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In my latest article for The Scientist, I highlight the work of Dr. Ximena Bernal. She studies a tiny fly that eavesdrops on the mating calls of a particular tropical frog. Once it locates a calling frog, the fly crawls to its nose, where it can easily bite through the skin for a. . . Read More

North American walnut sphinx moth caterpillars look like easy meals for birds, but they have a trick up their sleeves—they produce whistles that sound like bird alarm calls, scaring potential predators away. At first, scientists suspected birds were simply startled by the loud. . . Read More

Birds do it. Mammals do it. Even caterpillars do it. Whistling is widespread in the animal kingdom. Animals use various means to produce whistles and use their whistles for many different purposes, from warning of predators to calling to a friend. In my latest piece for National. . . Read More

Researchers report that the kea, a particularly playful parrot from New Zealand, has a specific call that puts other kea in a playful mood. In effect, the call acts much like human laughter, spreading positive feelings to those who hear it. Read the whole story at National. . . Read More

After five years of extensive exploration, scientists from India have discovered seven new frog species belonging to the genus Nyctibatrachus, commonly known as night frogs. The frogs were found in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India. Four of the new species are among. . . Read More