National Geographic News: Weird

"White," Albino-like Penguin Found in Antarctica

Christine Dell'Amore — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:28:39 -0500

Spotted by tourists, the rare bird has a genetic mutation that dilutes feather pigments.

World's Smallest Frog Found—Fly-Size Beast Is Tiniest Vertebrate

Christine Dell'Amore — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:44:59 -0500

No bigger than a housefly, the new species is the smallest known animal with a backbone, a new study says.

Worm-Eating Plant Found—Kills via Underground Leaves

Christine Dell'Amore — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:01 -0500

A Brazilian plant uses sticky underground leaves to trap roundworms, a new study says.

"Virgin Birth" Record Broken by Hotel Shark

Charles Choi — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:52:51 -0500

A zebra shark at the "world's most luxurious hotel" has experienced four straight years of reproductive success—no male required.

Fish Mimics Octopus That Mimics Fish

Rachel Kaufman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:57:22 -0500

"We've never seen anything like that before," said one scientist of first ever video of a fish one-upping a marine master of disguise (with video).

Deep-Voiced Men Have Lower Sperm Counts, Study Says

Christine Dell'Amore — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:04:02 -0500

The deep timbre of a male voice may sound attractive, but low-voiced men actually tend to have lower sperm counts, a new study says.

Hybrid Silkworms Spin Spider Silk—A First

Rachel Kaufman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:08:39 -0500

Strong, stretchy hybrid silk may someday be used to make parachutes and artificial limbs, a new study says.

Evolution of Angels: From Disembodied Minds to Winged Guardians

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:30:11 -0500

From disembodied minds to winged guardians, heavenly messengers haven't always looked like the familiar Christmas tree toppers.

Small Spiders Have Big Brains That Spill Into Their Legs

Rachel Kaufman — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:27:12 -0500

Tiny spiders have such huge brains for their body sizes that the organs can spill into the animals' body cavities, a new study shows.

Walking Began Underwater, Strolling-Fish Discovery Suggests

James Owen — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:51:18 -0500

Look Ma, no feet! The first walkers may well have been full-on fish, say experts who've seen a prehistoric-like fish walk underwater.

People Can Hallucinate Color at Will

Christine Dell'Amore — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:25 -0500

People can hallucinate color just with the power of suggestion, a finding that may help those fearful of hypnosis therapy, a new study says.

"Yeti" Crabs Farm Food on Own Claws—A First

Charles Q. Choi — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:57:04 -0500

The blind, white deep-sea crabs farm bacteria on their furry arms as the crustaceans' main sources of food, scientists have discovered.

Sex With Humans Made Neanderthals Extinct?

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:41:06 -0500

Fleeing advancing ice, Neanderthals increasingly encountered modern humans—and may have interbred to the point of extinction, a new study suggests.

Why Did Evolution Allow Some People to Taste Words?

Ker Than — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:40:24 -0500

The neural tangling known as synesthesia may have survived evolution because it offers benefits in creative thinking, a new study hints.

New "Albino" Spider Found in Australia

Christine Dell'Amore — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:16:50 -0500

A new species of spider with an unusual white head has shocked scientists in Australia.

Python Hearts Double in Size—Now We Know Why

Christine Dell'Amore — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:19:10 -0500

High levels of fats in the snakes' blood balloons their organs after breaking a long fast, experiments show.

Male Spiders Give "Back Rubs" to Calm Their Mates

Rachel Kaufman — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:10:20 -0500

When a male Nephila pilipes wants to get busy without getting eaten, he gives his mate a massage, new research shows.

How Do Giant Pandas Survive on Bamboo Diets?

Rachel Kaufman — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:07:58 -0500

Panda poop has offered scientists clues to how the iconic bears keep a high-fiber diet when they have the guts of carnivores.

Piranhas Bark—Three Fierce Vocalizations Deciphered

Dave Mosher — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:15:17 -0500

Piranhas can be good communicators, though their known "talk" ranges only from "go away" to "no, really, go away," experts have found.

Spawn of Medieval "Black Death" Bug Still Roam the Earth

Anne Minard — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:32:41 -0500

Modern plague bacteria are still basically the same as the bug that caused the Black Death in medieval Europe, a new DNA study shows.

Kraken Sea Monster Account "Bizarre and Miraculous"

Ker Than — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:04:39 -0500

An artistic kraken—a giant squid-like sea monster—is said to be behind a fossil graveyard. Critics call the find "fun" but "implausible."

When We Smell, Different Nose Regions Process Stinky, Sweet

Dave Mosher — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:18:34 -0500

Receptors in human noses are grouped to help the brain discern good smells from bad ones, an "exciting, disturbing" study suggests.

Ig Nobel Prizes Honor Wasabi Alarm, Beer Bottle Mating, More

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:59:56 -0500

Wasabi as a wake-up call, beetles that mistook bottles for mates, and failed doomsday prophets were among this year's research honorees.

New Life-Forms Found at Bottom of Dead Sea

Christine Dell'Amore — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:59:31 -0500

New life-forms have been found living in freshwater springs at the otherwise barren bottom of the Dead Sea, new research shows.

Particles Moved Faster Than Speed of Light?

Ker Than — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:01:07 -0500

A claim that neutrinos traveled faster than the speed of light would be revolutionary if true, but "I would bet against it," physicist says.