Tag: animals

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What are these holes at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean?

Marine scientists discovered them by accident.

Why aren't animals as smart as humans?

ASK A RESEARCHER: "Fire may have made human brains larger," researcher says.

Both animals and humans yawn. Why do we yawn and why is it contagious?

It's not because we need more oxygen to the brain.

Vikings had a completely different relationship to animals than we have today

The Vikings and their ancestors looked at animals with awe and admiration, researchers at the Museum of Cultural History say.

If horses hadn’t made it out of North America, they probably wouldn’t exist today

Ancient horses similar to the ones we know today evolved in North America. From there they spread to Asia and Europe.

Why do animals hibernate?

ASK A RESEARCHER: All kinds of animals go into hibernation. Some hibernate all winter, while others "turn off" their bodies for just a few hours.

How do search and rescue dogs train to find missing people?

Every year, search and rescue dogs find between 40 and 50 missing people in Norway. They are trained through interaction and rewards. “They’re clearly sad when the people they find are dead,” says Bjørn Tore Ulsrud, from Norwegian Search and Rescue Dogs.

How lynx hide their dinner from scavengers

Many predators leave decomposing carcasses behind, allowing scavengers a meal. Eurasian lynx, however, have a trick for how to keep their dinners all to themselves.

Political controversy over how Norway decides to shoot wolves

If wolves have reached or exceeded target population numbers, is that reason enough to shoot them? The Norwegian parliament recently voted yes to this. The result may be more wolves shot in Norway.

Do animals have personalities?

Donkeys are stubborn, pandas are cute, and dogs are faithful — right? We usually describe people's personalities, but are we right to assign personalities to animals, too?

Could we eat like scavengers?

Dogs eat all kinds of nasty things, and vultures eat carcasses that are long dead. Could we eat rotten food if we heat treated it beforehand?

Biggest threats to farmers have four legs

Big animals are more dangerous for Norwegian farmers than even-bigger tractors, a new analysis shows. Cows are the chief culprits, causing the most work accidents on Norway's farms.

Primitive worms threaten harvests

They live in the soil, are numerous, and can be microscopic. Yet nematodes can effectively kill off fruit trees and cereals.

Solving the mystery of bear cub killings

Male bears in Scandinavian forests kill bear cubs. The corpses of cubs, claw marks and DNA samples testify to a life-or-death struggle.

Grassland crops hit by greedy geese

It’s a long way from wintering grounds in Belgium and the Netherlands to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, so little wonder pink-footed geese stop over to forage along the way.

Antidepressants for pets

People are not the only users of antidepressants. A spike in sales of “happy pills” for animals is being seen in Sweden.

Norwegian dairy goats thrive in African mountains

Eighty Norwegian dairy goats were flown into Tanzania thirty years ago. Now there are 300,000 goats with genes from these founder animals on dairy farms in mountainous areas.

How smart are animals?

We think that crows are smart but what do we really know? Intelligence takes on diverse meanings for different species and researchers think we are too prone to use human standards.

Why do vegan cats need white canes?

“People who want to give their pets vegetarian food should have rabbits,” says an expert in animal behaviour.

Cheap hamburger could be choice steaks

Little Norwegian beef ends up being served as steaks. With new feeding and butchering techniques the country’s cattle could provide more whole cuts and less minced or ground beef.

Windpower? Oh, my deer!

Scientists don’t think a windmill park will bother reindeer in their summer grazing areas. But local reindeer herders fear their animals could be scared by the traffic and people.

Genes reveal animal history

Reindeer living way up north today are immigrants from the south. This is revealed by their genes, which also divulge other secrets of these animals’ shared history with humankind for thousands of years.

Pictures from Amundsen’s South Pole adventures

Fascinating photos reveal the harsh but beautiful surroundings of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen’s 100-year-old expedition to the South Pole.

Moose are the new cows

The Eurasian elk, or moose, is filling in for cows as a forest browser. While Bessie is in the barn or an enclosed pasture, this big herbivore ensures continuity in the overall amount of browsing in outlying land in Norway.