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The article discusses demographic studies regarding trends in sex ratio at birth in various populations. Topics include the social science model which correlates sex ratio to sex preference and sex-selective abortions in populations, the adaptive sex ratio adjustment hypothesis introduced by biologist Robert Trivers and mathematician Dan Willard in 1973 suggesting that a mother's health affects sex ratio, and integrated evolutionary social demography introduced by demographer Shige Song. INSET: The Great Chinese Famine.

The article reports research by evolutionary biologist Sharlene Santana finding a link between the social patterns of monkey species and the evolutionary complexity of their facial characteristics. It discusses how range of expression, facial coloring, and social group size of primate species may be influence the social structures of different species including the Bald-Headed Uakari, the Emperor Tamarin, and the White-Bellied Spider Monkey.

The article discusses studies conducted by paleozoologist Cajus Diedrich and biologist Jelle Atema on the bone discovered by Slovenian archaeologist Ivan Turk in 1995 in Divje Babe Archaeological Park in Slovenia to decide whether it is a flute or a bone scavenged by ancient hyenas.

The article discusses that added sugars are more to blame for high blood pressure and heart disease than salt.

The article discusses the scientific research on peptide levels in the skin of Russian brown frogs by chemist A. T. Lebedev.

The article discusses a study by biologist Jessica Yorzinski of Indian blue peacocks in the Keoladeo National Park in India and their courtship calls which are called a hoot-dash in which males emit a single hoot before dashing towards females to mount them for mating.

The article discusses studies by Glen MacDonald, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), regarding the causes leading to the extinction of the woolly mammoth. His results include human consumption of woolly mammoths, the transition from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a prior frigid period, to the current warm Holocene Epoch period, and natural forces or disease.

The article discusses the research of biologist Jianping Xu of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, on the potential lethal aspects of the barium content in the wild edible mushroom Trogia venenata, native to the Yunnan province in China. Topics include investigations into sudden unexplained deaths (SUDs) in Yunnan, the role of fungi exports in Yunnan's economy, and Jianping's conclusion that there are not lethal levels of barium in the mushroom Trogia venenata.

The author reflects on the illegal trade of rhinoceros (rhino) horns and suggests by legalizing trade in rhino horns, the species could be preserved. She states that rhino horns are banned from sale by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. She mentions rhino horns are made out of keratin, like human fingernails, and can be cut or shaved from rhinos without harming the animals. She comments on the poaching of rhinos and the dangers of policing poachers.

The article discusses a disease causing seizures and head-nodding that is affecting children in Uganda, with a focus on research conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine the possible causes.

The article discusses the founding of the country Madagascar as of October 2012, focusing on computational biologist Murray Cox's research into the origins of the country, including genetic and linguistic evidence that suggests that women refugees may have settled the island around A.D. 830.

The article discusses a symposium on the future of zoos held in Buffalo, New York in the winter of 2012, including topics such as clones of extinct species, bioengineered animals that are adapted to captivity, and cyborg animals for petting zoos.

An article describing the discovery of the smallest known vertebrate, a frog from the jungles of Papua New Guinea called Paedrophyne amauensis, is presented including details of its anatomy, habitat, and hunting behavior.

The article discusses the discovery of the stomach in the frozen, mummified body known as Ötzi the Iceman by radiologist Paul Gostner which revealed his last meal to be goat meat and grains.