News
Otters, Especially Females, Use Tools To Survive a Changing World
A new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools — most of whom are female — are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.
![A sea otter feeds on a marine animal](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/otter_thumb.png)
Red Flags: I’m Not the Bug for You!
The matador bug’s vibrant red hind-leg flags are neither a mating display nor a distraction tactic, they’re part of an elaborate defense strategy.
![A black and yellow bug with red flaps on its hind legs sits on a green leaf](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/matador_bug_by_ana_endara_1200x800.jpg)
Wildflower Center
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Launches Live Owl Nest Cam
A much-loved great horned owl named ‘Athena’ is viewable at The University of Texas at Austin center and field station.
![A great horned owl perches on a tree branch.](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/athena-in-tree-2020-3-2.jpg)
Why the Powerhouses of Cells Evolve Differently in Plants
New research solves a mystery as to why mitochondria in some plants evolve faster than others.
![A pink flower with green stem against a tan background](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/havirdthumb.png)