, and malaria in humans. And as recently discovered, even your normal pet (who doesn’t have to be a purebred) can detect these illnesses with 90% accuracy. An amazing discovery was that dogs can sniff out Parkinsons disease too. This disease affects over 10 million people around the world, and around 90,000 new people each year. Researchers trained over 16 dog breeds to detect the illness by identifying the unique chemicals in people affected by the disease’s sebum. And the doggos have been able to do so with an 86% success rate!
#4 Tiny Deer
It is no secret that the remote valleys of the Andes are home to all types of wonders. One of these diverse valleys is the Huancabamba Depression, an arid, broad river valley that divides the Andes in Nothern Peru. This dry valley spans 30 miles across but is jam-packed with hundreds of incredible endemic plant and animal species. One of which is a deer so tiny you might wonder if it was designed for a kiddie film! The Peruvian dwarf deer, scientifically known as Pudella carlae, is only around 15 inches tall and weighs a mere 22 pounds – smaller than most dogs we keep in our homes! They are part of the Pudu deer family, which is the smallest group of deer in the world. But what makes these small deer even more special, is that they were the first new deer member described in the 21st century!
#3 Cats Play Fetch
Cat owners know that their relationship with their feline pets is mostly dependent on how their cat feels that day and that there is no way to predict their level of interest in you on a particular day! A couple of researchers asked the question: do cats like playing fetch? After asking this question to more than 900 cat owners, they finally got their answer: yes, cats do like playing fetch, but only on their terms. Most of the cat owners reported that they never taught their feline friends how to fetch, but that they learned the behavior on their own. According to the data from 1,154 cats, more than 94% of their owners reported that they never taught their cats to fetch. And unsurprisingly, cats only fetch when they feel like it, not on demand! Even more interesting, they discovered that Siamese cats were most likely to fetch something. Play activities like these are a great way to ensure and strengthen bonds between cats and their humans. Let us know if your cat plays fetch in the comments!
#2 Termite Mating Has Stayed The Same for 38 Million Years
Amber fossils discovered over the years have allowed us amazing insight into life millions of years ago, as they perfectly capture a moment in time. One such example is the fossil found of an Electrotermes affinis couple’s eternal embrace. The termite couple was immortalized around 38 million years ago while mating, allowing us a glimpse into how they did things back then! Surprising scientists around the world with the discovery that termites’ mating habits have never changed. Then again, why change what works?
#1 Idaho Remains Might Indicate to Ancient Martian Life
The Clarkia Fossil Beds, or the Fossil Bowl, is located near Clarkia, Idaho, and was formed almost 16 million years ago. But, what makes this place so special is the exceptional fossils preserved and discovered here and what these findings might mean for the discovery of life on Mars. Plant and animal remains fell to the bottom of the Clarkia Lake and were wonderfully preserved, so well that some of the ancient leaves found still help their autumn colors! But leaves weren’t the only matter discovered here, remnants of fats, fibrous plant tissue, and possible DNA were also uncovered. These discoveries are used as ancient biomarkers that can help scientists understand how organisms and their environments functioned in the past. To be more specific, researchers claim that Clarkia has similar conditions, rock types, and chemicals to Mars’ Jezero Crater. The biomarkers found at Clarkia could help create a detection threshold for Martian biomarkers at Jerezo allowing scientists to gain insight into past life on Mars.
Last Thoughts
Whether it is a new species being discovered, learning that what we know now was true 38 million years ago, or the tease of nearing the discovery of ancient life on Mars, the world of animal science is always exciting! And we are eager to see what else is going to be discovered in the future.
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