Cuttlefish

From color-changing skin to jet-propelled motion, squid and cuttlefish have long fascinated scientists. To understand the origins of their unique characteristics, many attempts have been made to define their evolutionary history. However, the limited fossil record and incomplete genomic information have made it impossible to confidently order the evolution of these enigmatic creatures, until now.

Most seals give birth to a pup around the same time each year, and wean them and send them on their way within 12 months in an annual cycle.

Many organisms leverage showy colors for attracting mates. Because color is a property of light (determined by its wavelength), it is easy for humans to see how these colors are used in animal courting rituals. Less obvious to humans is the polarization of light—a property of light related to the direction the wave is oriented in. Humans can't perceive polarization, which may be why we weren't aware of the interesting way cuttlefish use it to attract mates.

Perth's two dolphin groups in the Swan-Canning Rivers and further south in Cockburn Sound have been studied for more than a decade by Murdoch University researcher Dr. Delphine Chabanne, who is a passionate champion of the marine mammals' welfare.

Stanford researchers have developed a flexible material that can quickly change its surface texture and colors, offering potential applications in camouflage, art, robotics, and even nanoscale bioengineering.