"Robo-Fish" Flap Plastic Fins Video -- National Geographic

"Robo-Fish" Flap Plastic Fins Video March 17, 2008—Electricity stimulates artificial "muscle" in new robotic fish. "When you excite them with electricity they change size...they look alive, " says one scientist.Welcome to the National Geographic video player.Video Sections

Daily News Video - See the latest videos or breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

Animal News - See the latest videos of breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.
- "Last" Tortoise Fails to Reproduce - December 8, 2008—Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise of his kind, has failed to reproduce. Eggs laid by companion females were not fertilized.
- "Reindeer" at Risk? - December 9, 2008—Caribou, considered the reindeer of Canada, face an uncertain future. Conservationists say climate warming and industrial expansion are putting the species at risk.
- "Blindfolded" Dolphins Studied - December 16, 2008—To find ways to prevent dolphins from getting entangled in nets, researchers cover the animals' eyes to see if dolphins will use passive listening to locate objects.
- "Cruel" Seal Fur to Be Banned? - July 24, 2008—The European Union proposes banning products from seals killed in a "cruel" way. The move targets Canada, where harp seals are killed with rifles, spiked clubs, and other weapons. Warning: video contains graphic imagery.
- "Jurassic" Stick Insect Returns - December 19, 2008—An "extinct," dinosaur-era Australian stick insect was discovered on a remote island and is being reintroduced to one of its native habitats.
- "Monkey Island" Made by Scientists - September 24, 2008—Scientists have populated a small island near Puerto Rico with a thousand rhesus monkeys, creating a vast and unusual outdoor lab.
- "Obama" Bullfighting Banned - December 15, 2008—A Kenyan judge has banned a bullfighting competition that was to be among festivities honoring Barack Obama's U.S. presidential win.
- "Robo-Fish" Flap Plastic Fins - March 17, 2008—Electricity stimulates artificial "muscle" in new robotic fish. "When you excite them with electricity they change size...they look alive, " says one scientist.
- "Star" Tiger Cub Debuts - August 6, 2008—Named for the star Antares, a rare Siberian tiger cub made his debut at a Berlin zoo. Siberians are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
- "Ugliest Dolphin" Finally Filmed - August 4, 2008—Identified as a new species only in 2005, the bulbous-headed snub fin dolphin—called the world's ugliest—had never been filmed until now, according to an Australian TV production.
- "Unicorn" Roams Italy Park - June 12, 2008—A deer nicknamed "Unicorn" that has a single antler in the center of its head is drawing attention to a Tuscan nature reserve.
- "Vick" Dogs in Rehab - January 28, 2008 —Some of the dogs confiscated during a police raid on property owned by NFL quarterback Michael Vick have been placed in a new home in Utah, where they are undergoing rehabilitation.
- "Viking Horse" Has 2 More Gaits - December 19, 2008—Brought to the island by Vikings, the Icelandic horse two gaits (besides walk, trot, and gallop) that no other horse does.
- "Water Monster" Nearly Extinct? - November 3, 2008—The Mexican "water monster" salamander has a slimy tail, plumage-like gills, and an odd "smile." The salamander may also have a date with oblivion, conservationists warn.
- 'Annoying' Bird Mimics Sirens - July 14, 2008—Having mastered some of the world's most grating sounds—sirens, cell phone ringtones—a blackbird is irritating Britons with its powers of mimicry.
- 'Giant Fish' Faces Big Trouble in China - September 11, 2007—Join biologist Zeb Hogan of the National Geographic Society's Megafishes Project as he explores the threats facing the giant Chinese sturgeon and the efforts underway to save it.
- 'Mutant' Mosquitoes Created - June 20, 2008— U.K. scientists are genetically modifying mosquitoes to be resistant to malaria, which kills millions annually. But some experts fear these supermosquitoes would upset the ecosystem.
- 'Obama' Bullfighting Decried - December 12, 2008—Kenya's 'Obama Circuit'--a bull-versus-bull competition coinciding with celebrations Saturday over Obama's U.S. presidential election--has come under fire from animal rights activists.
- 'Shark Island' Swarms With Jaws - October 24, 2008— Costa Rica's Cocos Island National Park, nicknamed 'Shark Island,' has what might be the highest concentration of sharks anywhere. But even here, sharks are vulnerable.
- 125,000 Gorillas "Found" - August 5, 2008—A new census conducted in the Republic of the Congo suggests that there are about twice as many western lowland gorillas in the world than previously thought.
