News for the Birds
May 7, 2014
Our human readers are allowed to peek in on these headlines for and about our feathered intellectuals.
VIEW HEADLINES ONLY
Biomimetics Is All About Design Inspiration
April 8, 2014
Scientists wouldn't rush to design things after nature's examples if they weren't well designed.
Bumming Herds of Hummingbirds into Evolution
April 6, 2014
Any well-designed animal can be forced into an evolutionary story if you allow the rules to evolve, too.
Bizarre Animal Discoveries
March 26, 2014
Strange things have been coming to light about animals we knew and animals we didn't; bizarre animals, and normal animals with bizarre traits.
Cat Whiskers and Narwhal Tusks: Why Things Are
March 24, 2014
In the animal world, unique features often have well-designed functions.
Imaginary Feathers Found on American Dinosaur
March 19, 2014
Once again, imaginary feathers have been discovered on a "bird-like" dinosaur, this time from the Dakotas.
Parasites Can Help the Ecology
March 16, 2014
A parasitologist suggests that parasites don't just rob and steal; they usually do good as functional players in an ecosystem.
How Useful Is Evolutionary Theory?
March 12, 2014
In science, it's not enough to have a paradigm that merely keeps scientists busy, if they are rarely right.
Exceptional Beauty and Design in Animals
March 3, 2014
Here are four animals, some you probably never heard of, that deserve design awards for art and technology.
Story on Evolution of Birds Glosses Over Details
February 24, 2014
It takes more to turn a dinosaur into a bird than changing arm and leg ratios and reducing body size.
Biomimetics Quiz
February 16, 2014
Match the living thing with the technology being developed by imitating its design features.
Tree Crocodiles and Other Surprising Animals
February 15, 2014
Scientists have a lot to learn about living animals before presuming to speak of long-lost extinct ones.
Cretaceous Starling Flew Over Feathered Dinosaurs
February 8, 2014
A beautifully-preserved fossil from China shows a full-fledged bird doing just fine 60 million years before T. rex walked.
Chinese Dinosaurs May Have Been Buried in Volcanic Ash
February 4, 2014
A new analysis of Chinese fossils claims a Pompeii-style eruption buried them suddenly. What does this imply about dating the fossils?
Turkeys Aren't Stupid
January 26, 2014
Turkeys that are inspiring homeland security technology are just one example of hot designs engineers are finding in the biosphere's treasure chest.