Animals

Scientists have successfully extracted RNA from an extinct species for the first time. This was achieved in the thylacine, a species of carnivorous marsupial that roamed Australia until a century ago – and may again one day, if current plans bear fruit.

More than 400 footprints across a diverse range of species have been identified in incredible detail for the first time, with researchers enlisting a trio of expert indigenous trackers to help solve the mystery of these 5,000-year-old records.

Hog barns typically aren't the nicest places to be at the best of times, but try living in one during a heat wave. Scientists at Indiana's Purdue University have developed a self-activating hog-cooling pad for just such situations.

Wild boar in the woods of Austria and Germany have levels of radioactivity that makes their meat unsuitable for eating. Once thought to be the result of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, new research points to another, darker, source of contamination.

The animal kingdom is home to all kinds of stories – even horror stories. Scientists at Brown University have now uncovered a creepy new zombie story involving worms that propagate by hack their shrimp host's genome to take control of their minds.

In another encouraging step toward relieving transplant organ shortages, surgeons at NYU Langone Health have kept a genetically engineered pig kidney alive and fully functioning inside a brain-dead patient for over a month for the first time.

Scientists have demonstrated that genetically edited pig kidneys transplanted into a human can continue to function for at least a week, with no sign of rejection. The breakthrough case study could help reduce organ waitlists and resulting deaths.

The blue whale has long been considered the largest animal to have ever existed, even dwarfing the biggest known dinosaurs. But now a new species threatens to steal the crown, and upends what we thought we knew about whale evolution.

Paleontologists have now uncovered the fossils of a dinosaur and a small mammal locked in combat when they apparently died together mid-fight. The remarkable find reveals new insights into the relationship between ancient reptiles and mammals.

Scientists have used fossilized megalodon teeth to estimate the ancient shark’s body temperature, and found it wasn’t exactly a cold-blooded killer. Strangely enough, that might have contributed to its downfall.

With evolution there’s always a trade-off – long necks may help you find food but they’re also a massive weak spot. Now, paleontologists have found direct fossil evidence of prehistoric, long-necked marine reptiles being decapitated by predators.

GPS-enabled tracking collars allow scientists to learn a lot about wild animals, but the devices do have one major drawback – limited battery life. A new tracker gets around that limitation, as it's continuously powered by the animal's movements.