WHALES are fashionable at present, both among scientific men and the public, on account of their supposed forthcoming extinction by large steam whalers working upon the high seas away from all ...

A new study shows that the similarly smooth, nearly hairless skin of whales and hippopotamuses evolved independently. The work suggests that their last common ancestor was likely a land-dwelling ...

Tens of millions of years ago, whales looked quite a bit different than they do today. Instead of gliding through the water, they had legs and hooves and walked on land — though some did take the ...

What do crayfish and the metal mercury tell us about clean water? What do animal adaptations tell us about their environment. Meet a scientist who studies crayfish and hopes they will show him how ...

Researchers have found that nearly one fifth of all spider families are associated with saltwater or freshwater aquatic habitats. Their findings address the common misconception that all spiders dwell ...

A dolphin breaking the surface for air can seem like a reminder of its mammalian past. But evolution is not nostalgia. The same body that still needs oxygen from the atmosphere is also one of the ...

Which animal is the fastest aquatic mammal in the world? Discover why dolphins hold this title, along with their swimming speed, body adaptations, habitat and interesting facts in this detailed ...

Scientists discover webbed feet in land animals, challenging common assumptions. This trait, initially for swimming, also ...

Sea snakes have dramatically reconfigured their sense of smell for underwater life. Researchers found their airborne scent detection system has largely vanished, while their water-based chemical ...

Animals adapt to survive. Learn how animal adaptations help organisms. How an animal looks or behaves reflects where it lives. It has to adapt to survive in its environment and passes those ...