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Do Animals Have Culture?

April 19, 2016 • Being an astrophysicist, I didn't have the slightest clue about the answer, says Adam Frank, but — lucky for us all — 13.7's own Barbara J. King has spent a lot of time studying just this question.

via Mutual Rescue/YouTube

He Rescued A Dog. Then The Dog Rescued Him

March 10, 2016 • Eric O'Grey was 51, obese and suffering from diabetes and high cholesterol when he took home an overweight shelter dog. Now the duo are headlining a campaign on how pets improve humans' lives.

British Homeowners Build A New Superhighway — For Hedgehogs

A wild hedgehog in Snettisham, England. Ian S/Flickr hide caption

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Ian S/Flickr

British Homeowners Build A New Superhighway — For Hedgehogs

January 26, 2016 • Hedgehogs are starting to disappear from the English countryside, threatened by cars, garbage and even fences. But now there's a campaign to save one of England's favorite animals.

British Homeowners Build A New Superhighway — For Hedgehogs

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A mother mountain gorilla holds her baby in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda on Sept. 4, 2015. Ben Curtis/AP hide caption

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Ben Curtis/AP

Can Animals Think Abstractly?

January 7, 2016 • Do animals "get" that when they mate, babies may result? The science says no, but anthropologist Barbara J. King says we shouldn't discount other evidence for animals' abstract thinking.

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Beyond Gratitude: Pitching In To Rescue Animals

November 26, 2015 • Animal rescuers deserve our gratitude — from Sumatra to LA — this week and always, says anthropologist Barbara J. King. And, she says, it's easy for all of us to pitch in and become animal rescuers.

NPR's Skunk Bear/Julien Bouglé

The Hair-Raising Science Of Goose Bumps

October 30, 2015 • Skunk Bear's shivery new video explores how and why our skin acts so weird when we watch a scary movie, get cold or listen to music.

The Lone Star Tick May Be Spreading A New Disease Across America

The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is spreading north, carrying bacteria with it. James Gathany/CDC hide caption

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James Gathany/CDC

The Lone Star Tick May Be Spreading A New Disease Across America

October 28, 2015 • An uptick in cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever might actually be due to a newer tick-borne bacterium. It looks like it's causing milder infections — and a lot of confusion.

NPR's Skunk Bear

Here's How You Can Outrun A Horse

October 20, 2015 • Humans are pathetic at athletic feats compared to animals. We get outrun by ostriches and outswum by penguins. But human physiology makes us aces at one sport: endurance running. Sorry, horse.

Why Do European Zoos Kill Healthy Animals?

A lioness carries a cub at the Copenhagen Zoo in July 2013. Marcus Trappaud Bjoern/AP hide caption

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Marcus Trappaud Bjoern/AP

Why Do European Zoos Kill Healthy Animals?

October 14, 2015 • As a young lion is set to be dissected Thursday for the education of schoolchildren at a Danish zoo, anthropologist Barbara J. King explores differences in zoo policies in the U.S. and Europe.

Carl Safina Talks Of Wild Wolves And Bottle-Fed Squirrels

The famous Lamar Pack alpha female "06," right, with her mate "755" before her shooting death. Courtesy of Doug McLaughlin hide caption

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Courtesy of Doug McLaughlin

Carl Safina Talks Of Wild Wolves And Bottle-Fed Squirrels

September 17, 2015 • Ecologist, activist and writer Carl Safina reflects on his observations of love and status-striving among wild wolves and discusses animal minds with anthropologist Barbara J. King.

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Making A Case For The Minds Of Animals

September 11, 2015 • A new book makes a strong case for the claim that animals have rich mental lives, says Alva Noë, but falters on the idea that when it comes to knowing what others think and feel, we can only guess.

Eye Shapes Of The Animal World Hint At Differences In Our Lifestyles

Can you guess which eyes belong to what animal? Top row, from left: cuttlefish, lion, goat. Bottom row, from left: domestic cat, horse, gecko. Top row: iStockphoto; bottom row: Flickr hide caption

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Top row: iStockphoto; bottom row: Flickr

Shots - Health News

Eye Shapes Of The Animal World Hint At Differences In Our Lifestyles

August 7, 2015 • Tigers have round pupils, but domestic cats have vertical slits in the center of their eyes. What gives? A census of the shapes of animals' pupils suggests size and way of life each play a big role.

Eye Shapes Of The Animal World Hint At Differences In Our Lifestyles

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Investigation Underway Into Killing Of Cecil, Zimbabwe's Best Known Lion

Cecil the lion is shown walking in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park in a YouTube video from July 9, 2015. Credit: Bryan Orford Bryan Orford/YouTube hide caption

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Bryan Orford/YouTube

Parallels

Investigation Underway Into Killing Of Cecil, Zimbabwe's Best Known Lion

July 28, 2015 • The killing of the beloved lion, hunted for sport, has been condemned by wildlife conservationists. A conservationist in Zimbabwe says a ban should be imposed on the hunting of endangered animals.

Investigation Underway Into Killing Of Cecil, Zimbabwe's Best Known Lion

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The Furries Have Landed — And Pittsburgh Is Giving Them A Bear Hug

Anthrocon participants, as they gathered in Pittsburgh in 2013. Keith Srakocic/AP hide caption

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Keith Srakocic/AP

Pop Culture

The Furries Have Landed — And Pittsburgh Is Giving Them A Bear Hug

90.5 WESA

July 12, 2015 • More than a thousand "furries" — fans in full-body animal suits or just fuzzy ears — paraded in the city for the annual Anthrocon. Locals embrace them, not least for the economic benefits they bring.

The Furries Have Landed — And Pittsburgh Is Giving Them A Bear Hug

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'They Will Strafe You,' Bird Expert Says Of Seattle's Dive-Bombing Crows

A crow dives on a researcher during a trial. Crows recognize people who have scared them or wronged them for years afterward. Courtesy of Keith Brust hide caption

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Courtesy of Keith Brust

The Two-Way

'They Will Strafe You,' Bird Expert Says Of Seattle's Dive-Bombing Crows

June 19, 2015 • "We had crows literally come down and tap me on the head, trying to scare me," a man says of crows that aggressively swoop at humans.