animals

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Here's the Spinal Secret Behind Cats' Perfect Landings
This Is Why Cats Always
Land on Their Feet
NEW STUDY
Mar 11, 2026 10:51 AM CDT

This Is Why Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Researchers link midair twist to flexible thoracic, rigid lumbar spine

(Newser) - Cats' gravity-defying pivots mid-fall just got a clear scientific explanation. Researchers at Japan's Yamaguchi University say the secret lies in a spine that doesn't bend the same way from front to back, allowing cats to twist in midair without violating the rules of physics. Their study, published in...

Diane Keaton's Cause of Death Revealed

Oscar winner's family says she died of pneumonia

(Newser) - Diane Keaton's family reveals in a statement to People that the Oscar-winning actor died of pneumonia. They expressed deep gratitude for the "extraordinary messages of love and support" received after the 79-year-old died in California on Oct. 11, and suggested ideas for anyone wanting to honor her memory:...

Seaquarium Hosts Last Visitors After Years of Accusations

Federal, local agencies had cited mistreatment, neglect at Miami attraction

(Newser) - After seven decades as a Miami institution, the Seaquarium closed its gates for good on Sunday, drawing crowds keen to relive childhood memories—and perhaps catch one last glimpse of its famous penguins. Visitors watched Daisy, Blueberry, and Tinker waddle outside as nostalgia mixed with farewells. For many, like...

Centuries-Old Animal Bones Reveal New Jamestown Fact

The colonists brought a donkey with them

(Newser) - A recent study in Science Advances is changing the story of how some of North America's earliest European settlers used animals. "While Spanish colonists brought horses to the Caribbean decades earlier, settlement of the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, was among the first dispersals of horses to...

The Best and Worst Cities for Pet Owners

Arizona city of Scottsdale ranks No. 1 on WalletHub's list of most pet-friendly US cities

(Newser) - If you can't imagine moving somewhere where your beloved pet wasn't part of the equation, check out the US cities that WalletHub has deemed the best for those who own cats, dogs, and other nonhuman companions. The site looked at the 100 most populated cities in America, examining...

Colorado's 'Frankenstein Bunnies' Are Nothing to Fear

They're infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus , which makes them grow 'horns'

(Newser) - A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there's no reason to be spooked—the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus. The cottontails recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly...

Boxes Labeled 'Plastic Animal Toys' Were Worth $1.4M

NY man pleads guilty to trying to illegally smuggle some 850 turtles to Hong Kong

(Newser) - A New York resident has admitted he tried to smuggle protected turtles worth more than $1 million from the United States to Hong Kong by shipping them in boxes labeled "plastic animal toys," reports the AP . Wei Qiang Lin, a Chinese national who lives in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty...

Carriage Horse's Sudden Death Sparks Debate in NYC

Incident triggers renewed calls to ban horse-drawn carriages in city

(Newser) - A 15-year-old carriage horse named Lady collapsed and died Tuesday afternoon near 11th Avenue and West 51st Street in Manhattan, less than two months after starting work in New York City. Police responding to a 911 call found Lady unresponsive; she was pronounced dead after being transported to a...

12-Year-Old's Venture Soothes Stressed Animals With Music

Wild Tunes, founded by Yuvi Agarwal, recruits musicians to play for cats, dogs at animal shelters

(Newser) - It's often said music is the universal language of humanity. Now, a 12-year-old Houston boy is putting that to the test for an unlikely audience—man's best friend. Yuvi Agarwal started playing keyboard when he was 4 and several years ago noticed his playing soothed his family's...

Why Cats Prefer a Left-Side Snooze
Why Cats Prefer
a Left-Side Snooze
NEW STUDY
Jun 28, 2025 5:30 AM CDT

Why Cats Prefer a Left-Side Snooze

Study links position to faster threat response

(Newser) - Ever wondered why your cat curls up on its left side? New research suggests this sleepy preference could be a clever survival tactic honed by evolution—giving felines a quick edge the moment they wake. An international team analyzed more than 400 YouTube videos and found that two-thirds of...

