Mankind’s time at the top of the evolutionary pyramid may be growing short, as crafty members of the air, land, and sea branches of animal kingdom are learning to break of our best secrets. 

Mosquitoes aren’t learning to love one of the world’s most widely used insect repellants.  But they’re learning to live with DEET and feed off of us anyway.  A new report from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine says new tests shows the latest generations of ‘skeeters are put off at first, but then ignore it.  The species in the test is the same species of blood-sucker that spreads Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever.

Zookeepers in the U.S. state of Oregon were treating Eddie the Sea Otter for arthritis in his front paws, so they gave him a ball to play with so he’d exercise those creaky elbows.  Eddie starting dunking baskets pretty quickly, but he also seems to have figured out some of basketball’s rules, such as only going over the top and not pushing the ball through the bottom.

Mariska The Mare knows what she wants and she knows how to get it.  The big Friesian not only knows how to open the latch in her own stable stall, she appears to have figured all of them out.  Mariska (perhaps to be known as “The Lawgiver” in future equine-dominated societies) lets herself out to get a snack and often invites a friend to come along.