Consider elephant tusks, elk antlers, rhino horns or the curved canines of the extinct sabre-toothed cat… these weapons may be enormous, but, proportionally, it’s the male fiddler crab that owns the mightiest weapon on record. The male’s larger claw can be half of its total body mass – the equivalent of carrying your entire bodyweight […]
Tag: Crabs
10 real-life zombies: These deadly brain-hijacking parasites can create suicidal rats, pulsating snails, dancing fish – and can even infect humans
It might sound like a horror film, but did you know that zombie parasites not only infect – they also use mind control to kill their hosts. Aoife Glass takes a look at some the world’s most horrific zombie parasites… Zombies are a popular trope in film and tv, but there are real-world parasites that […]
Only a tiny % of the deep seafloor has ever been visually observed: Study
For national and international policymakers, decisions on how to regulate — and whether to allow — exploitative human activities such as deep-sea mining require good information. A new study suggests that when it comes to the ocean floor, they may not have it. Only 0.001% of the deep seafloor has ever been captured by photo […]
Petition: Stop the Extinction of Alaska’s Snow Crabs – Act Now
The alarming decline in snow crab populations in Kodiak, Alaska, has created an urgent need for conservation and climate action. For the second consecutive year, the snow crab fishing season has been canceled due to a drastic 90% drop in their numbers. This crisis not only threatens the local ecosystem but also the livelihoods of […]
This tiny animal has venom so deadly it could kill a human within minutes – and there’s no antidote
These cute cephalopods that fit in the palm of your hand could kill you in minutes with a venom a thousand times stronger than cyanide, says Melissa Hobson What are blue-ringed octopuses? Blue-ringed octopus are a genus of octopus known for their iridescent blue markings. These iconic patterns only reveal themselves when the little octopus […]
Do worms feel pain and are ants happy? Why the science on invertebrate feelings is evolving
Does a worm feel pain if it gets trodden on? Does a fly ache when its wings are pulled off? Is an ant happy when it finds a food source? If so, they may be sentient beings, which means they can “feel”, a bit or a lot, like we do. Invertebrate sentience is becoming an […]
How to tell if mangrove restoration is working? Listen to the birds
The soundscape in mangrove forests can be wonderfully complex. If you prime your ears, you might chance to hear mudskippers sloshing their bellies across silky mud, or fiddler crabs pattering between their burrows. If you’re lucky, a rustling overhead might indicate monkeys creeping along branches, intently curious, or it could be a Brahminy kite taking […]
As Oceans Warm, Predators Are Falling Out of Sync with Their Prey
For decades on the U.S. Mid-Atlantic coast, recreational anglers have braved the cold temperatures of late October and November to chase one of the region’s most iconic fish species, the striped bass. This season, just offshore of New Jersey and New York, the fall run was especially strong. “The amount of fish and [their size] […]