- 51 Tons of Tusks Sold - November 6, 2008—South Africa on Thursday auctioned more than 50 metric tons of ivory as part of a one-time series of sales approved by a UN body. Critics say the sales could encourage poaching.
- A Bear Walks Into a Restaurant... - October 3, 2008—A bear wandered into a Subway sandwich shop in Canada, startling an employee, and sampling some food before letting itself out.
- Abused Elephants Saved - March 26, 2008—A nature park in Thailand is dedicated to saving troubled elephants from abusive situations.
- African Sea Turtles Tagged - September 19, 2008—In Kenya researchers are using satellite technology to track the rare green turtle's migratory patterns in an attempt to save the species.
- Alaska Brown Bear Trapped - October 9, 2008—National Geographic researchers trap an Alaskan brown bear for research, and the bear is not at all happy.
- Alaskans Choose Mine Over Fish - August 27, 2008—Alaskans voted down protections that would have stopped the huge proposed Pebble Creek mine, which may boost the area economy but could harm economically important fisheries.
- Albatross Fall for Fish Bait - December 19, 2007—The magnificent, poet-inspiring sea bird is under serious threat, and fishhooks are a key problem. Conservationists say 17 of the 24 albatross species face extinction.
- Amateur Bullfighters Injured - January 22, 2008—An annual bullfighting festival in Colombia brings daredevils from the stands, right into the bullring.
- Amazon Dolphins - November 28, 2007—South American river dolphins are doing pretty well compared to some river dolphins in Asia. But boat traffic, fishing, and logging are still a threat.
- Ancient Cat in Today's Egypt - December 6, 2007—Egyptian Maus may descend from the first domesticated cats in the world. One woman is working to help save them.
- Ancient Croc Unveiled - February 1, 2008—An 80-million-year-old fossil found in Brazil could be a "missing link" between prehistoric and modern-day crocodiles, experts say.
- Animal Dung Fuels Gas Stoves - October 10, 2008—In Ethiopia, farmers are being taught how to use livestock dung as a renewable energy source to create gas for cooking.
- Animal-to-Human Disease Watch - December 12, 2008—In remote corners, a research team is monitoring contact between humans and wild animals—particularly wild animal meat—in hopes of stopping pandemics before they start.
- Animals Unwrap Xmas Gifts - December 23, 2008—Some of the inhabitants of the Sydney zoo were as eager to unwrap their presents as their human counterparts.
- Annual Donkey Race in Italy - April 1, 2008—In the small hilltop town of Torrita di Siena, they race a horse of a different color.
- Antarctic Survey's Stunning Species - December 2, 2008—Scientists have discovered that islands near Antarctica's main peninsula harbor more species than even the Galápagos Islands, the experts claim.
- Anti-Whaling Activists Released - January 18, 2008—Two anti-whaling activists were returned to their ship in Antarctic waters Friday after a tense standoff with Japanese whalers.
- Apes Return to Thai Island - January 6, 2009—Gibbons, apes known for their speed and distinctive singing, were wiped out through poaching by the 1980s on Thailand's popular Phuket island. Now they're making a comeback.
- Arctic Ice in "Death Spiral" - September 17, 2008—NASA animations show dramatic Arctic ice melt again in 2008, which saw the second smallest Arctic sea ice cover on record, scientists announced this week.
- Aussie Platypuses Suffer Illness - July 1, 2008—Australian scientists are conducting field studies to track a fungal infection that has been killing Tasmanian platypuses for more than 25 years.
- Aussie Vet Saves "Hooked" Shark - July 17, 2008—An Australian veterinarian recently risked injury to save an endangered grey nurse shark by sticking his arm down the shark's throat and dislodging a steel hook.
- Australia Sharks in Danger - May 22, 2008—Sharks and other creatures in the Coral Sea are vulnerable to human activities and could be wiped out if the area isn't protected, conservationists warn.
- Baby Penguins Washing Up in Brazil - August 5, 2008—Hundreds of dead baby Magellanic penguins are washing ashore on Brazilian beaches, puzzling scientists.
- Baby Polar Bear Makes Debut - April 9, 2008—An eager public got its first glimpse of Flocke, the four-month-old polar bear that was rejected by her mother in January in Germany's Nürnberg Zoo.
- Baby Sales Among Threats to Monkey - October 31, 2008— Already threatened by deforestation, rare Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkeys face doom as their babies are sold for a few dollars and their genital hair is taken as a trophy.
- Baby Whale Sees Boat as Mother? - August 18, 2008—An apparently injured humpback whale calf in waters near Sydney, Australia, is behaving with a yacht in ways the whale would normally behave with its mother.
