How the zebra got its stripes has been puzzling scientists for centuries, but new research suggests those bands of black and white are designed to deter disease-carrying flies. Camouflage, cooling,… ...

Black stripes get hotter than white, so you get faster or slower air currents over the zebra's skin. That creates eddies, or air swirls, to cool the zebra, maybe as it runs from a lion. Think of ...

Researchers have long struggled to explain the purpose of the zebra's unique black-and-white coat. Many African animals sport some stripes on their bodies (tigers, hyenas, okapi, bongo), but none ...