Giraffe sex is even weirder than we thought, and it involves pee

Medieval religious hermit buried in 'extremely unusual' position had syphilis | What stops nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating? | Strange love: 13 animals with truly weird courtship rituals Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( February 14, 2023 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [Twitter](  [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] [Giraffe sex is even weirder than we thought, and it involves pee]( [Giraffe sex is even weirder than we thought, and it involves pee]( (Lynette Hart, UC Davis) Finding love can be difficult. But when you're bemoaning your own love difficulties, spare a thought for the giraffe. Giraffes don't go into heat like cats or dogs, don't have a breeding season, don't make mating calls and don't give visual clues that they're ready to mate. So how do giraffes find partners? Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/13) [] History & Archaeology [] [Medieval religious hermit buried in 'extremely unusual' position had syphilis]( [Medieval religious hermit buried in 'extremely unusual' position had syphilis]( (On Site Archaeology) The skeletal remains of a medieval anchoress — essentially a religious hermit — buried in an unusual, crouched position at a church site in England died with syphilis and arthritis, archaeologists discovered. The findings raise questions about how a religious hermit could have acquired a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but may potentially explain her unusual burial position. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/13) [] Life’s Little Mysteries [] [What stops nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating?]( [What stops nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating?]( (Anton Petrus via Getty Images) Nuclear weapons can kill millions of people, wipe out entire cities and render soil in the fallout zone infertile for generations. According to the Arms Control Association, the world's nine nuclear states — China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — have a combined arsenal of around 13,000 nuclear warheads. This raises some obvious questions. For example, what are the chances of an accidental denotation? And what measures are in place to ensure they don't inadvertently detonate? Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/11) [] Curious Creatures [] [Strange love: 13 animals with truly weird courtship rituals]( [Strange love: 13 animals with truly weird courtship rituals]( (Shutterstock) On Valentine's Day, lovers who are eager to woo their partners show their affection with traditional gifts of red roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates or with romantic dinners at fancy restaurants. There's usually some effort involved, but pulling off a memorable Valentine's Day is easier — and generally safer — than some of the courtship rituals performed by other animal species. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/13) [] Your Brain [] [Some narcissists chase status, others are driven by a need to be admired, study finds]( [Some narcissists chase status, others are driven by a need to be admired, study finds]( (Shutterstock) Narcissists often rub their friends and family the wrong way by bragging about their exploits, seemingly a symptom of an overinflated sense of self-esteem. But new research finds that in some cases, narcissists actually have low self-esteem, but they're not chasing a self-esteem boost with their self-aggrandizing behavior. Instead, they're seeking status. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/13) [] Poll Question [] POLL QUESTION: If you read the giraffe sex story at the top of this newsletter... has your view of the towering animals been forever changed? (Read about the weirdness that is giraffe sex [here]() [Vote]( [I'll never look at giraffes the same way again]( [Vote]( [No, it didn't throw me, I have the same view of giraffes that I did before]( [Vote]( [If anything, I like giraffes more now having read the article]( [Vote]( [None of the above (I'm still processing)](   [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:livescience@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036