Nature, the weekly peer-reviewed research journal, just made the cutest year-in-review video ever — an overview of the animals (OK, including some inarguably cute robots and questionably cute spiders) at the center of big science stories this year:
Very important science stories of 2014. And cute animals. In one video
Libby Nelson was Vox’s editorial director, politics and policy, leading coverage of how government action and inaction shape American life. Libby has more than a decade of policy journalism experience, including at Inside Higher Ed and Politico. She joined Vox in 2014.
You really need to listen to the voiceover to get the full effect, but if you can’t put on headphones or just want to zone out while staring at frolicking creatures, here are the scientific breakthroughs the video is referencing:
00:10 — Marmosets watching a how-to video of other marmosets getting a treat out of a box, and learning to do it themselves
00:32 — Czech researchers learned that dogs line up with the Earth’s magnetic field when they pee
00:56 — The rarely seen Dumbo Octopus in an unusual pose.
1:19 — New species discovered — 14 in all — of dancing frogs.
1:42 — Anole lizards are spreading by boat, affecting biodiversity.
2:11 — Tiny robots that swarm based on biological principles.
2:39 — Five new species of toupée monkeys were identified this year.
3:09 — This photo of the eyes of a jumping spider won third place in the Nikon “Small World” prize.
3:35 — A robot dressed up as a baby penguin to avoid spooking the penguins it observed.
4:06 — Why do koalas hug trees? To keep cool.
If you want a more sweeping year in review, here’s one from Vox’s video team:
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