Most residents of the southern states of America are uncomfortably familiar with fire ants. People who have experienced the bites and stings that give these insects their name are often willing to try almost anything to get rid of them. Many of them might hesitate, however, to use the particularly gruesome method favored by one tiny predator.

A recent comprehensive analysis compared the human Y chromosome with the chimpanzee Y chromosome, and the researchers found that they were “remarkably divergent.”¹

Monarch butterflies have fascinated biologists for a long time. A 3,000-mile road trip in even the most comfortable car would prove daunting to many humans, but these beautiful insects can migrate that same distance every year from Canada to a specific grove of fir trees in Mexico each fall. The next generation of monarchs can then travel back to Canada in the spring.

Toucans are tropical birds found in Central and South America. They are best known for their enormous, brilliantly colored bills. These beaks perform several functions, but new research confirms that they accomplish yet another essential job.

The brains of birds are tiny, but many contain the right programming to make them the best talkers in the animal kingdom. In addition to the parrot’s talking skill set, a new study found that Siberian jays show “complex communication.”¹ Why would a “lower” order of animal have this ability?