Call of the wild

Keepers at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia have noticed a fashion trend spreading among groups of chimpanzees living there – sticking strands of grass in their ears or rectums, and just le

We might think of eavesdropping as a uniquely human trait, but it isn’t. In fact, eavesdropping is an important survival technique for many species. By listening in on what other species are communica

THIS MONTH Barn owls

Absurd little birds across the world lay their eggs in the nests of other species, leaving the hapless parents to raise a changeling at the expense of their own offspring. The majority are cuckoos – o

Movie posters for the classic 1979 horror film Alien warned us: “In space no one can hear you scream.” And while it’s true that sound can’t travel through a vacuum, it doesn’t follow that the Universe

Nadia Shaikh seeks good company for a search-and-gorge to get her through the ruthless darkness of the winter months