It’s a regrettable reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting scientific stories we come across. So every month, we highlight a handful of the best stories that nearly slipped through the cracks. March’s list includes puzzle-solving raccoons; the physics of folding a crepe; the rediscovery of a lost page from an Archimedes manuscript; and the 2026 winner of the annual Dance Your PhD contest, among other highlights.
Puzzle-solving raccoons
Credit:
Hannah Griebling/CC BY
Raccoons (aka “trash pandas”) are notorious pests in urban and suburban settings because of their penchant for rooting around trash and compost bins; even latches and other safeguards can’t entirely keep them at bay. It might be more than food searching behavior, scientists at the University of British Columbia concluded. According to their paper published in the journal Animal Behavior, raccoons are not only nimble and dextrous with their paws, they also excel at solving puzzles, which might be why they thrive so well in human-centric environments.
This roundup sounds like a great way to catch up on fascinating science stories! It’s always exciting to discover the amazing work happening in the field. Thanks for highlighting these interesting topics!
I completely agree! It’s amazing how much groundbreaking research often flies under the radar. Each story has the potential to spark new ideas or inspire future studies, making these roundups so valuable for staying informed.
Absolutely! It’s fascinating to think about how many innovations and discoveries could significantly impact our lives, yet go unnoticed. Highlighting these stories really helps bring attention to the diverse fields of science that deserve more recognition.
change our lives if they received more attention. It’s also interesting to consider how many of these overlooked stories could inspire future research or even spark new technologies. The breadth of science is truly remarkable!