- Baby Whale to Be Euthanized - August 21, 2008—A starving humpback whale calf—apparently orphaned and trying to suckle yachts near Sydney, Australia, for the past several days—will likely be euthanized, according to scientists.
- Balding Penguin Gets Wetsuit - April 25, 2008—An aging penguin losing his feathers has shown improvement after being outfitted with a specially designed wetsuit at a California science center.
- Battling Bee-Killing Parasite - October 2, 2008—Australia is one of the only major beekeeping countries free of a parasitic mite that is killing bees throughout the world. The battle is on to prevent an infestation.
- Beached Whales See Happy Ending - November 24, 2008—Volunteers in Australia painstakingly returned 11 beached pilot whales to sea Sunday. By Monday the whales had joined a pod, tracking devices suggest.
- Beagle Wins Westminster - February 13, 2008—For the first time ever, a beagle has won Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show.
- Bear Orphans Released - October 27, 2008—Poaching of female brown bears leaves thousands of cubs orphaned in Russia each year. Now two human-raised orphans have been returned to the wild.
- Bears Rescued From Bile Farms - April 10, 2008—Vietnam opened its first bear rescue center to house animals freed from illegal bile farms. Bile from Asiatic bears purportedly cures illnesses in humans.
- Bee Theft on Rise - March 28, 2008—As honeybees become scarce in the United States and farmers have to hire beekeepers to import bees to their orchards and farms, theft of the beehives is stinging everyone involved.
- Bees Key to Better Missiles? - January 7, 2009—Scientists are studying bees' aggressive behavior and ocular and navigational skills in hopes of improving missile technology.
- Belugas Troubled by Tourism? - July 31, 2008—With a reported repertoire of 32 sounds, belugas are called canaries of the sea. But in Russia some conservationists warn that the white whales may be too enticing for their own good.
- Biggest Chicken Egg Ever? - August 4, 2008—A Cuban family claims their hen has laid the largest chicken egg ever recorded in the world.
- Biggest Trout Fished in Asia - November 13, 2007—Fishing the world's largest trout, Mongolia's taimen, is encouraged—to help save it.
- Boat-Suckling Whale in Danger - August 19, 2008—For the second day an orphaned humpback whale calf is trying to nurse from yachts in an Australian harbor. If the whale doesn't get milk soon, the animal could die.
- Brazil's Largest Dino Revealed - September 25, 2008—A reproduction of the 66-foot (20-meter) long dinosaur, known for its long neck and small brain, will go on display this week at Rio de Janeiro's Science House
- Britain's Shire Horses Threatened - March 24, 2008—The shire horse, an iconic symbol of Britain and once a staple at breweries, is faced with possible extinction. Many now hope to save the breed.
- Buffaloes Replace Trash Trucks - October 14, 2008—A small town in Brazil's Amazon region uses Asian water buffaloes instead of trucks to collect rubbish.
- Canada Seal Hunt to Begin - March 27, 2008—Canada's annual seal hunt begins Friday, as activists protest the government's allowance of more killings this year over last year. Warning: graphic imagery
- Cat Nurses Red Panda - July 11, 2008—A tabby cat that recently gave birth has "adopted" a red panda cub into her litter. The panda, born at Amsterdam's Artis Zoo, was rejected by its mother.
- Chimp Memory Beats Humans' - May 9, 2008—Watch young chimpanzees beat Japanese college students in a short-term-memory test by a wide margin—raising questions about primate intelligence and evolution.
- Chimps Use Tools to Hunt Mammals - February 22, 2007—See newly observed footage of tool-making behavior that further blurs the line between humans and chimpanzees, our closest living relatives.
- China Pandas Evacuated - June 25, 2008—Landslide threats in quake-destabilized Chinese mountains forced the evacuation of giant pandas to temporary shelters.
- China Pandas' Bamboo Dwindling - June 16, 2008—Landslides following the May 12 earthquake have destroyed forests and blocked roads, leaving just a five-month bamboo supply for pandas in a Chengdu breeding center.
- City Elephants Go to Camp - September 16, 2008—A camp for working elephants helps preserve the mahout way of life in Thailand—and helps the beasts get back to nature.
- Colossal Squid Eyes Are Biggest - April 30, 2008—Scientists in New Zealand say that a colossal squid caught near Antarctica last year has the biggest eyes of any known creature
- Colossal Squid Thawing - April 29, 2008—Frozen more than a year after it was caught, the largest squid on record is about to undergo a study before going on public display.
