The New York Times - Science

1. When an Eel Takes a Bite Then an Octopus Might Claim an Eyeball

   Videos filmed by divers show that choking, blinding and sacrificing limbs are all in the cephalopods’ repertoire.

2. Scientists Calculated the Energy Needed to Carry a Baby. Shocker: It’s a Lot.

   In humans, the energetic cost of pregnancy is about 50,000 dietary calories — far higher than previously believed, a new study found.

3. The Itsy Bitsy Spider Inspired a Microphone

   If spiders use their webs like a large external eardrum, researchers reasoned, perhaps spider silk could be the basis for a powerful listening device.

4. Why Do People Make Music?

   In a new study, researchers found universal features of songs across many cultures, suggesting that music evolved in our distant ancestors.

5. Baobab Trees Had a Strange Evolutionary Journey

   New research shows the “upside-down trees” originated in Madagascar and then caught a ride on ocean currents to reach mainland Africa and Australia.

6. Fossil Catches Starfish Cousin in the Act of Cloning Itself

   The brittle star specimen suggests that the sea creatures have been splitting themselves in two to reproduce for more than 150 million years.

7. Alarmed by Climate Change, Astronomers Train Their Sights on Earth

   A growing number of researchers in the field are using their expertise to fight the climate crisis.

8. Can Parrots Converse? Polly Says That’s the Wrong Question.

   In a cautious new paper, scientists tried to determine whether an interactive speech board might enrich the life of a parrot named Ellie.

9. A New Evolutionary Tree of Flowers? For Spring? Groundbreaking.

   By sequencing an enormous amount of data, a group of hundreds of researchers has gained new insights into how flowers evolved on Earth.

10. New Star Wars Plan: Pentagon Rushes to Counter Threats in Orbit

    Citing rapid advances by China and Russia, the United States is building an extensive capacity to fight battles in space.