New York City's Rats Are Carrying Viruses No One's Seen Before

Everyone who's ever used a New York City subway knows that they're teeming with rats, and that said rats are, almost by definition, disgusting. But no one had quantified just how disgusting they are ... until now.

A team of scientists at Columbia University trapped 133 Norway rats — Rattus norvegicus — from five sites in midtown and lower Manhattan, and used DNA sequencing to catalogue the pathogens they carry.


To read more on this story, click here: New York City's Rats Are Carrying Viruses No One's Seen Before

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Top Ten Tips for Handling Pet Poisonings and Ingestions

You are careful about keeping potential poisons out of your pet’s reach — of course you are! You have them closed up tight in A cabinet, high on a shelf, or zippered up tight in a handbag. Still, accidents can and do happen. In the event that your pet does ingest something harmful, time is of the essence. Knowing what to do can mean the difference between life and death.


To read more on this story, click here: Top Ten Tips for Handling Pet Poisonings and Ingestions

Please put this number for Pet Poison Helpline in your phone. 
(855) 213-6680.

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Passing Biker Waves at a Dog On a Bike, Dog Waves Back

When you’re a biker, you live to ride. The world whizzes by at lightening speed as the wind hits your face. You make your way on the road less traveled, stopping only for sleep…and head scratches. Also, to mark the occasional bush.

We’re gonna go on record right now and say that Sweets the English Bulldog is about the coolest biker out there. Not only is she rocking those completely badass shades as she helps her guardian keep the dirty side down, she’s got incredible road etiquette! Watch how she acknowledges other bikers with a super sweet wave!

To meet Sweets, and see her waving, click here: Passing Biker Waves at a Dog On a Bike, Dog Waves Back

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Goliath Encounter: Puppy-Sized Spider Surprises Scientist in Rainforest

Piotr Naskrecki was taking a nighttime walk in a rainforest in Guyana, when he heard rustling as if something were creeping underfoot. When he turned on his flashlight, he expected to see a small mammal, such as a possum or a rat.

"When I turned on the light, I couldn't quite understand what I was seeing," said Naskrecki, an entomologist and photographer at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology.

To read more on this story, click here: Goliath Encounter: Puppy-Sized Spider Surprises Scientist in Rainforest

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