Close-up of a platypus swimming in the water A platypus wandering by a roadside in Australia stabbed a woman with its venomous spurs when she attempted to lift it from a gutter. Jenny Forward was ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

Only male platypuses have venomous spurs. The amount of venom a male platypus produces also increases during breeding season, so scientists believe it is used as a weapon against rival males.

The platypus produces a powerful venom during breeding season, which is used in competition among males for females. "We've discovered conflicting functions of GLP-1 in the platypus: in the gut as a ...

Abandon any notion that the duck-billed platypus is a soft and cuddly creature -- maybe like Perry the Platypus in the Phineas and Ferb cartoon. This platypus, renowned as one of the few mammals that ...

With diabetes currently sweeping the United States, designing more effective treatments is paramount. New research finds a rather surprising source of a potential new drug: platypus venom. As we dig ...

When British zoologist George Shaw first encountered a platypus specimen in 1799, he was so befuddled that he checked for stitches, thinking someone might be trying to trick him with a Frankencreature ...

Platypus populations in Australia are becoming increasingly isolated as their habitats are fragmented by human-made dams. As a result, the long-term survival of this distinctive species is falling ...

Male platypuses have sharp spurs on their back legs shaped like a canine tooth. These hollow spurs measure 0.59 to 0.71 inches long and connect to crural glands in the animal’s upper thighs. These ...