Pangolins Walk Just Like T. Rex

Pangolins, or Scaly Anteaters, are fascinating creatures. The eight pangolin species are found in Africa and parts of Asia, and they're the only mammals whose skin is covered in scales. » 7/18/14 11:20am 7/18/14 11:20am

Did You Know Kangaroos Have 5 Limbs?

Kangaroos are famous for their hopping, but a slow-moving roo relies more on its tail to get around than either of its feet. The result is a what biologists call a five-limbed, i.e. "pentapedal," gait. Yes, you read that correctly. The kangaroo is a pentaped – perhaps the only one on Earth. » 7/02/14 3:40pm 7/02/14 3:40pm

Dung beetles don't just run to poop, they actually gallop

Most insects walk forward three legs at a time, a manner of locomotion known as the alternating tripod gait. But scientists have recently learned that there’s at least one insect, the industrious dung beetle, that moves along with a galloping gait — and they’re kinda perplexed as to why. » 10/22/13 9:50am 10/22/13 9:50am

Jellyfish may be the most energy-efficient animals in the world

Jellyfish are known for their ability to take over ecosystems, even though they're less efficient swimmers and hunters than their fishy competition. But a new study shows that jellyfish may rule the waves by actually being the most energy-efficient animals in the world. Here's how. » 10/09/13 9:00am 10/09/13 9:00am

"Walking" shark looks like it's waddling across the reefs

Certain species of longtail carpet sharks (or bamboo sharks) have an unusual means of locomotion. Instead of swimming, these sharks wriggle their bodies and push against the floor with their pectoral and pelvic fins. It's a strange sight to behold. » 8/25/13 3:00pm 8/25/13 3:00pm

Why did we evolve to experience "runner's high"?

We recently learned that women can have orgasms from exercising, and now it seems the pleasures of exercise are even more deeply woven into our evolution. The "runner's high" experienced after strenuous exertion was actually key to our species' success. » 3/22/12 2:48pm 3/22/12 2:48pm

Ancient fish learned to walk underwater before they arrived on land

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the first land animals emerged, facing new challenges unlike any their aquatic ancestors had experienced. But their marine predecessors had solved one big problem for living on land: they already knew how to walk. » 12/13/11 5:00pm 12/13/11 5:00pm

Our hominid ancestors were walking like us nearly 4 million years ago

One of the most basic differences separating us from other apes is our ability to walk fully upright, and that goes back to the emergence of the Homo genus 1.9 million years ago. At least...that's what we used to think. » 7/19/11 4:00pm 7/19/11 4:00pm