Cheetahs of the deep: Crocodiles, cheetahs, great white sharks and peregrine falcons all come at their prey with great speed, using a combination of momentum and strength to stun and kill. Now research has put up a surprising candidate to join this high-speed predatory club: the short-finned pilot whale. [Economist]
Climbing as Easy as Walking for Small Primates: Climbing trees is no sweat for small primates, a new study reveals. Squirrel monkeys, lemurs, and other tiny species use no more energy climbing vertically than they do walking on the ground. [National Geographic]
Frogs go ultrasonic for sex: The frogs’ sounds are no mere “ribbits,” but ultrasound squeaks designed to be heard over the rushing of a nearby mountain river that roars in the audible sound range. [msnbc]
Shorebirds “Defy Gravity” to Eat, Study Says: The birds, called phalaropes, exploit the same principle that allows water droplets to stick on windows. Phalaropes take advantage of this effect, called surface tension, by using a tweezering motion with their beaks to “ratchet up” droplets embedded with tiny bits of food. [National Geographic]
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