Jars of tiny platypus and echidna specimens, collected in the late 1800s by the scientist William Caldwell, have been discovered in the stores of Cambridge's University Museum of Zoology. This unique ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. This ...

The platypus is one of the most unique animals in the world. It’s a mammal, but it lays eggs. It has webbed feet, a beaver-like tail, and an otter-like snout and bill that helps it locate food ...

Most humans probably think very little of the platypus — if at all. But this strange Australian mammal, with its webbed feet and beaver-like tail, is actually a treasure trove of genetic information.

Platypuses are weird looking. They look like someone stitched together a duck and a beaver—flat bill, webbed feet, and a broad tail. But their appearance isn’t even the strangest thing about them. Not ...

When British zoologist George Shaw first encountered a platypus specimen in 1799, he was so befuddled that he checked for stitches, thinking someone might be trying to trick him with a Frankencreature ...

It’s a semi-aquatic exotic with some remarkable traits! This week, we’re exploring the strange but true story of the platypus. * Platypuses use “electrolocation” while feeding, sending out impulses ...

Did you know that platypuses were thought to be a hoax when they were first discovered? People thought they were being tricked by a specimen that was two animals sewn together. This demonstrates just ...

For six years the earnest curators of New York’s Bronx Zoo have busied themselves with the delicate problem of platypus family life. Platypus reproduction is a baffling business, for platypuses are ...