New whale species
A new species of beaked whale has been found in the Pacific. Known to Japanese whalers as karasu or ravens, the small, black whale has been confirmed as previously unknown to science. Beaked whales can reach 12 metres but are difficult to study because they rarely breach (Marine Mammal Science, ).
Crows鈥� clever tools
New Caledonian crows are the first non-human animals spotted using tools to carry objects. Two captive individuals were filmed slipping a stick into a metal nut and a hole in a large wooden ball, carrying away both the tool and the object (Animal Cognition, ). One possible use could be to transport unwieldy food items.
Go for launch
Virgin Galactic, the space tourism firm, is set to resume tests of its SpaceShipTwo spaceplane after receiving a launch licence from the US Federal Aviation Administration. Flights have been on hold since a crash in October 2014 killed one of the spaceplane鈥檚 pilots. The new licence doesn鈥檛 allow the firm to fly paying customers.
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Know what you eat
Consumers in the US will soon have a better idea of what鈥檚 in their food. On 29 July, US president Barack Obama signed a bill requiring companies to disclose which foods contain genetically modified ingredients. Exactly what counts as GM, though, is still to be decided.
Oh that鈥檚 why
The origins of the female orgasm may have been revealed. Examining the mammal family tree, researchers have suggested it evolved to induce ovulation via a hormonal surge (Journal of Experimental Zoology, ). Similar chemical surges still prompt eggs to be released in cats and rabbits.
