Human bones unearthed from a German cave have altered the timeline of ancient human history

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Ancient human bone fragment against a black background with 1 cm ruler for scale
Researchers extracted ancient human bone fragments from the Ilsenhöhle cave in Ranis, Germany.

Tim Schüler / TLDA

Ancient human DNA suggests Columbus may not have brought syphilis to Europe after all

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a picture shows ancient bones in situ in gravelly soil. The skeleton's shins are folded back against the person's chest.
Ancient remains dating back around 2,000 years suggest a cousin of syphilis spread around South America then, but not the sexually transmitted kind.

Dr. Jose Filippini

A shark regenerated an entire hole in its fin in under a year and scientists got the amazing transformation on camera

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A live shark's fin with a giant hole in it.
Rather than a tracking tag telling scientists where this shark traveled, its violent removal let them observe an unexpected regeneration process.

Josh Schellenberg, CC BY-ND

Why you shouldn't be scared of spiders, according to a biology professor

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A photo montage shows a close up of a spider next to a picture of biologist Sara Goodacre. Goodacre is shown wearing white protective gear in a laboratory, looking up at scientific equipment.
Biologist Sara Goodacre, seen in this photo montage, studies spider silk for use in medicine and engineering.

Scientists thought this tiny, blind mole was extinct for over 85 years, but they were wrong

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An up close photo of De Winton's golden mole on sandy substrate and leaves.

Nix Souness*

Scientists discovered a new way these bats with shockingly large penises mate, and it's unlike anything ever observed in mammals

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An up close photo of the shoulders up of a serotine bat.
The serotine bat is found all over Europe.

Alona Shulenko

Parasitic worms highjack their hosts' free will, and scientists finally think they know how

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A worm, Chordodes fukuii, and a mantid, Tenodera angustipennis, pose with a leaf for scale.
In a fight between this measly worm and majestic mantis, who do you think would win? You might be surprised.

Takuya Sato

Orcas sunk another boat and sailors are resorting to some very weird and wild ways to save their yachts

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The fin and head of a killer whale surface on the foreground between two small boats with forested mountains behind them.
An orca slightly breaches the water between two boats in Alaska.

Joel Rogers/Getty images

Scientists finally solved the centuries-long mystery of where a starfish's head is

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A person holding a five-pointed starfish.
Genetics suggests sea stars have a head in each limb. Does that mean they have multiple brains, too?

Stefan Cristian Cioata / Getty Images

I dedicated my life to biology until I went on 'Naked and Afraid' and realized I could make a bigger difference doing TV instead

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Forrest Galante holding a Fernandina Giant Tortoise
This female Fernandina Giant Tortoise is nicknamed Fern.

Forrest Galante

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