This could have happened in the human past, too: Among chacma baboons, the alpha male appears to intentionally loan out females to subordinate males in order to solidify his support. It might cost him a “cop” or two, but when the babies are attacked, those subordinate males help to protect them. In baboons, it’s common [...]
It’s true for horses, too: Hanging with your homegirls is healthier than bonding with the parents. It’s interesting that a cluster of these studies are coming out just as human girls (and boys) are heading off to college, where many of them will forget that their parents exist unless they run out of money. But [...]
As if there’s ever good news for the unbeautiful. Humans, like barn swallows, care deeply about the symmetry of other humans. Snip the tip off one of a male swallow’s twin tails, and the girls will all turn up their beaks at him. Same with humans. Looking at unlovely babies. Yep, if you’re born with [...]
When times are tough, ditch your kid. It’s an ancient animal tradition, practiced by stressed-out birds, starving rabbits, and that complex ape we call Homo sapiens. Perhaps it should be no surprise that when the human animal’s environment undergoes a terrible drought of money, this animal will also feel an urge to eliminate a hungry [...]
The ever-popular subject of infanticide has reared its little head. Vasectomies and abortions have both become more popular, says Reuters. The news agency did a nice piece of reporting, turning up a 50% increase in vasectomies in the practice of a major urologist, and a similar increase in women seeking financial help from a New York [...]
