Scientists say they’ve found a previously unknown whale species – a ‘one tonne’ mammal the size of a horse and may have been on the planet as long as humans. Three specimens of the as-yet-unnamed species, a type of beaked whale, were seen in waters near the San Benito Islands off the coast of Mexico. … Read more
Living near more bird species can increase life satisfaction as much as having a pay rise Past research has suggested that expose to nature is good for mental health German researchers analysed data on the life satisfaction of 26,000 adults They compared this with the biodiversity in the areas in which the people lived They said … Read more
There are 60 species of flightless birds walking the Earth today, but a new study reveals there would be at least four times the amount if not for human influences. These findings were uncovered by a team at the University College of London who compiled a list of every bird species known to have gone … Read more
Researchers have identified an eerie new form of deep-sea creature using only high-definition video. In 2015, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) piloted a remotely operated vehicle through an underwater canyon off the coast of Puerto Rico. At a depth of more than two miles the drone came across a ctenophore, or … Read more
Plan unveiled ‘to build a crowd-funded £5billion conservation park’ in South Africa that ‘will aim to preserve EVERY species of animal on the planet’ Is this just pie-in-the-sky? A source on the project told MailOnline Travel that it’s serious The Jurassic World-style park, it’s hoped, will cover 100 square kilometres in KwaZulu Natal province The … Read more
The genetic make-up of 363 species of bird – ranging from the humble chicken to the amazing bird-of-paradise – has been mapped by scientists for the first time. The work, by researchers from the Smithsonian Institute and about 100 other institutions involved analysing over 17 trillion base pairs of DNA from bird species. Researchers say … Read more
A new monkey species found on a volcano in Myanmar is already close to extinction with fewer than 250 left and its habitat under threat, researchers claim. Named Popa langur, the new species was discovered after an extensive genetic study by the German Primate Center and Fauna and Flora International. Working from an extensive field survey … Read more
Scientists add 12,000 new species to the list of Earth’s bacteria – increasing diversity by over two fifths Researchers studied more than 52,000 samples of DNA from various biomes The different samples were taken from humans, other animals, soils and oceans After ‘untangling’ the mess of DNA the team found 12,000 distinct new species This … Read more
Gentoo penguins should be considered four different species due to the way they have adapted to live in different environments, according to scientists. Experts from the University of Bath analysed the genetic and physical difference between Gentoo penguin populations around the southern hemisphere. They say that counting the birds as four separate full species will … Read more
Aggressive species of shrimp smashes its way into rivals’ burrows using a club-like appendage that can strike at speeds of 50mph, study reveals University of Exeter researchers looked at how mantis shrimp fight over burrows They use these to sleep, mate, eat and avoid predators and are often fought over Study found the ‘smasher shrimp’ … Read more