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Carl Zimmer

The Loom

Talking Tiktaalik

(Credits: Worden Photography for Chapman University)

canine-skull-held-in-hands

Learn about a new study that challenges whether dog breeds are truly specialized for tasks based on skull shape, suggesting behavior matters more than morphology.

Turns Out, We Failed to Breed Dog Skulls for Specialized Bite and Smell Tasks

(Credit: D.J. Schuessler Jr/Shutterstock) 

California-two-spot-octopus

Discover how researchers identified an octopus' ancient sex chromosomes and why their genetic history is such a mystery.

Octopuses May Have 480 Million-Year-Old Sex Chromosomes 

Octopus and fish hunting

This underwater alliance between octopus and fish tends to pay off for both. Learn why the relationship works.

Octopuses Partner with Fish to Hunt, and Will Slap the Fish That Slacks Off 

Vessel supported by two rams, 2600 to 2500 BCE, object number 1989.281.3, Gift of Norbert Shcimmel Trust, 1989, open access Met Museum. (Credit: Gift of Norbert Shcimmel Trust, 1989, open access Met Museum.)

Vessel supported by two rams

From migratory practices to modern language, learn how sheep have played a major role in the history of humanity.

Sheep May Be Humanity’s Oldest and Most Loyal Allies

Bottlenose dolphin entangled in fishing net. (Credit: Oasishifi/Shutterstock)

Bottlenose dolphin entanglement

The U.S. is set to ban seafood imports from countries that don’t work to minimize accidentally catching dolphins, whales, and seals.

Future U.S. Ban on Seafood Imports Aims to Protect Marine Mammals

(Credit: CABI).
The new fungus Gibellula attenboroughii on the orb-weaving cave spider 

orb-cave-spider-infected-with-new-fungus

Learn more about the newly identified fungus that is taking over spiders and why it's similar to the Cordyceps fungi that infects ants.

Talking Tiktaalik

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