Reynolds School of Journalism | University of Nevada, Reno

How Fish Use Smell And Magnetic Fields to Navigate

A low-polygon animated salmon hides among some reeds.

Instead of using Google Maps, imagine how cool it would be to smell your way home — and while we’re at it, imagine “home” is thousands of miles away! In this animated short, Jordan Buxton explains how fish rely on their noses, as well as their sensitivity to Earth’s magnetic fields, to navigate long distances.

Life Finds a Way: How Scientists Could Revive Extinct Animals

A green, two-dimensional brachiosaurus on a background of lined notebook paper. The animal is facing the right.

Bringing back the wooly mammoth? It’s not just fodder for speculative fiction! In this animated short, Luis Martinez walks us through the theoretical process of restoring an extinct species with the scattered remains of its genetic material.

How Do Large Desert Animals Find Water?

An animated coyote (left) and a camel (right) face each other on rolling sand dunes. Hovering above their heads is the word "H20," which is crossed out.

Large wildlife have a more difficult time keeping cool and hydrated, and have adapted differently to survive in arid ecosystems. From coyotes to tortoises to camels, Owen Megura explains some unique survival tactics large animals have evolved in the harsh conditions of their desert habitat in this short animation.

What’s Killing The Mekong Giant Catfish?

Eight pieces of fish-shaped candy sit in a stylized river made of yarn and glass pebbles.

Meet the Mekong Giant Catfish, which can weigh up to 770 pounds, has no teeth, and looks absolutely ridiculous. But they’re disappearing quickly — having been listed by the IUCN as a critically endangered species in 2011.

Women In STEM Series Presents: Dr. Jenny Ouyang

Jenny Ouyang smiles in a red dress and a white hat.

Dr. Jenny Ouyang is an ecologist at UNR, studying how animals adapt to changing environmental conditions. We spoke with her about her career and the challenges she has faced as a woman of color in STEM.