Fur

Wearing animal fur has long been a way for humans to keep warm in the winter. But nowadays, when there are so many alternatives at our fingertips and discussions about animal welfare are starting to enter the mainstream, the need for fur might have become outdated. But what about vintage and secondhand fur? Should that be seen the same way as a brand new mink coat? According to artist Alexandra Yvette, the two are not the same. Below, you’ll find a TikTok that Alexandra recently shared detailing how she was denied entry…

If you or someone you know is looking for a gift to spoil the cuddliest creatures on the planet — our pets — there are several strong contenders that are worth checking out. From smart cameras that provide 24/7 surveillance on your mischievous pup to interactive toys, self-rolling balls and water fountains for cats, here are five tech pet gifts that will hopefully make pet owners’ lives easier and their pets’ lives more entertaining. Price: $149 It can be hard to leave your pet alone at home, especially when they…

For thousands of years, the Salish woolly dog resided on B.C.'s southwest coast, providing their owners with companionship — and hair. Now, blankets woven from the fur of this extinct dog are on display at the Museum of North Vancouver until early July.The woolly dogs were a part of Coast Salish culture that was erased during colonization, says the museum's Indigenous cultural programmer Senaqwila Wyss. "It's time to share their story now, as it's been pretty silenced for so long," said Wyss, who is from the Squamish…

The fur of Costa Rican sloths appears to harbor antibiotic-producing bacteria that scientists hope may hold a solution to the growing problem of "superbugs" resistant to humanity's dwindling arsenal of drugs.​Sloth fur, research has found, hosts bustling communities of insects, algae, fungi and bacteria, among other microbes, some of which could pose disease risk.Yet, experts say, the famously slow-moving mammals appear to be surprisingly infection-proof."If you look at the sloth's fur, you see movement: you see moths,…

Bundling up in a puffy Canada Goose jacket isn’t just a fashion statement; the coats are filled with goose down that helps trap and retain body heat when temperatures plummet. But engineers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have drawn inspiration from another animal that calls Canada home, and have now created a new insulating fabric that copies how polar bears are able to survive extreme colds.Rare Polar Bear Attack in Canada | Extreme EarthDifferentiating a polar bear from a grizzly bear is easy thanks to…

Frequently, when looking for answers to human problems, scientists turn to animals who have already evolved their own solutions. So when it came time to develop a heat-trapping fabric, a team of researchers looked to polar bears, whose outer layers allow them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 °F (-46 °C). The secret, they found, has to do with a relationship between the polar bears' unique fur and the black skin that lies beneath it.Animals are constantly inspiring humans to try to imitate some of their qualities,…

Image: Images: Shutterstock Graphics: Vicky LetaResearchers at Polar Bears International, York University, and 3M are winners of the 2023 Gizmodo Science Fair for developing a burr-like tracking device that sticks to polar bears’ fur.The QuestionIs there a better way to track polar bears in the Arctic, that avoids the problems with collars and ear tags?The ResultsA team of researchers from Polar Bears International, 3M, York University, and participating zoos worked to create a polar bear tracking device that could be…

PETA is gifting Rihanna a faux fur coat after the pop star was seen wearing a full-length authentic fur coat while grabbing dinner this week.TMZ reports the animal rights organization reached out to Rihanna to urge her to steer away from wearing real fur coats.In a letter obtained by TMZ, PETA’s senior vice president told Rihanna: “As a mother, you know what it’s like to feel protective and to want to make sure no harm comes to your family. Please understand that this desire – this instinct even – is shared by the minks,…

A black bodysuit and over it a long cheetah-print fur coat, that’s how the 59 years old Days of Our Lives star Lisa Rinna stunned the audiences at the Copenhagen catwalk this week. The model walked the ramp in a Rotate Birger Christensen dress. Rinna styled the look, by gelling her hair vertically from top and horizontally from the back of her head. Lisa wore bleached eyebrows with minimal makeup. For the dressing on the plate, she wore thick golden earrings which were hanging just above her neck with a black leather…

The fur gene is still present in humans, according to a new study published in eLife. The new research claims that the hairlessness of certain mammals evolved at least nine different times along different branches of the mammalian family tree. It might seem like the gene has ceased to exist in humans, since we no longer have fur, but the research claims the gene has simply been sleeping. This re-emergence of traits across unrelated lineages is what scientists call convergent evolution. In this case, it evolved…