- Croatia's Own "Dog Whisperer" - April 11, 2008—Aggressive horses, scared pigs, and hyperactive dogs are some of the "patients" treated by Ida Brajkovic at Croatia's first center for animal psychiatry.
- Cuba Gets Green Cred - November 14, 2008—Cuba is the only country that meets the criteria for sustainable development from the conservation group WWF. But concern persists for once thriving Caribbean marine turtles.
- Cutting Cows' Gas Emissions - October 24, 2008—Cow's emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas, can be reduced with a more natural diet, farmers are learning. Methane is a powerful contributor to global warming.
- Darwin Voyage to Rio Retraced - December 2, 2008—Stunned by slavery and "the glories of the vegetation of the tropics," Charles Darwin explored Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state in 1832—a voyage now being retraced with the help of one of his great-great-grandsons.
- Deep Sea Robo-Help - November 26, 2008—Scientists searching the depths of the ocean for undiscovered marine life off the coast of Maine get help from a well-equipped robot.
- Desperate Maasai Feed Cows Trash - December 17, 2008—Climate change is threatening the way of life for Africa's Maasai herders—even forcing some to take their cattle to feed at garbage dumps.
- Dinosaur Mummy's Meal Revealed - June 27, 2008—A fossilized dinosaur known as Leonardo has shed light on what Montana was like 77 million years ago—including what the duck-billed reptile ate.
- Dinosaur Up for Auction - April 15, 2008—Christie's Paris is auctioning off trilobites and meteorites this week—but the star item will be a rare Triceratops skeleton expected to fetch over $700,000 (U.S.).
- Divers Rescue Whale - December 9, 2008—Military divers in Mexico spent four hours freeing a grey whale from fishing nets in the bay of Acapulco.
- Dog Cloning Sparks Debate - July 25, 2008—A U.S. biotech company's auction fetched more than $135,000 each from four owners eager to clone their canines. Yet opponents say the technology is flawed.
- Dog Duo Sniff Out Pirated DVDs - April 24, 2008—The first dogs specially trained to detect the polycarbonate used in DVDs and CDs have helped detect nearly 2 million illegal discs, authorities say.
- Dog Eats Poison Toad - June 10, 2008—A bull Arab hound in Australia swallowed a poisonous cane toad whole, but she—and the toad—survived after the dog was given drugs to induce vomiting.
- Dog Meat Off Menu at Olympics - August 11, 2008—China has banned dog meat from being served in designated Olympic restaurants, though it is still on the menu elsewhere.
- Dogs Expect Fair Play? - December 18, 2008—Researchers in Austria say they've found that dogs react negatively to perceived unfair treatment.
- Dogs vs. Rabbits in Eco-War - October 1, 2008—Springer spaniels are training to do battle to save an Australian island from a rabbit boom. The rabbits are destroying vegetation, thereby threatening other species.
- Dogsledding Without Snow - September 3, 2008—Australia sees little snow, but that doesn't stop some enthusiasts from "dogsledding." How? Just add wheels.
- Dolphins Trapped in Lake - September 29, 2008—In Australia a dolphin female and calf are trapped in a lake, unable to find their way out. They apparently swam up a narrow creek.
- Drug Lord's Hippos Thriving - January 25, 2008—A herd of hippos once owned by Pablo Escobar, Colombia's famed drug lord, run free on Escobar's former estate—creating a problem for the government.
- Drug-Sniffing Dog Cloned - April 25, 2008—Officials in South Korea have high hopes for the noses of seven Labrador retrievers cloned from a star drug-sniffing canine.
- Eagle, Falcon Guard Art Center - March 5, 2008—A trained eagle and a peregrine falcon are to act as "security guards" against some troublesome cockatoos that have attacked an arts center in Melbourne, Australia.
- Eating Bats in Thai Village - July 22, 2008—Eating bats is popular among elders in at least one village in northeastern Thailand, in part because "they do wonders for your libido."
- Eating Rat at the New Year - February 4, 2008—A long tradition of rat eating—here in Vietnam—is especially relevant at this lunar New Year ringing in the Chinese zodiac's Year of the Rat.
- Echidna Sex Secrets Studied - August 11, 2008—Scientists in Tasmania, Australia, have tagged hundreds of ant-eating Echidnas to better understand their reproductive habits—and the role of the animals' unusual sex organs. Warning: video contains graphic imagery
- Eggs Taken From Turtle Moms - November 18, 2008—It may seem disconcerting to see volunteers "steal" eggs as they're laid by green sea turtles in Pakistan. But it's all for conservation.
- Elephant Birth Control Vaccine - June 5, 2008—A wildlife preserve in Africa has too many elephants, and they've got a surprising solution for controlling their population.
