Zoology

Revolutionizing Bird Watching with Radar

November 6, 2020November 5, 2020 SciStarterbird behavior, bird watching, birds

Ecologists can now forecast bird migrations like meteorologists forecast the weather. But without on-the-ground citizen science observations, it’s hard to tell a songbird from a goose.

Marine and Freshwater Biology Zoology

Sea Anemone: More Food, More Tentacles

October 12, 2020April 5, 2021 Science Connectedsea animals, tentacles

Taking “you are what you eat” to the next level, new research shows that the more a sea anemone eats, the more tentacles it grows.

queen bee, queen bees, bee colony, bee colonies, bee health

Botany Environment Zoology

Relaxed Queen Bees Have More Offspring

September 30, 2020May 4, 2021 Science Connectedagriculture, bees

Queen bees produce different proteins when they are stressed, and this new discovery could change how we monitor hive conditions.

Ecology Environment Zoology

Murder Hornets a Threat to Honey Bees

September 21, 2020April 3, 2021 Science Connectedbees, conservation, wildlife

Asian giant hornets, sometimes called murder hornets, are the latest in a long line of recent threats to honey bees in North America.

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Zoology

Can Coronavirus Infect Non-Human Animals?

September 1, 2020April 4, 2021 Science Connectedanimals, coronavirus, COVID-19, endangered species, primates

A new study suggests that many endangered and threatened species, particularly primates, could be susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

Biodiversity and Conservation Environment Zoology

Urban Gardens a Haven for Pollinators

August 5, 2020August 4, 2020 Science Connectedbees, insects, pollinators, urban gardening

Insect-friendly urban gardens show great promise to be havens for bees and other pollinators, securing their future and allowing them to thrive.

Black Birders: Deja Perkins, a graduate student using citizen science to research birds, is one of the organizers of Black Birders Week. (Credit: North Carolina State University)

Biodiversity and Conservation Citizen Science Diversity in Science Ornithology SciStarter Blog Zoology

Black Birders, Scientists Push for Equality

June 25, 2020June 24, 2020 Science Connectedbirds, citizen science projects, diversity

Black Birders Week helped show the world that Black scientists exist in the great outdoors. Now, participants hope to keep the conversation going.

Sea turtle photographed by Lorianne DiSabato at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Environment Oceanography Zoology

To Sea Turtles, Ocean Plastic Smells Like Food

April 8, 2020April 8, 2020 Science Connectedanimal behavior, ocean plastic, pollution, sea turtles

Sea turtles may eat plastic found in the ocean because it builds up a layer of microorganisms and smells the same as their food, a new study finds.

cat-specific music reduces stress in cats

Zoology

Cats Are Calmed by Cat-Specific Music

April 1, 2020April 7, 2021 Science Connectedstress

Cats in a new study showed lower stress responses while listening to a certain type of music, which could help veterinary visits be less stressful.

Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology Zoology

Megabiota, Largest Life, Vital to Biosphere

March 18, 2020March 11, 2020 Science Connectedclimate change, conservation, extinction

By Mackenzie Myers @kenzwrites Large organisms such as whales, elephants, and redwoods are often featured in awe-inspiring nature documentaries, but they’re more than just oohs and ahs. Their existence or extinction could make or break the planet as we know it. Megabiota—the largest plants and animals—are more likely than smaller organisms to go extinct as a result of climate change. And the rest of us could be in big trouble if they do, according to a recent study. The charisma conundrum Think of successful conservation campaigns. Which animals are deemed…