Meeting of the (Mammal) Minds

This is a great article in National Geographic called Animal Minds.
Certain skills are considered key signs of higher mental abilities: good memory, a grasp of grammar and symbols, self-awareness, understanding others’ motives, imitating others, and being creative. Bit by bit, in ingenious experiments, researchers have documented these talents in other species, gradually chipping away at [...]

When “a leg up” goes too far . . .

Ok, so this is the biggest, hairiest and cutest spider I’ve ever seen!  (Unfortunately, the little freak is not long for this world; story link is here.)

Getting along: a survival strategy

Well here’s something interesting, and in Newsweek, no less. Getting along, social bonding and using their wits are what helped our ancient ancestors to survive:
The realization that early humans were the hunted and not hunters has upended traditional ideas about what it takes for a species to thrive. For decades the reigning view had [...]