- Elephant Sends Text Messages - November 5, 2008—A high-tech collar on a farm-raiding elephant in Kenya sends text messages when he crosses a virtual fence. Rangers then rush to shoo him away—safeguarduing both the elephant and crops.
- Elephants Patrol for Elephants - August 13, 2008—In Indonesia, trained elephants are patrolling remote villages to keep wild elephants out—and out of harm's way.
- Elephants, Rhino Freed in India - March 4, 2008—Two young Asian elephants and a young greater horned rhino were released into the wild in India.
- Elusive Tree Kangaroo Helped - February 5, 2008—Saving the unusual marsupial's habitat requires cooperation from everyone—right down to the rare animals themselves, scientists in Papua New Guinea find.
- Eruption Changing Galapagos - June 6, 2008—A Galápagos volcano is spewing lava for the second week in a row—changing the geography of the chain's largest island, experts say.
- Extremely Rare Lion Baby Born - April 3, 2008—The rare Asiatic lion cub born at a Japanese zoo is one of only about 300 left in the world.
- Farm Fish Threaten Wild Fish? - January 31, 2008 —Fish farms currently provide sustainable populations of fish for eating, but fish raised in open-net farms can spread disease and parasites to wild fish.
- First Lungless Frog Found - April 14, 2008—Researchers in Indonesia have discovered a rare frog species that has no lungs and instead gets all its oxygen through its skin.
- Flowers Losing Their Scents? - June 10, 2008—Air pollution may be stifling flowers' sweet smells, making it harder for bees and other pollinators to find them, say University of Virginia researchers.
- Frog-Breeding Scheme Launched - April 3, 2008—With many frog species dying off, Australian zoos are joining a global network to breed the amphibians—including tiny, striking specimens.
- Galapagos Volcano Erupts - June 2, 2008—A volcano on a Galápagos island has erupted after ten years of relative silence.
- Giant Fish Fights On, With Help - December 4, 2008—Growing up to 20 feet (6 meters) long, western North America's rare white sturgeon, is getting a boost from an alliance of officials, anglers, conservationists, and American Indians.
- Giant Fish Helped by Fishing? - July 15, 2008—At an artificial lake in Thailand, several of the world's largest and rarest freshwater fish lurk near anglers' baited hooks—and some conservationists couldn't be happier.
- Giant River Stingrays Found - July 22, 2008—After an exhaustive search, an explorer finds one of the elusive rays—perhaps the largest freshwater fish—near Bangkok. And then it gives birth.
- Giant Sea Spiders Found - February 19, 2008—Giant sea spiders and other species are among thousands of creatures—a quarter of them previously unknown—found in the icy depths of what some scientists call the Southern, or Antarctic, Ocean.
- Giant Squid Dissected in Public - July 21, 2008—The largest giant squid ever caught in Australian waters has been dissected, revealing several hearts and chainsaw-like teeth.
- Giving Fish a Bath - December 19, 2008—Biologists literally give fish a bath to try and eliminate parasites in the sea near a coral reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Global Warming Good for Sharks? - October 16, 2008—Warmer waters around Antarctica could actually benefit a threatened population of gray nurse—or sand tiger—sharks, scientists say.
- Goodall Pushes EU on Animals - May 29, 2008—The famed chimpanzee researcher was in Brussels on Wednesday to urge the European Union to ban animal testing for medical and scientific research.
- Gorilla Massacre Investigation - June 24, 2008—After ten rare mountain gorillas were killed execution-style in a Congo park, Congolese authorities have arrested a senior park official in connection with the slayings.
- Gorillas Executed in Congo Park - August 1, 2007—Four rare gorillas were shot in Africa's Virunga park on July 22. Get up close with other Virunga gorillas as rangers patrol the park to prevent another tragedy.
- Gorillas Find Refuge in Uganda - October 22, 2007— A Ugandan national park is a sanctuary for some 325 mountain gorillas, about half of the critically endangered species' population.
- Green Polar Bears Draw Stares - September 9, 2008—Thanks in part to their hollow hairs, polar bears at a Japanese zoo have turned green from algae in their pond.
- Grisly Whaling Video Released - February 7, 2008—To call attention to Japanese whaling practices, the Australian government released video captured on the ocean near Antarctica. Warning: graphic imagery.
- Grisly Wildlife Trade Exposed - February 25, 2008—An activist uses a video camera to expose what many would consider a grisly illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar. Warning: graphic imagery.

