Scott Travers

Scott Travers

Contributor|Science

I am an American evolutionary biologist, based at Rutgers University, where I specialize in biodiversity, evolution, and genomics. Drop me a note, here. Thanks for your readership and support.

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67 views13 hours ago

A Biologist Reveals The 10 Most Common Dog Names (Hint: #1 Is The Spanish Word For Moon)

Naming a pet is a venerated family tradition. In case you’re looking for inspiration, here’s a list of the most popular dog names in 2025, according to data from Trusted Housesitters.

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12 views18 hours ago

Meet 5 ‘Furtive’ Predators That Make Their Homes In Caves. Hint: One Is An Extinct Lion Species

Caves can be thought of as nature’s original prefabricated homes. Here are five animal species that choose to live in them.

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151 viewsOct 3, 2025

A Biologist Reveals The 3 Most Popular Dog Breeds In The United States — And The 3 Least Popular

The American Kennel Club tracks stats on which breeds of dogs are being registered into its database. Here are the latest numbers on the most, and least, popular dog breeds.

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102 viewsOct 2, 2025

A Biologist Calls Out The 10 Most ‘Ridiculous’ Animal Names (Hint: #1 Is A Spider Called The Sparkle Muffin)

Scientists estimate there are over 8 million animal species on Earth. Over a million of these species have been named. Here’s a shortlist of the names that range from oxymoronic to head-scratching to downright weird.

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188,865 viewsSep 28, 2025

Meet The 19th Century Bird That Landed In Europe With An African Spear In Its Neck — Solving The ‘Mystery Of Migration’

Migratory birds embody some of the most intricate evolutionary adaptations in the animal kingdom, without which their journeys would be impossible. Here’s how the Pfeilstorch taught us this.

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114 viewsSep 27, 2025

A Biologist Spotlights The World’s Deadliest Sea Creature (Hint: It Has 24 Eyes)

The deadliest sea creature doesn’t have rows of teeth or crushing jaws. It’s a near-invisible ghost, with a glassy body and whisper-thin tentacles.

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92 viewsSep 27, 2025

A Biologist Reveals 4 ‘Lion’ Species You Never Knew Existed. Hint: One Went Extinct 46,000 Years Ago, The Others Live On

The name “lion” doesn’t only apply to the king of the jungle. Perhaps in a nod of deference, there are many animals that share the king’s namesake. Here are four.

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204 viewsSep 25, 2025

A Biologist Reveals The Forgotten ‘Superfood’ Of The Roman Empire

The Roman empire was one of the most powerful civilizations to ever exist. Here’s one of the foods that gave them their edge.

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199 viewsSep 22, 2025

A Biologist Ranks The 5 Biggest Animals To Have Ever Roamed The Earth (Hint: One Exists To This Day, The Rest Are Extinct)

Life on Earth started out microscopically small, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Here are five of the biggest creatures to have ever called planet Earth home.

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245 viewsSep 21, 2025

Thought Extinct For 30 Years, The Tiny ‘Mouse Deer’ With Silver Flanks Is Now A Viral Wildlife Star

The silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor), also called the mouse deer or cheo cheo by the locals, was spotted in southern Vietnam after nearly three decades, instantly taking over hearts on the internet.