New York Times Science News

  1. When an Eel Takes a Bite Then an Octopus Might Claim an Eyeball

    Videos filmed by divers show that choking, blinding and sacrificing limbs are all in the cephalopods’ repertoire.
  2. Scientists Calculated the Energy Needed to Carry a Baby. Shocker: It’s a Lot.

    In humans, the energetic cost of pregnancy is about 50,000 dietary calories — far higher than previously believed, a new study found.
  3. The Itsy Bitsy Spider Inspired a Microphone

    If spiders use their webs like a large external eardrum, researchers reasoned, perhaps spider silk could be the basis for a powerful listening device.
  4. Why Do People Make Music?

    In a new study, researchers found universal features of songs across many cultures, suggesting that music evolved in our distant ancestors.
  5. Baobab Trees Had a Strange Evolutionary Journey

    New research shows the “upside-down trees” originated in Madagascar and then caught a ride on ocean currents to reach mainland Africa and Australia.