Behavior
Where’s that accent from? Dolphins from different seas talk in different whistles
Dolphins talk to each other by whistling, but whistle sounds vary between seas. What causes those differences in dolphin accents?
Category: Behavior
Behavior Biology Conservation Developmental Biology
Whisk-y Business: How Insights from Whisker Anatomy Can Expand Our Knowledge of Seal Behavior (Guest Post by Aubree Jones)
This is a guest post by Aubree Jones. Aubree is working towards her PhD at the University of Rhode Island.…
Behavior Biological oceanography Chemistry Invasive Species
Too Slick to Stick
Have you ever walked down a dock to look at the boats? How about under the boat? The sides? Chances…
Behavior
Shark Smarts: Can associative learning change shark behavior?
We all know that sharks are excellent hunters, but can the instinctual predatory mind of one of the ocean’s apex…
Behavior
The view from a sperm whale’s nose
What happens if you place a microphone on the tip of a sperm whale’s nose? Putting anything on the nose…
Behavior
How does an octopus decide what to eat?
Under the sea, octopuses spend a lot of time hunting their dinner. Their choice of prey ranges from clams to…
Behavior Biology Ecology Harmful Algal Bloom
Sneeze, Cough, Chuff: Respiratory Irritation in Dolphins
We all know what it’s like to get sick and have that irritating cough that just doesn’t seem to go…
Behavior
Life of the Party: Dolphin Personalities and Social Structures
Are you more of a life of the party type person or a wallflower reserved type? Did you ever think…
Behavior Biological oceanography Biology Conservation Ecology
Making Animals Comfortable In Their (Marine) Skin
The future of marine animal tracking could be a new flexible, stretchable, and ultra-lightweight technology called the "Marine Skin".
Behavior Biological oceanography Biology Noise
Sounds, Stress, and Stingrays
Have you ever wondered if stingrays can hear noise? Sharks, skates, and rays have multiple sensory organs to help then…
Behavior
Fat Burning Mode: How one fish survives out of water
Water and air are very different environments. How can a fish with a body built for the water spend time…
Behavior
A game of shark and ray: Rays act differently when sharks are around
As our oceans change, we don’t really know what the current decline of sharks means for stingrays, or for the…
Behavior
Minke Boings: A 50-year mystery and the science of listening in the ocean
Whale sounds are weird and fascinating, but for a long time scientists weren't even sure that whales made sounds. The…
Behavior Biology Climate Change Conservation
Changing Oceans May Confuse Critically Endangered European Eels
As humanity’s carbon emissions continue to heat and acidify the world’s oceans, many marine species and ecosystems face daunting new…
Behavior
Octopuses can learn from an iPad too
As many universities are moving this semester’s coursework online, some may be wondering if learning from a screen is really…
Behavior
A round of underwater applause: Scientists record gray seals clapping underwater
How do you get someone else’s attention underwater? It turns out some seals may clap their flippers together the same…
Behavior
Deadly neurotoxin may help de-stress pufferfish
The flesh of many pufferfish is laced with a deadly neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. This toxin successfully wards off pufferfish predators,…
Behavior
Mazes aren’t just for mice: European shore crabs exhibit spatial learning
Mazes aren’t just for mice, although a scientific literature search for maze learning might lead you to think so. In…
Behavior
The story behind the story: Understanding how mother whales communicate and the challenges of studying an endangered species
How do North Atlantic right whale moms talk to their calves? A recent paper describes new quiet calls which have…
Behavior
Humpback Whales Harmonize with Changing Environments
A recent study explores how the occurrence of humpback whale song is associated with shifts in their environment, including the…