Read the message your dog sends with his tail

Tail-wagging is a reflection of what's happening in your dog's brain. Learn to read your dog's tail signals, and you'll know if he's happy ... or stressed.

Top 10 new species of 2014

Thousands of new species are discovered each year. This year’s notable finds include an Antarctic sea anemone and a leaf-tailed gecko.

Flooding tipping points earlier than expected for U.S. coasts

By 2050, most of the U.S. coast is likely to see 30 or more days of flooding a year due to dramatically accelerating impacts from sea level rise, says a new study.

Tree ring study shows California’s drought worst in 1,200 years

Scientists say California's drought is being driven by low (but not unprecedented) precipitation and record high temperatures.

Ancient volcanism aligned with dinosaur extinction, says study

Volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago played a role in the demise of the dinosaurs, says one theory. It challenges the idea that a meteorite impact was the sole cause.

Wisdom has a new egg!

Recent photos of Wisdom - the world's oldest known, banded wild bird at an estimated age of 63 - with her newest egg. Go, Wisdom!

How birds get by without external ears

A new study looks at how birds localize sounds. It seems that their slightly oval-shaped head transforms sound waves in a similar way to external ears.

Genes link birdsong and human speech

Humans and vocal birds like parrots use essentially the same genes to speak.

Probing the Big Bang of bird evolution

Big bird news! A consortium of 200 scientists in 20 countries has released its first results on the origins and diversity of birds. Overview plus video here.

Chickens and turkeys closer to dinos than other birds

Songbirds and other birds sprang from dinosaurs, too. But new work indicates that chickens and turkeys are genetically closest to their dino ancestors.

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