Dishing the dirt on an early man cave

Fossil animal droppings, charcoal from ancient fires and bone fragments litter the ground of one of the world's most important human evolution sites, new research reveals. A team of scientists have used modern geoarchaeological techniques to unearth new details of day-to-day life in the famous Denisova Cave complex in Siberia's Altai Mountains.

Read more

The problem with promoting 'responsible dog ownership'

Dog welfare campaigns that tell people to be 'responsible owners' don't help to promote behaviour change, a new report suggests. Dog owners interviewed for a study all considered themselves to be responsible owners, despite there being great variation in key aspects of their dog-owning behavior.

Read more

Cats are securely bonded to their people, too

Cats have a reputation for being aloof and independent. But a study of the way domestic cats respond to their caregivers suggests that their socio-cognitive abilities and the depth of their human attachments have been underestimated. The findings show that, much like children and dogs, pet cats form secure and insecure bonds with their human caretakers.

Read more

Shark pups lose gains in stressed environments

Scientists compared the growth and body condition of one species of shark in two different environments. They found larger shark pups on degraded reefs grow less and perform worse than smaller pups on pristine reefs. Human-induced stressors, including climate change, put shark populations at risk — they may not be able to adapt fast enough to keep pace with the changes that are happening in their environment.

Read more