December 10, 2024
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The 6 coolest things we learned about animals in 2024
From morphing beluga noggins to birds that practice singing in their sleep, science has yielded many wonderful discoveries this year.
Close-up of playful European brown bear (The bear is close) cubs in Finnish forests.
Of all the adjectives that come to mind when you think of scientific research, “nice” is probably not at the top of the list. But scientists make many discoveries every year, from canine facial expressions to the invention of “frog saunas.” here, American scientific includes some of our favorite finds from this year that are absolutely adorable.
Singing in their sleep
Some people talk in their sleep. Dogs “bark to sleep”. Some birds apparently practice singing while they sleep. Scientists had previously noticed that some birds performed lip sync-like movements (beak sync?) while sleeping. To see what was happening, the researchers implanted electrodes into the brains of Zebra Finches and Great Kiskadees. Paintbrushes prone to learning new sounds and songs were said to rehearse their tunes in silence, while the Great Kiskadees, with their more limited repertoire, did not.
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The two belugas touch their heads as a way of communicating with each other.
Photo by David Merron/Getty Images
Mighty Morphin’ Melons
Belugas are pretty adorable on their own, but what’s even better is that these whales have a fatty tissue called a “melon” on their foreheads (yes, that’s the technical term), and they move to communicate with each other. Researchers monitored belugas at Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium and found this they shape their melon in distinctive wayssuch as shaking or pushing forward or backward. What whales communicate is still unclear, but certain morphologies could be used to flirt or signal aggression.
Bear Hugs?
“If not a friend, why pretend to be a friend?” So goes the internet meme that wants to know why does the bear look so cute You would definitely recommend hugging when it’s not an animal.
American scientific editors spoke to experts about why we have an affinity for bears. Some of this is likely from their role in our cultures (in folklore, for example), as well as the similar preferences of humans and bears for where to live and what to eat. We can also attract particular physical characteristics of animals. Bears have a big nose that makes you want to “boop”, like a dog’s, as well as fur and round ears. And their chubby faces can trigger our gag reflexes, reminding us of our babies.
“Understand that I am like a bear lover, through and through. (But) I personally don’t think bears are that weird. I don’t think they look like friends. When I see bears, I see predators,” said Rae Wynn-Grant, an ecologist and research affiliate at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has been studying bears for 14 years. SciAm. So do the baby bears from afar, and when you want to hug something, grab the nearest stuffed animal.
A bunch of wild dogs (Lycaon painted) approach with caution.
Paul Souders/Getty Images
We dare you to face that face
Any dog owner knows the expression well: the pleading look of a pet dog gives you “puppy dog eyes”. As it turns out, contrary to previous research suggestions, it’s not just domesticated dogs that have the eyebrow muscles to make that weak expression. New research this year has found just that African wild dogs have it too. “It opens a door to thinking about where dogs come from and what they are,” said Anne Burrows, a biological anthropologist at Duquesne University. nature.
Immaculate forms of birds
We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve reached a door at the same time as someone else, and one person will usually say “pass you” and/or wave for the other person to go through first. Well, Japanese nipples (A little smaller) do this too. When pairs are seen outside their nest box, one will flap your wings to the other in an apparent “behind you” gesture. It demonstrates that non-human animals can use symbolic gestures as opposed to behaviors that have a more literal meaning, such as pointing. And he is beautifully polite.
Green and golden bell frogs inside a thermal frog sauna shelter.
The cutest sauna ever
Frogs and other amphibians have had a tough time in recent decades, with populations decimated by a deadly fungal infection called chytridiomycosis. The scientists noted that chytrid disease, as it is called, was more lethal in cold, wet climates than in warm, dry climates. And so the charming idea was born frog sauna: A group of researchers built black brick structures with holes the size of frogs that would absorb heat. And sure enough, the frogs were able to fight the fungus. That’s definitely a reason to jump for joy.
