Page 5 - Christa Lest News Today

A fossil from 385 million years ago named Qikiqtania wakei shows that a descendant of early land animals lost its adaptations for land and became a more efficient swimmer

Analysis of inner ear canals from hundreds of modern and fossil animals shows that warm-bloodedness appeared abruptly in the late Triassic

It was thought that spongy bone in woodpeckers’ heads cushioned their brains from hard knocks, but in fact their skulls are stiff like a hammer

Stanleycaris hirpex, which lived in the Cambrian period, had two protruding eyes on the side of its head and a larger eye in the centre

Snapping shrimps seem immune to the shock waves their claws produce to kill or stun other animals – and it is all thanks to their head gear

Tumour cells appear to circulate in the blood more during the night, hinting that therapies should be targeted to maximise their impact at night

Reduced levels of oestrogen and progesterone seem to be what makes post-menopausal women more likely to have symptoms of sleep apnoea, including snoring, irregular breathing or gasping at night

When cats lick and chew catnip or silver vine plants, higher levels of insect-repelling iridoid chemicals are released

The noise of motorboats over the Great Barrier Reef can stress its inhabitants, stunting the growth of young fish and leaving them less likely to live to adulthood

Ishikari Lowland in Japan was converted to farmland beginning 150 years ago, and an analysis suggests it has experienced a 70 per cent drop in bird numbers since then