Among marine organisms, jellyfish are certainly not our species’ favorites. Seeing them nearby while swimming triggers a sudden but justified sense of revulsion, given the stinging cells they possess, which are often truly dangerous even to humans. However, if we could for a moment ignore the unpleasant consequences of encountering […]
N. Emilio Baldaccini
12 posts
It is generally known that all fish live and move with the cranial-caudal axis kept in a horizontal position, but there is an exception: seahorses, which live in a vertical position. Their adaptation process must have been long and complex, involving the loss of the caudal and ventral fins, scales, […]
I have never met a wolf in the wild; I have sensed their presence from the tracks left in the snow or from the droppings scattered throughout the areas where they live, and today from the images captured by photo traps. However, I have often been able to admire them […]
Last month, we explored whether birds have a keen sense of smell (https://www.earthgardeners.it/en/2025/01/30/do-birds-have-good-noses/), and contrary to popular belief, we concluded they do. The racing pigeon, a domestic breed refined over centuries for its strong attachment to its home, provides a fascinating example. When transported far from its dovecote and released, […]
Many generations of zoologists, like mine, have been educated on texts of Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates that reported reduced olfactory abilities for birds. They were considered microsmatic, a species in which the sense of smell had a small role in their behaviour, including searching for food. But that is not […]