Latest News - See the latest videos of breaking news from National Geographic.

Animal News - See the latest videos of breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

Culture & Places News - See the latest videos of breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

Environment News - See the latest videos of breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

History News - See the latest videos of breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

Space & Tech News

NG Now - ng now

Animals Video - All the beauty and excitement of the animal kingdom comes to you in thrilling footage of lions, sharks, squid and more.

Daily News Video - See the latest videos or breaking news from researchers and explorers in the field as they make the discoveries that shape the way we see the world.

Environment Video - Get an in-depth look at the constantly changing Earth, from natural disasters like volcanoes and tornadoes, to global warming and other effects of climate change.

Kids Video - Wild, creepy, cute, and slimy animals from puppies and lions to lizards and snakes all do thier amazing things and we catch it all on video.

Music Video - Watch videos of music from your favorite country, listen to international music, and see other world music videos from National Geographic.

Science & Space Video - Watch a video about science, the human body, and the solar system, and see other science and space videos from National Geographic.

Specials Video - Watch thrilling trailers and clips from events like the annual National Geographic GeoBee to the release of new giant-screen films.

Travel & Cultures Video - The rich variety of the world's landscapes and cultures come to life breathtaking footage from China, India, Egypt and more.

Global Links

You need the Flash Player version 8 or higher and a JavaScript enabled browser to view this site. Please click here to download the free flash player.