When people think of penguins, they often imagine them waddling on ice and sliding into freezing water. Some species of penguins, though, live in warm climates, and that has scientists wondering how penguins manage to adapt to such different environments. Recently a study was released that provides some answers. Listen to learn where scientists believe penguins first evolved, what powered their migration, and how their bodies have adapted to a wide variety of environmental conditions.
Story Length: 2:22
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September 30, 2020
2:29
Are bees smarter than some people think? Scientists studying bee behavior noticed the insects taking tiny bites out of plant leaves. It turns out that this surprising behavior actually helps bees, though not immediately. Listen to learn how biting leaves benefits bees, and hear about another interesting trick bees use to get a good meal.
Read MoreJanuary 17, 2018
1:48
Paleontologists now have proof, as a result of a recent discovery of fossil remains, that giant penguins existed long before whales even entered the ocean. It's an ancient species of penguin that swam off the coast of New Zealand between 55 and 60 million years ago, soon after dinosaurs became extinct. The smaller penguins we know today stem from prehistoric penguins that were once the size of a human. Listen to learn why these animals went extinct and the timeline of their existence.
Read MoreSeptember 5, 2017
3:53
Humans and baby birds appear to be very different creatures, but scientists are studying certain birds because they learn their songs in a similar way that humans learn speech. A new study from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has shown similarities between how both species develop language. Listen to the lead scientist as he explains how a network of neurons in the brains of zebra finches could provide insight into how humans learn to speak.
Read MoreJune 18, 2015
3:54
Scientists have long debated when early humans learned that they could use fire to cook their food. Some believe this occurred soon after humans learned to control fire, others argue there isn’t enough evidence. A scientific study in a chimpanzee sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has shed new light on these persistent questions. The experiment gave chimps a machine to “cook” their food and tracked their preference for cooked food and how it changed their eating behaviors. Listen to learn more about this experiment and how it plays into the debate about when early humans began to cook.
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