Decline of Scavengers May Be Trouble for Humans
Decline of Scavengers
May Be Trouble for Humans
NEW STUDY
Jun 19, 2025 12:57 PM CDT

Decline of Scavengers May Be Trouble for Humans

If large scavengers disappear, the animal carcasses they feed on won't, researchers say

(Newser) - As nature's cleanup crew faces decline, scientists warn that disappearing scavengers could leave behind not just carcasses, but a growing threat to human health. If these essential scavenger animals vanish, humans may find themselves more vulnerable to infectious diseases and costly waste problems, according to a study published...

You May Not Want Your Pet Catching Z's With You

It may be worth it to you, but experts say that pets sleeping in your bed could disrupt your sleep

(Newser) - Our furry best friend might be our worst sleep enemy. Lots of pet owners let their animals sleep on the bed with them, which usually disrupts sleep. But many would say it's worth it, and researchers don't necessarily disagree. Melissa Milanak, a sleep health professor at Medical University...

Zoo Takes 'Dignity' Approach to Its Aging Animals

Geriatric care reigns at Spain's Barcelona Zoo, where elephants even get pedicures

(Newser) - At the Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant places her foot through the metal barrier where a zookeeper gently scrubs its sole—it's how the beloved pachyderm gets her "pedicure," along with apple slices every day. The treatment is part of the zoo's specialized geriatric care...

Spanish Cops Bust Exotic Cat Smuggling Ring

2 arrested on Mallorca are accused of breeding, selling tigers, leopards, lynxes, etc.

(Newser) - Spanish police have arrested two people in connection with the sale of exotic felines on the internet. The authorities seized 19 animals, including a caracal and two servals, in an operation in Manacor, on the Balearic island of Mallorca, the Civil Guard said in a statement on Thursday. More than...

When One Chimpanzee Pees, Another Might Follow
Researchers Spent 600 Hours
Watching Chimpanzees Pee
new study
Jan 22, 2025 12:50 PM CST

Researchers Spent 600 Hours Watching Chimpanzees Pee

Study finds urination is a slightly contagious behavior

(Newser) - Watch someone yawn and there's a chance you'll yawn, too. Watch someone pee and ... well, if you're a chimpanzee, there's a chance you'll end up urinating as well. So finds a new paper published Monday in Current Biology that NPR reports spun out of a...

Who's a Good Boy? Press 'Me'
Who's
a Good Boy?
Press 'Me'
longform
Jan 12, 2025 6:01 AM CST

Who's a Good Boy? Press 'Me'

New York Times Magazine explores the trend of having our dogs push buttons to communicate

(Newser) - Traditionally, when a dog wanted to go outside, he might go to the door and bark. But more and more dog owners say their pets have a new way to communicate—by pressing a button marked "outside." Or "eat." Or "worried." Or "love....

Well, We Now Have Our Next 'Baby Shark'

Moo Deng the viral and bouncy baby pygmy hippo has an official song released in 4 languages

(Newser) - In case you can't get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there's now an official song featuring the internet's favorite baby animal—released in four languages for her global fans, reports the AP . The upbeat 50-second song "Moodeng Moodeng," available in...

'Gone' in 25 Years: Florida's Key Deer

Rising sea levels threaten habitat, freshwater holes on Big Pine Key

(Newser) - The world's only Key deer, the smallest subspecies of the white-tailed deer, are found in piney and marshy wetlands bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Keys. For years, their biggest threat was being struck by vehicles speeding along US Highway 1 or local...

Saving Nature Will Require a Societal 'Transformation'

World Wildlife Fund calls for revamping food, energy, finance systems amid wildlife destruction

(Newser) - Enough is enough, says the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report , released Wednesday, calling on governments and companies to "act rapidly to eliminate activities with negative impacts on biodiversity and climate" before it's too late. The report describes a 73% decline in the average size of monitored...

Canadian Marathon Gets Unexpected Runner

Joshua the goat is having a viral moment after escaping to join a marathon

(Newser) - Runners in a recent Canadian half-marathon were joined by a surprise competitor of the four-legged variety—a Newfoundland goat who escaped from his pumpkin patch to join the fun. The goat, named Joshua, broke away from a tether to jump in the race, and per CBC News , he completed almost...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser