A new study from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> reveals what is going on inside of your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-brain-interactions-have-an-influence-on-diseases/">brain</a> when you get lost in a fictional fantasy. The experts discovered that the more immersed we become in the lives of our favorite characters of fiction, the more our brain activity reflects how much we identify with them.
&#8220;When they think about a favorite fictional character, it appears similar in one part of the brain as when they are thinking about themselves,&#8221; said study lead author Timothy Broom.
The research was focused on self-described fans of the HBO series &#8220;Game of Thrones.&#8221; The individuals were instructed to think about themselves, nine of their friends, and nine characters from the drama series. The participants also reported on which character they felt closest to and liked the most.
According to Broom, Game of Thrones was ideal for this study because it attracted a devoted fan base and the large cast presented a variety of characters that people could become attached to.
One of the key findings involved participants who scored highest on &#8220;trait identification.&#8221; These individuals agreed most strongly with statements like &#8220;I really get involved in the feelings of the characters in a novel.&#8221;
&#8220;People who are high in trait identification not only get absorbed into a story, they also are really absorbed into a particular character,&#8221; said Broom. &#8220;They report matching the thoughts of the character, they are thinking what the character is thinking, they are feeling what the character is feeling. They are inhabiting the role of that character.&#8221;
The researchers used an fMRI machine to measure activity in various parts of the brain through small changes in blood flow. As the participants&#8217; brains were scanned, they were evaluating themselves, their friends, and Game of Thrones characters. 
A part of the brain called the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) is known to show increased activity when people think about themselves and, to a lesser extent, when they think about close friends.
While in the fMRI, the individuals were shown a series of names &#8211; including themselves, friends, or characters &#8211; along with a trait, such as lonely, sad, trustworthy, or smart. The participants simply said &#8220;yes&#8221; or &#8220;no&#8221; to imply whether the trait fit the person.
As expected, the vMPFC was most active when people were evaluating themselves, less active when they evaluated friends, and least active when they evaluated characters from Game of Thrones.
However, among those who were high in trait identification, the vMPFC was more active when they thought about the fictional characters than it was for participants who identified less with the characters. This region of the brain was particularly active when the individuals evaluated the character they identified with the most.
Study co-author Dylan Wanger said the findings help explain how fiction can have such a big impact on some people.
&#8220;For some people, fiction is a chance to take on new identities, to see worlds though others&#8217; eyes and return from those experiences changed,&#8221; said Wagner.
&#8220;What previous studies have found is that when people experience stories as if they were one of the characters, a connection is made with that character, and the character becomes intwined with the self. In our study, we see evidence of that in their brains.&#8221;
The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/scan">Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience</a>.
&#8211;&#8212;
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

What happens in your brain while you're lost in fiction

The central California coast hides a dimpled and pockmarked seafloor region that is roughly the size of Los Angeles - five hundred square miles of soft‑edged pits stretching from Big Sur to Morro Bay. 



For decades ocean scientists assumed these round depressions - a whopping six‑football‑field stretch from rim to rim and about 16 feet deep - were scars left by bubbles of methane burping up through the mud. 



That tidy explanation raised eyebrows once plans for an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-are-now-habitats-for-sharks-and-rays/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offshore wind farm</a> landed on the same patch of continental slope between 1,600 and 5,200 feet below the waves. If methane were still leaking, could turbine anchors stay put?



Curiosity turned urgent when more than 5,200 of the formations, known as pockmarks, appeared to be distributed with "eerie regularity."



The pattern suggested an active force was sculpting and preserving the craters even today. 



To settle the debate, a research team rolled out a fleet of high‑tech robots and a mountain of sensors - and overturned a favorite myth about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/only-001-percent-of-earths-deep-seafloor-has-ever-been-directly-observed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how the seafloor breathes</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seafloor-full-of-large-pockmarks">Seafloor full of large pockmarks</h2>



Autonomous underwater vehicles zipped barely yards above the bottom, beaming back sonar so sharp it mapped individual ripples of sand. 



The survey refined ship‑based maps and revealed that most pockmarks sit almost perfectly spaced apart, each nearly circular and averaging 656 feet across. 



Back at mission control aboard the research vessel, experts from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (<a href="https://www.mbari.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MBARI</a>), the U.S. Geological Survey (<a href="https://www.usgs.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USGS</a>), and <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> watched the topography scroll across their monitors at one‑foot resolution.



The robots also carried a <a href="https://www2.whoi.edu/site/coastalgroup/about/how-we-work/field-methods/chirp-sub-bottom-profiler/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CHIRP sub‑bottom profiler</a>, a sound cannon that peeks some 25 feet beneath the mud. 



Instead of pockets of gas, profiles showed neat layers: thin bands of fine silt interrupted by coarser sand sheets. Those buried sand sheets hinted at something far more dramatic than gentle gas seepage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sending-in-the-robots">Sending in the robots</h2>



Guided by the maps, MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle <a href="https://www.mbari.org/technology/rov-doc-ricketts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Doc Ricketts</a> descended for 30 dives, clocking 185 hours of video and punching 107 vibracores and 433 shallow pushcores into the pockmark floors. 



An additional cruise brought up piston cores nearly 25 feet long for comparison outside the craters. Not a whiff - chemical or acoustic - of methane turned up in any sample.



“There are many unanswered questions about the seafloor and its processes,” said MBARI Senior Research Technician Eve Lundsten. 



“This research provides important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seafloor-relic-uncovers-earths-ancient-mysteries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data about the seafloor</a> for resource managers and others considering potential offshore sites for underwater infrastructure to guide their decision‑making.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seafloor-avalanches-and-pockmarks">Seafloor avalanches and pockmarks</h2>



Each core carried a timeline of turmoil. Fine mud settled quietly for millennia, then a blanket of gritty sand crashed in, marking a colossal underwater avalanche called a sediment gravity flow. 



The team counted turbidite layers back at least 280,000 years, with the most recent flow sweeping through roughly 14,000 years ago. 



When such a slurry roars downslope, it scours the center of every pockmark in its path and drops a fresh sand layer across the field in one go - resetting the craters like simultaneous footprints.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pockmark-chains_seafloor-holes_distribution-map_MBARI_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pockmark-chains_seafloor-holes_distribution-map_MBARI_1s.webp" alt="Location Map showing the Sur Pockmark Field outlined in green, individual pockmarks are shown as small red dots. This study focuses on the largest section of the pockmark field, from the Lucia Chica Channel down to the San Simeon Channel. Red stars show the location of AUV-collected Chirp data from beneath pockmarks in Figure 3. Inset maps contain AUV-collected bathymetry showing pockmarks in detail with 5 meter contours. Credit: MBARI" class="wp-image-1969422"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Location Map showing the Sur Pockmark Field outlined in green, individual pockmarks are shown as small red dots. This study focuses on the largest section of the pockmark field, from the Lucia Chica Channel down to the San Simeon Channel. Red stars show the location of AUV-collected Chirp data from beneath pockmarks in Figure 3. Inset maps contain AUV-collected bathymetry showing pockmarks in detail with 5 meter contours. Click image to enlarge. Credit: MBARI</figcaption></figure>



“We collected a massive amount of data, allowing us to make a surprising link between pockmarks and sediment gravity flows," Lundsten explained.



"We were unable to determine exactly how these pockmarks were initially formed, but with MBARI's advanced underwater technology, we've gained new insight into how and why these features have persisted on the seafloor for hundreds of thousands of years."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clean-energy-from-seafloor-pockmarks">Clean energy from seafloor pockmarks</h2>



Undersea avalanches strike tens of thousands of years apart, yet their legacy shapes today’s renewable energy blueprint. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-wind-turbines-impact-property-values-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turbine foundations</a> must grip rock‑steady ground for decades; a bubbling gas pocket could undermine that. The new findings relieve a major worry. 



Instead of methane, the main architect here is long‑dormant sediment flow, meaning the crust has remained effectively quiet since well before humans started farming California’s Central Valley.



“Expanding renewable energy is critical to achieving the dramatic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions needed to prevent further irreversible climate change," noted MBARI President and CEO Chris Scholin.



"However, there are still many unanswered questions about the possible environmental impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-threaten-marine-life-hotspots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offshore wind energy development</a>,” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-questions-still-need-answers">Many questions still need answers</h2>



Although the study pinned down how the craters stay fresh, their birth story remains elusive. 



Did an ancient mega‑flow carve the first depressions, or did subtle currents gradually nudge sediment aside until a small hollow invited bigger scours? 



Computer models will test whether an unconfined flow racing over the dimpled plain can muster enough force to keep those bowls tidy without help from escaping gas.



Future research will also track how water and sediment swirl through the neighboring Lucia Chica and San Simeon Channels - twin conduits that may funnel slurries into the field. 



For now, the Sur Pockmark Field stands as the best‑charted seafloor province on North America’s west coast, a natural laboratory where wind‑farm planners, geologists, and marine ecologists share common ground.



What they'll find next is anyone's guess.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023JF007374" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface</a>.



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Thousands of massive holes found on the seafloor are evenly-spaced with 'eerie regularity'

The central California coast hides a dimpled and pockmarked seafloor...

As the sky darkens tonight, the Flower Moon will rise, casting its luminous glow across the world. Despite being a micromoon, it will still command attention.



The Flower Moon is named for the abundance of blooming flowers that typically appear&nbsp;this month. It reminds us to pause and reflect as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-sun-might-be-making-water-on-the-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">night</a> sky takes on a calm, serene appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meaning-of-the-flower-moon">Meaning of the Flower Moon</h2>



Long ago, Native American tribes named May’s full moon the Flower Moon as a tribute to nature’s seasonal spectacle.



Spring awakens, flowers bloom, and the moon - like a silver lantern - watches over the Earth. The Comanche tribe saw the blooming fields and named it the Flower Moon, a time of growth and renewal.



The Creek and Choctaw people, however, called it the Mulberry Moon. Mulberries ripened, offering food and dye, and the moon marked the season of abundance. 



The Cree tribe, listening to the chorus of frogs, named it the Frog Moon. Spring returned, and with it, the croaking songs echoed through the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/total-lunar-eclipse-will-paint-the-moon-blood-red-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">night</a>.



For the Anishnaabe tribe, the Blossom Moon symbolized nature’s floral display. Meanwhile, the Apache noticed the trees coming alive with green leaves. They called this moon the “season when the leaves are green,” a simple yet vivid reminder of nature’s cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-micromoon-with-a-big-presence">Micromoon with a big presence</h2>



Tonight's Flower Moon is known as a micromoon. Its orbit pulls it farther from Earth, stretching to a distance of 251,939 miles. 



<a href="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/moon-distance/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA confirms</a> that this extra distance causes the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dry-side-of-the-moon-reveals-new-details-about-its-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">moon</a> to appear smaller than usual. Its average distance sits at 238,855 miles, making the Flower Moon a subtle presence in the sky.



Still, the moonlight gently washes over the night, casting a soft, silvery glow that gives the landscape a dreamlike quality.



As the sun dips below the horizon, the moon will climb slowly in the southeastern sky. By midnight, it will hang high above. For the best view, find a dark, open space away from city lights. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flower-moon-connects-us-to-nature">Flower Moon connects us to nature</h2>



Throughout history, people have looked to the moon as a guide for planting, harvesting, and marking time. Farmers once relied on the full moon’s light to work late into the night. 



The Flower Moon, with its connection to the season’s peak bloom, became a symbol of abundance and renewal.



Today, the Flower Moon is still a beautiful sight to behold, but it's no longer tied to specific cultural events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-full-moons-in-2025">Full Moons in 2025</h2>



May’s Flower Moon closes the chapter on a series of micromoons in 2025. The first two appeared in January and February - each one pulling away from Earth, and each one smaller than the last. The Flower Moon, the final act, drifts farther than ever.



The Flower Moon may mark the end of the micromoons, but the lunar calendar is far from over. June will bring the Strawberry Moon, named for the ripening berries that herald summer’s arrival. 



July’s Buck Moon will signal the growth of antlers on young deer, a symbol of nature’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturns-rings-beautiful-iconic-will-disappear-this-weekend-ring-plane-crossing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cycle</a> of renewal.



August will usher in the Sturgeon Moon - a nod to the fish that once filled North American rivers. September’s Corn Moon will shine as the cornfields sway in the wind. 



October will bring the first of three supermoons, the Harvest Moon, its light brighter and larger than usual. November’s Beaver Moon and December’s Cold Moon will complete the cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eclipses-and-celestial-drama-in-2025">Eclipses and celestial drama in 2025</h2>



This year, the night sky holds more than full moons. September will bring two dramatic eclipses, each one a spectacle in its own right.



On September 7 and 8, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon a haunting shade of red. A blood moon, some call it. The eclipse will be visible across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and parts of South America.



Later, on September 21, the moon will slide between the sun and Earth, creating a partial solar eclipse. 



Those in Australia, Antarctica, and the Pacific Ocean will witness the sun’s light dim as the moon casts its shadow.



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Tonight's Flower Moon completes 2025's micromoon trilogy

As the sky darkens tonight, the Flower Moon will rise,...

Have you ever noticed how your fingers become wrinkled when soaked in water? The longer you stay submerged, the more pronounced those wrinkles become. 



But do those wrinkles form in the same pattern every time? That intriguing question recently caught the attention of scientists at Binghamton University, State University of New York (<a href="https://www.suny.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SUNY</a>).



A couple of years ago, Professor Guy German published a breakthrough study on why skin wrinkles in water. The common explanation was that water caused the skin to swell, which leads to wrinkling. However, German’s research revealed a more complex story beneath the surface.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-finger-wrinkles-form">How finger wrinkles form</h2>



Before Professor German’s study, the prevailing belief was that water absorption alone caused skin to wrinkle.



However, the team at the Biological Soft Matter Mechanics Laboratory found that blood vessels beneath the skin actually contract after prolonged exposure to water. This contraction is what creates those familiar loops and ridges on your fingers.



Professor German initially discussed his findings in a 2023 article for The Conversation’s Curious Kids feature. It wasn’t a peer-reviewed journal, but a student’s question that pushed German to dig deeper.



"A student asked, 'Yeah, but do the wrinkles always form in the same way?' And I thought: I haven't the foggiest clue!" said Professor German.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consistency-in-water-induced-wrinkles">Consistency in water-induced wrinkles</h2>



Motivated by the student’s question, the team set out to determine whether the same wrinkle patterns appear after each water immersion.



The study was led by Professor German and Rachel Laytin, a graduate student who was pursuing her Master’s degree. They designed a simple but effective experiment to investigate the question.



Subjects placed their fingers in water for 30 minutes, then had their fingers photographed. The procedure was repeated under identical conditions at least 24 hours later. 



By comparing the before-and-after images, the researchers could assess whether the wrinkle patterns remained consistent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-wrinkles-always-form-the-same-way">Do wrinkles always form the same way?</h2>



The results, published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, confirmed that the wrinkle patterns remained unchanged across multiple immersions.



"Blood vessels don't change their position much - they move around a bit, but in relation to other blood vessels, they're pretty static," explained Professor German. "That means the wrinkles should form in the same manner, and we proved that they do."



The experiment revealed that, despite the variability in other aspects of skin physiology, the underlying blood vessel network remains relatively static. This stability ensures that the topography of water-induced wrinkles is consistent from one immersion to the next.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nerve-damage-prevents-water-wrinkles">Nerve damage prevents water wrinkles</h2>



While investigating wrinkle patterns, the researchers stumbled upon an unexpected finding. 



"We've heard that wrinkles don't form in people who have median nerve damage in their fingers," said Professor German. "One of my students told us, 'I've got median nerve damage in my fingers.' So we tested him - no wrinkles!"



This observation could open doors to further research on how nerve damage affects skin behavior under water. It also suggests a potential diagnostic tool for identifying nerve damage based on the presence or absence of water-induced wrinkles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-family-connection-to-forensics">A family connection to forensics</h2>



While the study’s origins stem from a student's simple question, its implications could extend far beyond the lab.



German's father, a retired police officer in the U.K., dealt with the challenges of identifying bodies recovered from water. Understanding how wrinkle patterns form and remain consistent could aid in forensic investigations, including fingerprinting at crime scenes.



"Biometrics and fingerprints are built into my brain," said Professor German. "I always think about this sort of stuff, because it's fascinating."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-water-wrinkles">Future research on water wrinkles</h2>



The study has not only answered one intriguing question but also opened the door to many more. German is eager to explore further questions about how skin responds to prolonged water exposure. 



He believes the Curious Kids feature and the thought-provoking question from a young student were instrumental in inspiring this research.



"I feel like a kid in a candy store, because there's so much science here that I don't know. We thank the people at The Conversation and the wonderful question they asked us, because it does create cool new science," he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-research">Broader implications of the research</h2>



The study has added a new layer of understanding on how human skin behaves under water. The findings could be applied not only in forensic science but also in medical research, particularly in studying skin conditions and nerve damage.



For now, the simple question that sparked the study has been answered: Yes, water wrinkles form in the same pattern every time. 



Yet, the implications of this finding are far from simple. By exploring the relationship between blood vessels and skin topography, German and his team have laid the groundwork for further studies that could transform our understanding of skin physiology and its response to external stimuli.



In the end, what began as a child’s question became a compelling scientific inquiry that has lead to new discoveries and to more questions that are waiting to be answered. And for German, that’s the best part of being a scientist - the constant pursuit of the unknown.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1751616125000517?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials</a>. 



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Finger wrinkles from water could help solve crimes

Have you ever noticed how your fingers become wrinkled when...

A new study shows that an algorithm can look at an ordinary photograph and estimate how fast a body is aging - an insight that could change the nature of cancer care. The research was led by a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mass General Brigham</a>, who constructed FaceAge, an AI tool. 



The experts trained the tool on almost 60,000 images of healthy individuals and then tested it on more than 6,000 patients who were starting radiotherapy.



The team found that the typical cancer patient appeared about five years older than their birth certificate suggested, and that each additional year shortened their life expectancy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-selfie-to-biomarker">From selfie to biomarker</h2>



FaceAge is a deep-learning network. It studies fine details - skin texture, muscle tone, and eye shape - then translates those patterns into a single number: your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-biological-age-may-predict-dementia-risk-better-than-birth-date/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biological age</a>.



The process is automatic. If FaceAge receives a head-and-shoulders photo, it can predict an age that reflects the body’s wear and tear better than the chronological age.



How old a person seems has long guided doctors informally. Frail features can steer therapy toward gentler options; youthful vigor can justify aggressive treatment.



Yet such judgments are subjective. FaceAge puts a more objective figure on that impression.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-face-age-and-cancer-prediction">AI, face age, and cancer prediction</h2>



In the study, patients whose biological age topped 85 fared worst, even after the authors adjusted for sex, tumor site, and chronological age.



“We can use artificial intelligence (AI) to estimate a person’s biological age from face pictures, and our study shows that information can be clinically meaningful," said Hugo Aerts, the director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) program at Mass General Brigham. 



“This work demonstrates that a photo, like a simple selfie, contains important information that could help to inform clinical decision-making.”



“How old someone looks compared to their chronological age really matters - individuals with FaceAges that are younger than their chronological ages do significantly better after cancer therapy.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faceage-captures-hidden-signals">FaceAge captures hidden signals</h2>



Predicting how long a terminal patient has left is difficult. The researchers asked ten clinicians and scientists to view one hundred portraits of people who were receiving palliative radiotherapy, and to guess whether each person would be alive within months.



Even when the panel knew chronological age and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-thrives-on-human-stress-as-it-spreads-throughout-the-body/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> type, their accuracy barely beat chance.



Adding FaceAge shifted the odds. With the AI number in hand, the group’s predictions improved markedly, suggesting FaceAge captures hidden signals that physicians miss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teaching-ai-to-see-face-age">Teaching AI to see face age</h2>



The investigators began with public image banks that held 58,851 faces, each tagged with an age. Those photos came from everyday contexts, so the network first learned to recognize normal aging.



Next the team applied FaceAge to clinical snapshots taken during routine treatment setup. Linking those pictures to medical records let the algorithm discover how appearance, disease, and outcome connect.



FaceAge still needs validation in larger and more diverse populations. The study cohort came from only two centers, and lighting or camera angles could skew results.



Cosmetic surgery, heavy makeup, or cultural differences in skin care might also confuse the model. The team plans to follow patients over time to see whether the FaceAge number changes as therapy progresses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-early-detection-system">An early detection system</h2>



“This opens the door to a whole new realm of biomarker discovery from photographs, and its potential goes far beyond cancer care or predicting age,” said co-senior author Ray Mak, a faculty member in the AIM program at Mass General Brigham.



“As we increasingly think of different chronic diseases as diseases of aging, it becomes even more important to be able to accurately predict an individual’s aging trajectory."



"I hope we can ultimately use this technology as an early detection system in a variety of applications, within a strong regulatory and ethical framework, to help save lives."



FaceAge illustrates how artificial intelligence can turn everyday data into medical guidance. A single selfie may soon complement blood tests and scans, giving oncologists a faster, less biased picture of a patient’s resilience. 



If further trials confirm the findings, clinics could upload photos and receive instantaneous biological age estimates that fine-tune treatment plans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faceage-beyond-cancer-care">FaceAge: Beyond cancer care</h2>



Aging underlies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart disease</a>, diabetes, dementia, and more. An image-based biomarker could therefore aid many specialties by identifying people who need lifestyle changes or preventive therapy years before symptoms appear.



The key will be strict oversight. Algorithms trained on limited datasets risk embedding bias, and patient consent will be vital when personal images feed predictive models.



For now, FaceAge remains a research AI tool. Yet its promise is clear: the face you present to the camera may hold clues to how your body is coping with illness and time. Harnessed responsibly, that knowledge could guide decisions that extend life and improve its quality - one snapshot at a time.



The study is published in <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589750025000421" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Digital Health</a>.



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AI tool analyzes "face age" from selfies to predict cancer risk

A new study shows that an algorithm can look at...

Double-slit,Experiment,In,Physics.,Quantum,Physics,And,Particle-wave,Duality,Concept.

For centuries, most scientists have shared the belief that light behaves as both a wave and a particle. This idea, then, became the central component to quantum theory, sprouting the field of science known as quantum mechanics.



The double-slit experiment supported the idea, showing bright and dark bands that indicated wave-like interference. But now, a new study suggests that this experiment might not lock us into seeing light as a wave.



According to the experts, we can interpret those interference bands using quantum particles alone.



The research was led by Gerhard Rempe, the director of the <a href="https://www.mpq.mpg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute</a> for Quantum Optics. He teamed up with collaborators at <a href="https://www.srinter.ufscar.br/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of São Carlos</a> and <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> for the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-physics-and-our-view-of-light">Modern physics and our view of light</h2>



In 1801, <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstl.1802.0004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thomas Young</a> introduced an experiment by shining light through two narrow openings to produce intersecting fringes on a screen. His findings led many to conclude that light must be a wave. 



A century later, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-gates-teleported-a-leap-toward-scalable-computing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> mechanics began to take shape, revealing that quantum particles like electrons could mimic wave-like light interference too.



Albert Einstein’s work on the <a href="https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=1617833" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photoelectric effect</a> showed that light travels in discrete packets called photons. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/121580a0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Niels Bohr</a> then elaborated on wave-particle duality, ushering in one of the cornerstones of modern physics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-and-visible-photons">Dark and visible photons</h2>



The new <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.133603" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approach</a> from the research team explores the concept of bright and dark modes. 



In their view, interference patterns can emerge from combining “detectable” and “undetectable” photon states. These bright states interact with an observer, while dark <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/google-claims-commercial-quantum-computing-is-just-five-years-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">states</a> remain hidden.



Such hidden photons might linger at places where we would normally think the light cancels out. Observers who try to track the path of these photons alter the state, flipping what was dark into bright or vice versa. 



From this perspective, the light pathways can be viewed as quantum superpositions, rather than purely classical wave interference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quantum-particles-and-light-interference">Quantum particles and light interference </h2>



“In my humble opinion, our description is meaningful as it provides a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baffling-quantum-entanglement-statistics-puzzle-finally-solved-advanced-technologies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> picture (with particles) of classical interference (with waves): maxima and minima result from entangled bright (that couple) and dark (that do not couple) particle states,” said Rempe. Physicists once believed that any point of total destructive interference prevented light from interacting with matter. 



In the new framework, even a place with zero average electric field can host particles that standard measurement devices might miss.&nbsp;



The group emphasizes that these findings do not throw out past results but reveal a new layer of detail. 



Rempe said their model helps clarify parts of a long-standing debate - like which-path detection - that once involved major figures in science, including Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, Millikan, and others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wave-only-theories-vs-dark-photons">Wave-only theories vs. dark photons</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bridging-quantum-classical-physics-nanoparticle-entanglement/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Classical physics</a> can explain most everyday optical events. Yet certain experiments in quantum optics highlight outcomes that purely wave-based theories cannot handle.



Researchers have long known that Maxwell’s equations begin to fail in scenarios where single photons interact with atoms on tiny scales.



This new framework places particles at the heart of interference. The wave-like fringes may just be statistical maps of how bright or dark these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-form-of-quantum-entanglement-discovered-will-transform-next-gen-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum states</a> are.



Measuring certain properties that push photons into detectable or undetectable modes can influence outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-measurement-changes-things">How measurement changes things</h2>



Any attempt to pinpoint a photon’s route through two slits runs into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/impossibility-paradox-calculating-incalculable-quantum-realm-particles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">famous uncertainty principle</a>. A quick look might destroy the fringe pattern.



In these studies, measuring the photon is less about giving it a momentum kick and more about switching the dark state to a bright one.



Decades of work in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-quantum-states-found-in-crystal-layers-could-boost-computing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum information</a> science hinted that delicate systems can be “observed” without collapsing them entirely.



The new interpretation builds on that notion. If the observer couples to a photon hidden in a dark region, the state might become bright enough to be registered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-particle-based-light-interference">Particle-based light interference </h2>



Wave-particle duality is central in physics curricula around the world, teaching that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-photons-fascinating-behavior-in-quantum-realm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">light and matter</a> can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior.



Rather than uprooting that duality, this theory nudges us to see interference in a purely particle-based explanation. It keeps the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/schrodingers-cat-put-into-silicon-chip-may-be-holy-grail-for-error-proof-quantum-computing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum superposition</a> principle at the core.



On a philosophical level, some scientists suggest that we might shift our mental picture toward probabilities of bright and dark particles. 



Still, most institutions will continue to teach the wave framework as a useful approximation that works in many practical settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-are-dark-photons-important">Why are dark photons important?</h2>



The updated model might spark creative ways of detecting light in places once thought to be “voids.” 



Novel detectors could be devised to probe areas of destructive interference with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389928886_Atomic_and_Ionic_Systems" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advanced atomic or ionic systems</a>. These methods might eventually shape futuristic optical technologies.



Experimental physicists may also look for subtle traces of photons lurking in dark states. If those photons can be coaxed into bright states without disturbing other properties, entirely new measurement techniques might arise. 



That prospect has captured attention because it challenges everyday views of how light interacts with sensors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-searching-for-light-s-true-nature">Searching for light's true nature</h2>



The research prompts the question of what other fundamental assumptions may give way under quantum scrutiny.



Some researchers are already attempting to extend these quantum ideas about light to larger-scale experiments, including matter waves. 



Even aspects of gravitational wave detection might gain fresh insights from the concept of dark states.



Critics point out that wave-based models still work splendidly at larger distances. This new quantum picture of light appears indispensable only when single particles and atoms come into play. 



Whether it replaces or merely complements classical interpretations remains the next big debate.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.133603" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a>.



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"Dark photon" theory of light would completely upend 100 years of quantum physics

For centuries, most scientists have shared the belief that light...

Krill may be small, but they are certainly not insignificant. They measure just six centimeters in length, have a mass of only two grams, and are nearly invisible due to their transparent skin. 



Yet these modest crustaceans play a vital role in the Southern Ocean. Billions of them gather into massive swarms that stretch across square kilometers. They are a cornerstone of the marine food web, and are preyed upon by numerous other organisms, from fish to whales, in one of the harshest environments on Earth.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg</a> (JMU), in collaboration with the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), and the UK's National Oceanography Institute, have now studied krill more closely. 



Their focus has been to understand the crustaceans’ daily vertical migrations - how and why krill move up and down the water column in a pattern that tracks the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-insights-into-the-day-night-cycle-of-the-global-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">day-night cycle</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surfacing-for-food-diving-for-safety">Surfacing for food, diving for safety</h2>



Antarctic krill feed at night and swim to the ocean’s surface under the cover of darkness to graze on microscopic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-algae-play-an-unexpected-role-in-cooling-the-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae</a> and other phytoplankton. Come daylight, they descend into the depths to avoid becoming lunch themselves.



“Antarctic krill use the cover of darkness at night to feed on microscopic algae on the sea surface. During the day, the animals then seek shelter from predators in deeper, darker layers,” said Lukas Hüppe, the study’s first author.



These migrations aren’t just important for the krill. As they travel up and down each day, they stir the ocean and move carbon from the surface into deeper waters. This helps regulate carbon levels and plays a part in Earth’s climate system. 



But even after decades of observation, scientists didn’t fully understand what controls this behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-way-to-monitor-krill">A new way to monitor krill</h2>



That’s why the team developed a new technology in 2024: an activity monitor that tracks the swimming behavior of individual krill inside seawater-filled tubes. 



Hüppe and colleagues collected krill from the Southern Ocean during a commercial fishing trip. Onboard the vessel, they used this new monitor to record their activity under varying light conditions and throughout different seasons.



What they discovered was striking. The krill were most active at night, matching their natural migration cycles. 



Even more impressive was that the krill adjusted their nighttime activity depending on the season. In summer, when nights are shorter, their activity window shrank. In winter, when nights stretch for hours, it expanded. This rhythm didn’t disappear when the animals were kept in complete darkness for several days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-clock-inside-krill">The clock inside krill</h2>



“Antarctic krill show a daily rhythm with increased swimming activity at night, which fits very well with vertical migration in nature,” said Hüppe. The consistency of this activity pattern - even in total darkness - suggests the presence of an internal biological clock.



The krill didn’t just respond to light or food cues, but also time. They appeared to have their own built-in schedule.



“Krill do not only react to external environmental influences such as light or food with their behavior. It also uses its internal clock to adapt to the extreme conditions of its polar environment,” said Charlotte Förster.



Even in the unusual light cycles of the poles - where summer days can last 24 hours and winter nights stretch on endlessly - krill were able to adjust. Their internal clocks adapted to both very long and very short days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-swimmers-big-impact">Tiny swimmers, big impact</h2>



While the study focused on the inner workings of krill, its significance reaches much further. 



“As a carbon sink, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-southern-ocean-is-a-critically-important-carbon-sink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Ocean</a> plays a central role in regulating the global climate. This function is based on a functional, productive ecosystem, at the center of which is the Antarctic krill,” said Bettina Meyer.



Healthy krill populations are vital for maintaining this ecosystem. If krill decline, the ripple effects could be felt all the way up the food chain - from fish and penguins to whales.



Understanding how krill adapt to their environment is a key step in predicting how climate change might affect them - and the rest of the ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cracking-the-code-of-krill-time">Cracking the code of krill time</h2>



The team isn’t stopping here. Their next goal is to explore the internal clock in more detail. 



“We want to understand where the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-krill-can-distinguish-night-from-day-even-in-polar-winter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clock</a> ticks in the krill brain and how the mechanism works at a neuronal level,” said Förster. They’ll also investigate how this internal timing system affects other parts of krill life, like reproduction and hibernation.



Even in one of Earth’s harshest climates, krill have found a way to stay in sync. And as researchers learn more about their hidden rhythms, they’re uncovering a story that links these small <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-crustaceans-have-what-it-takes-to-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crustaceans</a> to the health of the entire planet.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/103096" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eLife</a>.



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Antarctic krill keep time in a world of endless days, or nights

Krill may be small, but they are certainly not insignificant....

Scientists have discovered that a notorious hospital bacterium can digest the very plastics used in sutures, stents, and surgical mesh. By turning the polymer into food, the microbe may cling more stubbornly to devices and linger longer on ward surfaces.



Researchers from <a href="https://www.brunel.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brunel University London</a>, working with a patient-derived strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, found that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-pathogen-is-resistant-to-hospital-disinfectant-cleaners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pathogen</a> dismantles polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable plastic common in modern medicine. 



The insight challenges the assumption that clinical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-polymers-that-are-considered-safe-release-harmful-toxins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymers</a> are immune to microbial attack.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-hospital-plastics-into-food">Turning hospital plastics into food</h2>



The team traced the plastic-eating trick to a single enzyme, which they named Pap1. In laboratory tests, Pap1 reduced a thin PCL film by seventy-eight percent within seven days. The bacterium then used the liberated fragments as its sole carbon source.



“It means we need to reconsider how pathogens exist in the hospital environment,” said professor Ronan McCarthy, who led the study.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hungry-bacteria-will-devour-plastic-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plastics</a>, including plastic surfaces, could potentially be food for these bacteria. Pathogens with this ability could survive for longer in the hospital environment. It also means that any medical device or treatment that contains plastic could be susceptible to degradation by bacteria.”



PCL is prized because it bends without snapping, melts at low temperatures, and gradually dissolves in the body. Those traits make it ideal for resorbable sutures, drug-delivery patches, and soft tissue scaffolds.



Until now, surgeons assumed the material would vanish only through hydrolysis and harmless metabolic clearance. Pap1 shows that microbes can accelerate the process - and exploit it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-boosts-bacterial-defenses">Plastic boosts bacterial defenses</h2>



When P. aeruginosa chews up plastic, it gains more than nourishment. The broken polymer pieces help the cells weave tougher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-coexist-in-shared-spaces-by-playing-nice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biofilms</a>, those gluey communal layers that resist disinfectants, immune cells, and multiple classes of antibiotics.



Catheter-related urinary tract infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia already rank among the hardest hospital infections to treat. PCL degradation could fortify the culprit’s defenses, complicating therapy even further.



The <a href="https://www.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> lists P. aeruginosa among the top “critical” pathogens in need of new drugs. Its uncanny ability to evolve resistance and to thrive in damp, nutrient-poor niches makes it a frequent cause of persistent outbreaks.



The study showed that plastic may be an unexpected reservoir of calories, tipping survival odds further in the germ’s favor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-bacteria-may-digest-plastic">More bacteria may digest plastic</h2>



The researchers looked at genetic databases and spotted related enzyme blueprints in other bacteria known to haunt intensive-care units.



Though only PCL digestion was proven, the sequence hints suggest that plastics such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodegradable-living-plastic-contains-bacterial-spores-that-break-it-down/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyurethane</a> or polyethylene terephthalate - used in everything from vascular grafts to wound dressings - might also be vulnerable.



“The bug's plastic-eating ability is likely helping it survive on surfaces in hospitals, potentially driving hospital outbreaks. We should start to consider focusing on plastics that are harder for microbes to digest and potentially screening pathogens for these enzymes, especially in unexplained prolonged outbreaks,” McCarthy said.



That prospect affects far more than one operating theatre. Cardiac stents, breast implants, dental membranes and bone fillers all rely on polymers for flexibility and strength. If any of those materials can be metabolized, latent infections might smolder undetected until biofilms reach critical mass.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-safer-plastics">Designing safer plastics</h2>



One response is to redesign polymers so their chemical bonds resist enzymatic cleavage. Another is to coat device surfaces with inert barriers or embedded antimicrobials that deny bacteria a foothold. 



Any such solution must preserve the mechanical virtues that made PCL popular in the first place while preventing degradation inside the body.



Research chemists may also mine Pap1 itself for clues. By mapping its active site, they could predict which molecular motifs invite attack and which repel it. That information could steer the next generation of hospital plastics toward safer territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-hospital-surveillance">Rethinking hospital surveillance</h2>



Hospitals already culture swabs from taps, beds, and keyboard covers. The new data suggest laboratories should add targeted searches for plastic-digesting enzymes.



Environmental isolates that test positive might explain outbreaks whose source has eluded standard surveillance. Cleaning protocols could likewise shift focus: scrubbing away visible grime is not enough if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/previously-overlooked-viruses-may-secretly-shape-bacterial-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> can tuck inside the polymer and nibble at its chains.



McCarthy emphasizes that the present work is an early step. It examined one strain, one enzyme, and one polymer under controlled conditions. Real-world environments mix many microbes, variable temperatures, and diverse materials.



“Plastic is everywhere in modern medicine, and it turns out some pathogens have adapted to degrade it, and we need to understand the impact this has on patient safety,” McCarthy said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-experiments-on-the-horizon">Next experiments on the horizon</h2>



Future studies will test explanted devices for microscopic bite marks, track enzyme genes across hospital genomes and expose other medical plastics to potential degraders.



Animal models may reveal whether in-body digestion changes implant strength or releases inflammatory by-products. Parallel work on coatings and polymer chemistry will explore defenses.



For now, the image is sobering: a superbug perched on a catheter, slowly digesting the tube meant to heal, using the fragments to thicken its fortress and bide its time. The finding upends old assumptions and signals that in the quiet corners of a ward, plastic may not be inert at all - but a secret feast for the enemy within.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00421-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Reports</a>.



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Hospital 'superbugs' devour medical plastics, boosting infection risks

Scientists have discovered that a notorious hospital bacterium can digest...

Beautiful,Spider,Web,Close-up,On,The,Background,Of,Nature.,Selective

Scientists have bred spiders that weave bright red, fluorescent draglines, proving that the animals’ silk can be genetically re-engineered inside the living organism. This finding shows a new path toward designer fibers with tunable strength, elasticity, and surface chemistry.



The experiments were carried out by the Biomaterials research group at the <a href="https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bayreuth</a>. Using the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-gets-a-revolutionary-upgrade-with-new-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system</a>, the team inserted a fluorescent marker gene into the spiders’ silk-protein DNA, then confirmed the edit when the offspring produced crimson red threads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-spider-silk-excites-engineers"><a></a>Why spider silk excites engineers</h2>



Dragline silk already outperforms many man-made fibers. It resists tearing, stretches without snapping, weighs very little and breaks down harmlessly in nature. 



If its molecular recipe can be tweaked at will, future filaments could combine even greater toughness with added functions ranging from antimicrobial activity to electrical conductivity. Over the past decade CRISPR-Cas9 has become biology’s precision scalpel. 



The enzyme-guide complex targets chosen DNA sites, cuts them, and lets the cell’s own repair crew delete unwanted sequences or patch in new ones. The method has been applied to plants, insects, mice and more, yet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-spiders-have-personalities-what-new-research-reveals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spiders</a> had remained untouched.



“Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders,” said senior author Thomas Scheibel, a professor of biochemistry at Bayreuth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-egg-injection-to-glowing-fiber"><a></a>From egg injection to glowing fiber</h2>



Scheibel and doctoral researcher Edgardo Santiago-Rivera mixed the gene-editing components with a sequence coding for a red fluorescent protein. They injected this cocktail into unfertilized spider eggs and later mated the females.



Because the edit happened before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-are-picky-when-choosing-their-mate-for-fertilization/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertilization</a>, every cell in the brood carried the new blueprint. When the juveniles spun safety lines, the filaments glowed scarlet under blue light, confirming a successful gene knock-in.



“We have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalization of these silk fibers,” Scheibel said.



“The ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science research. For example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-learned-from-red-spider-silk">Lessons learned from red spider silk</h2>



The fluorescent marker acts as a beacon, showing where and how the modified proteins fold into the fiber. That view should help unravel the still-mysterious link between amino-acid sequence, spinning process, and macroscopic performance.



With the roadmap clearer, scientists can test added modules that stiffen the thread, alter its stickiness or carry therapeutic payloads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-vs-natural-spider-silk">Artificial vs. natural spider silk</h2>



Earlier attempts to engineer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/holy-grail-artificial-spider-silk-indistinguishable-from-natural-silk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silk</a> relied on copying genes of spiders into bacteria, yeast, plants or even goats. While those hosts churn out raw protein, the artificial threads seldom match the natural product because spinning in air differs from extrusion through a spider’s duct.



Editing the spider itself preserves the native assembly line, letting researchers fine-tune properties without losing the fiber’s intricate nanostructure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-innovation-and-ecology"><a></a>Balancing innovation and ecology</h2>



The gene-edited arachnids remained confined to secure laboratories, and the team stresses that large-scale production will require strict containment.



Spiders play key roles in ecosystems, so any field release of modified lines would demand careful risk assessment. For now. the focus lies on fundamental insight and small-batch, high-value uses such as surgical sutures or micro-mechanical springs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-web-strands-to-come">The next web strands to come</h2>



Having proved that complex proteins can be knitted into dragline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/holy-grail-artificial-spider-silk-indistinguishable-from-natural-silk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silk</a>, the Bayreuth group plans to insert sequences that enhance strength, adjust elasticity, or add sensing abilities.



Marker colors beyond red could enable multicolored performance mapping. Researchers also hope to explore the spider’s six other silk types - each specialized for tasks like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiders-adapt-their-webs-to-filter-out-human-made-noise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">web</a> capture or egg protection - to see how far CRISPR can stretch nature’s design space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-point-for-sustainable-fibers">Turning point for sustainable fibers</h2>



By merging a molecular editing toolkit with the planet’s premier fiber spinner, the study opens a fresh chapter in biomaterials science. It hints at a future where customized, biodegradable threads are spun at ambient temperature by miniature eight-legged factories - no smokestacks or petrochemicals required. 



For now, a vivid red glow in a strand of spiders silk stands as proof that the possibilities are real, and only beginning to be woven.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202502068" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Angewandte Chemie</a>.



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World's first gene-edited spiders spin red silk

Scientists have bred spiders that weave bright red, fluorescent draglines,...

Vine,And,Lianas,Around,A,Giant,Old,Tree,Against,The

Tropical forests, home to about half of the world's biodiversity, play a vital role in stabilizing the planet’s climate. Every year, they absorb roughly as much carbon dioxide as the entire European continent emits. However, lianas, such as passionflowers and other species, are increasingly dominating tropical forests. 



“Lianas can smother and kill trees. When they dominate, the forest becomes choked, and mainly lianas continue growing over fallen trees,” explained ecologist Marco Visser from <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/environmental-sciences" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leiden's Institute of Environmental Sciences</a> (CML).



During his doctoral research in 2016, Visser was the first to model liana proliferation using methods from infectious disease research.



“Lianas - such as passionflowers and numerous other species - can be compared to tapeworms. They intercept trees' resources and can more than double <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-mortality-is-pushing-the-amazon-to-a-tipping-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree mortality</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-surge-not-just-in-the-americas"><a></a>A global surge, not just in the Americas</h2>



Until recently, the increase in lianas was thought to be mostly a problem in South and Latin America. However, PhD candidate Manuela Rueda-Trujillo, supervised by Visser, reviewed hundreds of studies on lianas. The findings, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.17485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>, reveal a far more alarming trend.



“A liana pandemic has been raging for more than 30 years, with their prevalence rising by 10% to 24% every decade,” Visser said. This pattern is not confined to the Americas. The surge is occurring in tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-are-struggling-to-keep-pace-with-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a> across the globe.



In regions where lianas gain the upper hand, the consequences are devastating. Forest regeneration can come to a standstill, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-plays-a-major-role-in-global-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon storage</a> may fall by as much as 95 percent. “That's almost equivalent to deforestation,” Visser warned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-co₂-fuels-liana-domination"><a></a>CO₂ fuels liana domination</h2>



What is driving this explosive growth? Visser points to the increasing concentration of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric CO₂</a> as a key factor.



“All plants grow faster with more CO₂, but lianas benefit even more. They cheat - they don't invest in structural support, borrowing it from trees instead, and their leaves require less energy and nutrients to produce.”



Unlike trees, which must grow sturdy trunks to reach the sunlight, lianas simply climb their neighbors. Once they reach the canopy, they spread their leaves over tree crowns, stealing most of the sunlight. This aggressive growth strategy allows lianas to outcompete trees in the race for light and resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-lianas-from-space"><a></a>Seeing lianas from space</h2>



In a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.70082" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecology</a>, Visser and his team, along with American and British collaborators, demonstrated that lianas can be spotted from space. For the first time, they explained why these vines stand out in satellite imagery.



Visser developed mathematical models predicting how light interacts with liana leaves. To test these predictions, the team used cranes to reach treetops in Panama and measure leaf properties directly. Their findings confirmed the models were correct.



Liana leaves are different from tree leaves in two key ways. First, they reflect more light and infrared radiation. Second, they lie flatter, forming a dense, opaque cover. “Lianas are true egoists,” Visser said. “Tree leaves tilt, allowing light to reach lower neighbors - even the forest floor gets some sunlight. But lianas leave almost nothing for others.”



These distinct properties make liana infestations detectable in satellite images. “Now that we understand why lianas are detectable from space, we can develop targeted techniques to map their spread and impact worldwide.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-should-we-cut-them-down"><a></a>Should we cut them down?</h2>



Given their destructive impact, is it time to start cutting lianas to protect tropical forests? Visser advises caution. “We shouldn't intervene until we fully understand their ecological role. They bear fruit year-round and are vital for rare monkey and bird species.”



While lianas threaten carbon storage and forest regeneration, they also play essential roles in supporting wildlife. Some species depend on them for food and shelter, making any broad removal efforts risky.



Instead, Visser emphasizes a different solution: addressing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-climate-changes-have-drastic-effects-on-tropical-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>. Rising CO₂ levels give lianas an edge over trees. Slowing or reversing climate change is, according to him, the only long-term way to curb the liana takeover. “The only necessary action is halting climate change, which will also slow the expansion of lianas,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-emerging-global-challenge"><a></a>An emerging global challenge</h2>



The growing dominance of lianas poses a complex challenge for conservation. These vines are not invasive outsiders but native components of tropical forests. Yet, human-driven changes in the atmosphere are tipping the balance in their favor, with far-reaching consequences.



Thanks to new insights from satellite monitoring and field research, scientists are now better equipped to track and understand this phenomenon. But as lianas continue their relentless spread, the clock is ticking for the world’s tropical forests - and for the vital services they provide.



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Lianas are choking tropical forests and disrupting carbon storage

Tropical forests, home to about half of the world's biodiversity,...

Babies are widely known to begin walking anywhere between 8 months and 24 months of age, and many parents keep a watchful eye out for this milestone. New findings indicate that the timing of those first wobbly steps is influenced by specific genes that are tied to motor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/upright-walking-may-have-sparked-human-creativity-and-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">development</a>.



The discovery stems from a large investigation that examined data from over 70,000 infants, and uncovered multiple genetic markers that shape the age of walking. The research offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between a child’s biology and early movements.



Walking marks a major shift in toddler independence. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-have-the-brainpower-to-navigate-maps-at-a-very-young-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Motor</a> control of the legs, hips, and trunk progresses gradually as children experiment with cruising, standing, and balancing.



Researchers also note that this step can connect to overall health and social growth. Children who begin walking a bit on the late side occasionally raise red flags, yet differences often exist within normal limits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-genes-influence-motor-skills">How genes influence motor skills</h2>



“Most babies take their first step sometime between ages 8 months and 24 months, so it is a wide window in which this exciting milestone happens. It is a big moment for both parents and baby; it symbolises a new phase in a child’s life,” said Professor Angelica Ronald from the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Surrey</a>. 



In the past, experts focused more on environmental and cultural factors that might nudge some infants to stand tall and march off earlier. This new line of research, however, reveals 11 areas of the genome that appear linked to variations in walking age.&nbsp;



“Until now, we didn’t understand what causes the wide differences between children in when they take their first steps. Parents might often worry that walking early or late is a bad sign or that they have done something wrong,” said study lead author Dr. Anna Gui from the <a href="https://www.essex.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Essex</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-development-and-motor-control">Brain development and motor control</h2>



The genes tied to walking age also appear to influence how the cortex, the brain’s outer layer, develops its folds and ridges. 



These patterns are tied to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-babies-learn-words-for-objects-theyve-never-seen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain maturity</a> and motor control, which may explain why some children are naturally ready to walk sooner than others.



In fact, one <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5934" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene called RBL2</a>, which is already linked to rare neurodevelopmental disorders, showed a strong connection to walking age and brain structure. Variations in this gene were also associated with changes in early brain volume in areas responsible for balance and coordination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-childhood">Implications for childhood</h2>



The researchers found a link between the genes governing motor development and a lower chance of receiving an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36702997/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADHD diagnosis</a> in those who start walking relatively later within the typical range.



The overlap between the genes that drive movement in infancy and those connected to attention differences is intriguing.



They also uncovered a connection between later walking and certain genes involved in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17671" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher educational attainment</a>. This subtle genetic relationship does not imply that late walkers always become star students, but it highlights the intricate biological factors behind early steps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-patterns-of-baby-walking">Patterns of baby walking</h2>



Patterns of early crawling, balancing, and walking can vary wildly, even within the same family. Some children are determined to chase older siblings, while others are content to scoot around on their bottoms.



Many doctors say parents should stay alert for significant delays, yet a slight lag might be part of a normal genetic pattern. 



The findings help explain why one baby might toddle off at 9 months while another confidently strides across the living room only at 15 months.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



“It is exciting to be able to discover the genes that influence when children learn to walk. Starting to walk independently is a major milestone for young children,” said Professor Ronald. 



She hopes the new insights will support better interventions for children with motor and learning challenges.



Specialists are exploring whether genetic scores could eventually inform screening tests. With early detection, professionals might offer customized therapies or assistive programs for children who lag well beyond the time frame considered normal for walking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-genetic-patterns">Exploring genetic patterns</h2>



Despite the findings, the researchers caution that genetics explains only about 25% of the variation in when babies start walking. That leaves the majority of the timing still shaped by non-genetic factors like muscle tone, body size, sleep, and opportunities for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-babies-born-with-morals-scientists-think-they-found-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">movement</a>.



Another open question is how these genetic signals operate in children from different backgrounds. The study only included infants of European ancestry, which limits how widely the findings apply. 



Broader studies will be needed to determine whether the same genetic patterns show up in other populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-takeaways-about-baby-walking">Key takeaways about baby walking</h2>



<a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8624.7402011" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientists</a> stress that environment, nutrition, and culture still play a crucial role in walking age. No gene acts in isolation, and babies need safe spaces to practice pulling up, balancing, and shuffling around.



Every child’s walking path can differ, yet these findings highlight the importance of understanding biological variations. 



By combining genetic information with practical health advice, clinicians might develop strategies to address motor difficulties earlier on in a child's life.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02145-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.



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Why some babies walk much earlier than others

Babies are widely known to begin walking anywhere between 8...

Manta,In,The,Blue,Background,While,Diving,Maldives

A new survey of North Sea waters has revealed that several shark and ray species move through Dutch offshore wind farms and may even use them as shelter.



By reading traces of DNA suspended in seawater, scientists from <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wageningen University &amp; Research</a> have shown that these high-tech energy sites could also play an unexpected part in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-conservation-credit-system-could-reduce-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine conservation</a>. 



The research provides new evidence that renewable-energy structures can interact with marine life in complex ways - sometimes for the better.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sharks-and-rays-at-wind-farms">Sharks and rays at wind farms</h2>



The team collected 436 water samples inside and around four wind-farm zones: Borssele, Hollandse Kust Zuid, Luchterduinen, and Gemini. Each sample was filtered in the lab for fragments of genetic material shed by passing animals. The method, known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-fishing-helps-scientists-survey-marine-life-in-the-deep-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental DNA</a> or eDNA, is sensitive enough to confirm a species’ presence without nets or hooks.



“We're trying to understand whether these animals are actually using the wind farms as habitat, or whether they're being displaced by them,” said lead author Annemiek Hermans, a PhD candidate at Wageningen University &amp; Research.



Five elasmobranchs - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-sharks-face-growing-threats-despite-conservation-efforts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharks</a> and rays - left a clear genetic signature at wind farms. Thornback rays appeared most often and in three of the four farms throughout the year.



Starry smooth-hound sharks and blonde rays showed up in multiple seasons. Basking sharks, famous for their long migrations, were detected in Hollandse Kust Zuid during winter, hinting at cold-season routes previously unknown in Dutch waters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-the-water-for-clues">Reading the water for clues</h2>



“It's like finding a fingerprint in the water,” Hermans explained. “Even if you don't see the shark, the DNA tells you it's been there.”



Because the technique is quick and does not disturb wildlife, it opens new doors for large-scale monitoring in rough offshore conditions. It also lets scientists compare many sites over time, revealing patterns that traditional surveys might miss.



The study drew on earlier data gathered by <a href="https://www.therichnorthsea.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Rich North Sea program</a>, then added fresh fieldwork to paint a broader picture. By merging datasets, the researchers confirmed that sharks and rays are not just skirting the turbine fields - they are moving through them in measurable numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turbines-sharks-and-rays-find-shelter">Turbines: Sharks and rays find shelter</h2>



Turbine safety zones ban bottom-trawling and other gear that gouges the seabed. Those restrictions give benthic habitats a break from constant disturbance, allowing worms, shellfish and small fish to rebound. Such changes create richer feeding grounds and hiding spots for predators higher up the food web.



“We must tread carefully,” Hermans cautioned. “If we start allowing bottom trawling in these areas, we risk losing the very protection these zones may offer.”



Vulnerable elasmobranchs, which mature slowly and lay few eggs, could benefit most from these inadvertent sanctuaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-farms-influence-sharks-and-rays">Wind farms influence sharks and rays</h2>



The findings arrive just as the European Union rolls out the Nature Restoration Law and updates its Habitats Directive.



Policymakers face a delicate task: scaling up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewable energy</a> without harming the ecosystems they hope to safeguard. Evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-threaten-marine-life-hotspots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wind farms</a> can double as conservation assets offers a rare chance for a “win-win” approach.



The six-year <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en/project/elasmopower-1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ElasmoPower project</a>, under which this study falls, also looks at how electromagnetic fields from subsea power cables might influence shark and ray behavior.



Future work will blend lab trials with camera arrays, sensors, and more eDNA sampling to see whether the animals linger, feed, or breed inside turbine clusters - or simply pass through.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-north-sea-wildlife"><a></a>Next steps for North Sea wildlife</h2>



Using non-invasive genetics, the team now has a baseline for tracking seasonal movements and long-term trends. Repeating the survey in different years and depths could reveal whether the number of elasmobranchs rises as benthic life recovers beneath turbine blades.



The same approach might be applied to other protected species, guiding spatial plans that place turbines where they help rather than harm.



For now, the study demonstrates that wind farms are more than power plants. They are new structures in a busy sea, shaping habitats in ways still being mapped. Whether those changes become a net gain for threatened sharks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-rays-were-more-diverse-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rays</a> will depend on careful management - and on keeping the trawls out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beneath-the-waves">Beneath the waves</h2>



The North Sea is a crowded stage of shipping lanes, fishing grounds and growing energy grids. Environmental DNA offers a swift, animal-friendly way to see how each new addition affects life below the surface.



In this case it has been shown that, under the right rules, rows of spinning turbines might turn into corridors of relative calm for some of the ocean’s most ancient fish.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107671" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean &amp; Coastal Management</a>.



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Offshore wind farms are now habitats for sharks and rays

A new survey of North Sea waters has revealed that...

Children born today are stepping into a world that is increasingly defined by climate extremes.



Heatwaves, floods, wildfires, droughts, and tropical cyclones are occurring more often and with greater intensity. As global temperatures continue to rise, these extreme events are projected to grow even more severe.



More than any generation before them, young people face a future that will be shaped by climate uncertainty. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-world-of-climate-extremes">A world of climate extremes</h2>



New research from scientists at <a href="https://www.vub.be/nl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vrije Universiteit Brussel</a> (VUB) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) paints a startling picture. 



The study shows that today’s children will likely experience a much higher number of climate extremes over their lifetime compared to those born just a few decades earlier. And in many parts of the world, these experiences will be without historical precedent.



“In 2021, we demonstrated how children are to face disproportionate increases in extreme event exposure - especially in low-income countries," said Wim Thiery, professor of climate science at VUB and senior author of the study.



"Now, we examined how the cumulative exposure to climate extremes across one’s lifetime will far exceed that which would have been experienced in a pre-industrial climate."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unprecedented-life">An unprecedented life</h2>



The study introduces a concept called an “unprecedented life.” According to Dr. Luke Grant, the study's lead author, living an unprecedented life means that, without climate change, one would have less than a 1-in-10,000 chance of experiencing that many climate extremes across one’s lifetime.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“This is a stringent threshold that identifies populations facing climate extremes far beyond what could be expected without <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indisputable-evidence-of-human-caused-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">man-made climate change</a>,” said Dr. Grant.
</blockquote>



The scientists arrived at these conclusions by combining demographic data with projections from climate models. 



This allowed them to calculate, for every region on Earth, the percentage of people born between 1960 and 2020 who are expected to live through an unprecedented number of climate extremes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-future-defined-by-climate-extremes">A future defined by climate extremes</h2>



The findings revealed a clear generational divide. The younger someone is, the more extreme events they are likely to endure.



Even if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global warming</a> is limited to 1.5°C, more than half (52%) of children born in 2020 will face a lifetime of unprecedented heatwaves. In contrast, only 16% of those born in 1960 would face such extremes.



“By stabilizing our climate around 1.5 °C above pre-industrial temperatures, about half of today’s young people will be exposed to an unprecedented number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwaves</a> in their lifetime. Under a 3.5 °C scenario, over 90% will endure such exposure throughout their lives,” noted Dr. Grant.



“The same picture emerges for other climate extremes examined, though with slightly lower affected fractions of the population. Yet the same unfair generational differences in unprecedented exposure is observed.”



And geography matters. Children in tropical countries are especially vulnerable - even under a 1.5°C warming limit.



If emissions continue on their current path, nearly every child on Earth could end up facing a future defined by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-summer-rainfall-events-have-increased-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme events</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inequality-makes-the-crisis-worse">Inequality makes the crisis worse</h2>



The research also highlights the injustice of climate change. Children who are more likely to be exposed to extreme events are most often living in poorer countries that are the least equipped to respond. These communities often lack the infrastructure and resources needed to adapt or recover.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“Precisely the most vulnerable children experience the worst escalation of climate extremes. With limited resources and adaptation options, they face disproportionate risks,” said Thiery.
</blockquote>



Under current policies, 95% of the most socioeconomically vulnerable children born in 2020 are expected to live through unprecedented heatwave exposure. For the least vulnerable group, that number is 78 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-action-is-needed">Urgent action is needed</h2>



The timing of this study is no coincidence. It arrives as world leaders prepare for COP30 in Brazil, where new climate commitments will be on the table. 



Right now, existing policies put the planet on a path toward approximately 2.7°C of warming this century. The scientists behind this study, along with global advocates, are calling for stronger, faster action to keep warming below 1.5°C.



“Across the world, children are forced to bear the brunt of a crisis they are not responsible for," said Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International.



"Dangerous heat that puts their health and learning at risk; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-bomb-cyclones-increasing-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cyclones</a> that batter their homes and schools; creeping droughts that shrivel up crops and shrink what’s on their plates. Amid this daily drumbeat of disasters, children plead with us not to switch off." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-children-from-climate-extremes">Protecting children from climate extremes </h2>



This new research shows there is still hope, but only if we act urgently and ambitiously to limit warming temperatures rapidly to 1.5 °C. We need to put children front and center of our response to climate change.



“With global emissions still rising and the planet only 0.2 °C away from the 1.5 °C threshold, world leaders must step up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the climate burden on today’s youth,” concluded Thiery.



The study doesn’t just offer a warning - it offers a choice. Today’s decisions will shape the future lives of millions of children, including how many climate extremes they will have to endure.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08907-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Today’s children will face more climate extremes than ever before

Children born today are stepping into a world that is...

In the hidden corners of our world, insects buzz, flutter, and crawl through shrinking habitats - playing roles that sustain life. Yet, while we look away, their numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate. Since the 1970s, studies suggest a jaw-dropping 50% decline in insect biomass.



The culprits? Habitat destruction and climate change. But what happens when these forces collide?



At the intersection of rising temperatures and vanishing habitats, a new and more lethal threat emerges. Researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) set out to unravel this intricate web. 



Led by Professor Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter as part of the LandKlif research cluster, the team conducted a sweeping study across 179 locations in Bavaria. Their findings offer a chilling glimpse into a world where insects struggle to survive in a rapidly changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-farming-is-causing-many-insect-species-to-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">landscape</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-heat-slashes-bee-populations">Urban heat slashes bee populations</h2>



Picture this: a world without bees. Crops wither, habitats shrink, and the hum of life falls silent. The JMU study reveals that bees - crucial pollinators - are bearing the brunt of this environmental assault.



In forests, bees adapted to the heat and maintained their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>. But in cities, the story took a darker turn. Urban bee populations plunged by 65% - a staggering drop that spells disaster for pollination.



Dr. Cristina Ganuza, a biologist on the project, highlighted the overlooked role of nighttime temperatures. “The fact that night-time temperatures have such an impact on diurnal insects is significant. Precisely because average night-time temperatures rise even faster than daytime temperatures."



Days sear with heat, and nights fail to cool. Bees, already displaced from their natural habitats, cannot escape the relentless warmth. For them, the city becomes a death trap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insects-struggle-in-agricultural-habitats">Insects struggle in agricultural habitats</h2>



Higher up the food chain, predators and parasitoids told a different story. These natural pest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">controllers</a> showed surprising resilience in forests and grasslands. But in open agricultural areas, they faced an uphill battle.



“This can have a negative impact on agricultural production because insects that contribute to natural pest control should be similarly affected,” said Dr. Sarah Redlich.



Without these predators to keep pests in check, agricultural losses could mount. However, in areas where agricultural land and natural habitats intermingled, predator populations fared better. This highlights a crucial lesson: not all landscapes are created equal in a warming world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-heat-worsens-insect-declines">Night heat worsens insect declines</h2>



As the sun dips below the horizon, insects should find respite. But the night now offers little relief. The JMU study uncovers a hidden enemy - rising nighttime temperatures that hammer diurnal insects like bees.



Bee diversity dropped across all habitat types, from cities to grasslands. This previously unnoticed threat could spell catastrophe for pollinators struggling to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adapt</a>.



“This previously unknown negative effect of warmer nights on insects reveals a new threat that requires further research to uncover the underlying physiological mechanisms,” said Steffan-Dewenter.



Night after night, the heat persists, robbing insects of the chance to recover. As temperatures rise, even the dark becomes dangerous.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-habitats-protect-insects">Natural habitats protect insects</h2>



Not all habitats shelter insects equally. The JMU study highlights a stark contrast between natural and urbanized landscapes. Forests and grasslands emerged as safe havens, providing refuge and resources.



Warmer daytime temperatures, surprisingly, increased bee diversity in these areas. But in cities, the same heat wave proved deadly, causing bee populations to nosedive.



Researchers emphasize the importance of connecting natural habitats within urban and agricultural areas. Without green corridors, insects lose not just their homes but their pathways to survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insect-habitat-loss-disrupts-pollination">Insect habitat loss disrupts pollination</h2>



When insects vanish, the consequences ripple outward. Bees disappear, and flowers go unpollinated. Predators decline, and pests multiply unchecked. Food webs wobble, and entire ecosystems falter.



“Their different responses could disrupt food webs and important ecosystem functions such as pest control and pollination,” said Ganuza.



Insects may be small, but their absence creates a void that echoes throughout the ecosystem. Each disappearance is a thread pulled from the intricate web of life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next">What comes next? </h2>



The JMU study sounds a stark warning: climate change and habitat loss don’t just coexist - they amplify each other. Yet the findings also point to a way forward.



Maintaining green corridors within agricultural and urban landscapes could provide vital refuges for insects. Implementing strategies that reduce nighttime heat might offer a lifeline to diurnal species struggling to adapt.



Understanding why some insects resist climate change better than others could inform targeted conservation efforts. In a world that’s heating up fast, every degree matters.



The world of insects teeters on the brink. The time to act is now - before the silence grows deafening.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.3053" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Rising heat, shrinking habitats: Insects face hidden threats

In the hidden corners of our world, insects buzz, flutter,...

A massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jaw-fossil-reveals-fruit-eating-mammal-from-the-dinosaur-age/">dinosaur</a> once roamed ancient Central Asia, overshadowing the smaller ancestors of well-known tyrants. Its fossilized jaw left behind clues about a predator that was anything but ordinary.



This imposing creature, recently named as Ulughbegasaurus uzbekistanensis, opens a window into a time when early tyrannosaurs could not challenge its size. 



The scientist who examined this forgotten beast, <a href="https://trios.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/researcher/0000004240" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Kohei Tanaka</a> from the University of Tsukuba, spotted something unusual in the decades-old jawbone, and that observation sparked new studies on this remarkable meat-eater.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-lurking-in-the-shadows">Giant lurking in the shadows</h2>



The fossil came from rock layers dated to about 90 million years ago. These layers capture a world that existed long before towering tyrannosaurs rose to the top of the food chain.



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667119303611" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evidence</a> suggests that this new predator had blade-like dentition, a feature that made it adept at slicing prey. Researchers believe these sharp edges distinguished its feeding style from the crushing jaws of later giants like T. rex.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-an-earlier-hierarchy">Signs of an earlier hierarchy</h2>



While early <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8424376/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tyrannosaurs</a> of that period measured only around 10 feet (3 meters) long, the newly identified dinosaur was significantly larger, with a body length of around 26 feet (8 meters), and a mass of over 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms). 



Paleontologists see this as a strong indication that, at that time, these smaller tyrants were not the apex hunters of their environment. Instead, Ulughbegasaurus was likely to have dominated with its large dimensions and fearsome teeth.



They propose that once the bigger competitor disappeared, tyrannosaurs seized the chance to grow. That growth ultimately paved the way for colossal species like T. rex, which eventually spanned more than 40 feet (12 meters) in length, in later eras.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-separate-oddity-from-the-desert">A separate oddity from the desert</h2>



Another intriguing discovery involves <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(25)00401-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duonychus</a>, an herbivore unearthed in the Gobi desert. This dinosaur, believed to have roamed parts of Asia, displayed an unusual hand with two large claws, each measuring about a foot (30 centimeters) in length.



“The claws on this one are about a foot long,” said <a href="https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/darla-zelenitsky" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Darla Zelenitsky</a>, an associate professor at the University of Calgary. 



A research team found one fossil with the nail still attached, which is a rare occurrence because keratin does not usually survive for millions of years. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-northern-cousin-with-a-fierce-name">A northern cousin with a fierce name</h2>



A separate species named Thanatotheristes degrootorum once lived in what is now Alberta, Canada, approximately 79.5 million years ago. It measured around 26 feet (8 meters) and likely preyed on large, plant-eating dinosaurs.



This new tyrannosaur is described in academic <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667119303611" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> on Canada’s paleontological record, and is recognized for having a more elongated snout than some of its relatives. That feature sets it apart and places it in a newly named subgroup of robust dinosaurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teeth-with-an-edge">Teeth with an edge</h2>



Each discovery highlights how varied these theropod dinosaurs could be. Their dentition revealed that some species depended on crushing power, while others leaned on slashing capabilities.



Paleontologists link such variety to changes in local climate, food sources, and competitive pressures. They suggest that these shifting conditions across the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233904673_A_New_Genus_And_Species_Of_Tyrannosauroid_From_The_Late_CretaceousMiddle_Campanian_Demopolis_Formation_Of_Alabama" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Late Cretaceous</a> allowed different predator shapes and strategies to flourish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-competitive-times-and-sudden-exits">Competitive times and sudden exits</h2>



Fossils like these reveal that large carnivores and smaller tyrannosaurs coexisted, at least briefly. This coexistence set the stage for intense interactions when resources ran low.



The bigger hunters appear to have enjoyed a moment in the spotlight until their extinction opened the path for smaller species to expand and diversify. That opportunity shaped the next wave of colossal predators that dominated for millennia thereafter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-constant-hunt-for-clues">A constant hunt for clues</h2>



The search for remnants of these forgotten giants is ongoing, with new sites turning up evidence of their feeding habits, growth stages, and dominance in prehistoric ecosystems. Bits of bone often sit in museum collections for years before anyone recognizes their significance.



Teams around the globe continue to refine the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collagen-discovered-in-70-million-year-old-dinosaur-fossil/">dinosaur</a> family tree. Each major find has a story to tell about adaptation and survival in a constantly changing environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-balance-in-prehistoric-power-struggles">Shifting balance in prehistoric power struggles</h2>



Paleontologists believe that ecosystem shifts may have determined which predators came out on top. When Ulughbegasaurus vanished around 89 million years ago, its disappearance left a vacuum that smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/juvenile-t-rex-fossils-belong-a-distinct-tyrannosaur-species/">tyrannosaurs</a> were quick to fill.



These shifts may have involved climate patterns, declining populations of certain prey species, or changes in vegetation that disrupted food chains. Whatever the trigger, the fall of one apex predator helped carve the path for another to rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-filling-the-puzzle-of-dinosaur-diversity">Filling the puzzle of dinosaur diversity</h2>



Experts stress that many gaps remain in our knowledge of Late Cretaceous life. New skeletons from places such as Central Asia, Canada, and Mongolia are expanding our understanding of prehistoric habitats and their inhabitants.



They predict that future work may reveal more species that briefly overshadowed early tyrannosaurs. Such discoveries show that dinosaur evolution was never straightforward or predictable.



The study is published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.210923" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous Research</a>.



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With teeth like knives, this giant kept the young tyrannosaurs at bay 

A massive dinosaur once roamed ancient Central Asia, overshadowing the...

Marine animals often travel more than a thousand miles across open ocean waters, surprising many scientists who study their wanderings. These long oceanic journeys create unexpected links between countries and continents.



Scientists from The University of Queensland (UQ) and <a href="https://duke.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duke University</a> have introduced an interactive database called <a href="https://mico.eco/system" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MiCO</a> to map these movements. 



The work was led by Dr. Lily Bentley from <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UQ</a>’s Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. The goal was to show policymakers and everyday people how these creatures use our shared <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-dolphin-day-2025-honoring-the-oceans-most-playful-minds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seas</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-connections-of-marine-animals">Hidden connections of marine animals</h2>



MiCO collects data for 109 animal species, such as whales, sea turtles, and certain fish. Each entry in this system showcases patterns that connect national <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-animals-swim-at-the-perfect-depth-to-save-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waters</a> with areas beyond them.



“Covering 109 species including birds, mammals, turtles, and fish, MiCO brings together thousands of records from over 1,300 sources to map how marine animals traverse the world's oceans,” said Dr. Bentley. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-marine-migration">Tracking marine migration </h2>



Many migratory animals move across national boundaries, so efforts in one country might be undone by gaps in another. <a href="https://highseasalliance.org/treaty-negotiations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">High Seas Treaty</a> negotiations, which address waters beyond national limits, add to the urgency of cooperating on global management practices.



MiCO’s models spotlight <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3258" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecological connectivity</a>, a term describing how different parts of the ocean are linked through the movements of living beings. This connectivity shows that no one nation can safeguard migratory species on its own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-movements-of-ocean-animals">Global movements of ocean animals</h2>



Partners from across the world contributed tagging and tracking results to feed into this new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-impacting-marine-life-more-than-we-realized/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">system</a>. Tagged animals helped researchers identify important foraging and nesting sites, along with areas where different species overlap.



Users can explore interactive maps to see how a shark off the coast of one region might eventually pass near a fishing zone run by another. 



This information is key for <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2012/02/23/faq-what-is-a-regional-fishery-management-organization" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regional Fisheries Management Organizations</a>, which guide sustainable fishing agreements between multiple countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revealing-key-ocean-animal-habitats">Revealing key ocean animal habitats</h2>



Some of the species in MiCO rely on two or three very distinct environments during their lives. A few go from the tropics to colder waters, while others roam across entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/23-new-marine-bacteria-species-discovered-that-influence-global-ocean-cycles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> basins before returning to breed. 



Data from animal-borne tags reveal how an individual might roam thousands of miles and then end up near the same nesting spot it used in past years.



“This tool connects almost 2,000 crucial habitats and spotlights the importance of cross-boundary cooperation,” said Dr. Bentley. It helps non-scientists appreciate how each small area fits into a much larger picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-conservation-agreements">Global conservation agreements</h2>



International efforts, like the <a href="https://www.cms.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Convention on Migratory Species</a>, often struggle with incomplete data. Dr. Bentley’s team hopes MiCO can fill some of these gaps by presenting a global picture of animal movements.



“MiCO's freely available models have already been identified as a valuable asset to inform the implementation of this treaty,” said Professor Daniel Dunn, the Centre’s director.



Dunn sees promise in integrating these findings with emerging legal frameworks that govern open waters.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-data-coverage">Expanding data coverage</h2>



MiCO now highlights 109 species, but that number may grow. A broad range of migratory life remains untracked, including those in remote habitats that few people ever visit.



Some species, such as sharks, remain only partially studied due to their high mobility and deep-ocean behaviors. Researchers believe that more collaborations across scientific institutions could fill these knowledge gaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-tracking-ocean-animals">Challenges of tracking ocean animals</h2>



Working with wild animals in rough oceans is difficult, and tag-based methods can be costly. Researchers must handle strict guidelines that weigh the potential harm to individual animals against the value of the information gained.



Despite these hurdles, MiCO’s team emphasizes that shared data benefit everyone. More countries are signing on to share location information from new tagging projects to ensure that no important route goes unnoticed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-future-migrations">Protecting future migrations</h2>



Each species has its own migratory cycle, and these cycles are vulnerable to threats such as fishing bycatch, pollution, and habitat loss. 



By identifying precisely where and when species might travel, conservation groups can craft measures that reduce the risk of accidental harm.



MiCO supports standard tools like environmental impact assessments by helping planners account for key habitats. Even a single busy shipping lane can pose new hazards if it cuts across a major corridor used by whales or turtles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-team-effort">A global team effort</h2>



Many people, including biologists, oceanographers, and government agencies, contributed research to MiCO. 



Nations that share coastal habitats, as well as those that manage large oceanic zones, can reference the database to see if an animal frequenting their waters depends on areas under another’s management.



This knowledge encourages more unified action, where protection plans can be coordinated among neighboring countries. Nations can also monitor potential overlap in fishing grounds and threatened species hotspots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-initiatives-for-marine-animals">Conservation initiatives for marine animals</h2>



MiCO hopes to drive new discussions around marine protection and policy changes. The ability to see exact areas of use for species that cross borders should help reduce confusion among policymakers. It can also strengthen shared projects under the High Seas Treaty.



Researchers say that many questions remain about how climate shifts will alter migration patterns. But with more open-access data, global management strategies will be better equipped to handle these changes in the long run.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59271-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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How ocean animals connect countries and continents

Marine animals often travel more than a thousand miles across...

Fishing pots are a mainstay for many coastal communities. They are often used to capture shrimp and other crustaceans for the dinner table while keeping habitat damage in check. A new study shows how simple lights can make certain catches bigger.



The findings arrive at a time when many coastal regions are eager for fresh methods that help preserve marine habitats.



“We think that the light attracts zooplankton - like moths around a flame - which in turn attracts shrimp (which eat zooplankton), and that entices larger fish predators into the pots to gobble up the shrimp,” said Dr. Robert Enever from <a href="https://www.fishtekmarine.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fishtek Marine</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lights-attract-shrimp-to-pots">Lights attract shrimp to pots</h2>



Bright beams inside standard pots sound odd. Yet researchers discovered that these small LED devices create a steady draw for zooplankton - tiny sea creatures that float in open water.



Shrimp seem to follow, which then draws in bigger fish on the hunt. Some fishers around the world have tried using conventional bait. Now, these lights could offer a fresh angle by reducing the need for bait while also bringing in a different mix of catch.



Potting for northern shrimp has been around for decades in certain places. According to a <a href="https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/MFR/mfr743/mfr7431.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> on shrimp pots in the Gulf of Maine, potting can yield multiple pounds of shrimp at a time. That is no small haul.



This new work used pots modified with lights, aiming to see if shrimp counts might rise further. Early signs point to possibilities for bigger yields, but the location of fishing and pot design both matter a lot. Not all areas teem with these shrimp, so trial runs in new spots would be wise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bycatch-and-habitat-disturbance">Bycatch and habitat disturbance </h2>



Trawling often means dragging heavy gear across the seabed. That can disturb habitats and risk higher levels of bycatch, which are unintended species snagged in nets.



Study lead author Dr. Tom Horton is an expert in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University ofExeter</a>’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



“Shrimp and cod are often fished by trawling, which can result in high bycatch (accidental catching of other species), and habitat disturbance. Finding lower-impact alternatives - including static gear such as pots - is essential for more sustainable fisheries,” said Dr. Horton. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-that-are-drawn-to-shrimp">Fish that are drawn to shrimp</h2>



Oddly enough, the lights also attracted certain small fish. Some juveniles were caught while chasing shrimp in the pots. That might be a setback if the goal is purely shrimp, or an option for fishers who want to adapt the design to target bigger fish.



Still, the entire concept may provide a path to reduce unwanted catch. Past findings suggest that specialized pots can improve the selection of which fish or crustaceans come onboard. The trick is matching the shape, size, and mesh of the pot to the intended species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-light-affects-fish-behavior">How light affects fish behavior </h2>



One striking takeaway from the study is how underwater lighting may trigger an "attraction cascade." This means a small light draws in plankton, which then brings in shrimp, and finally attracts larger fish that feed on the shrimp.



It’s not just the shrimp that seem curious - gadoid species like <a href="https://www.fishbase.se/summary/trisopterus-minutus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poor cod</a> were often found with shrimp in their stomachs, suggesting they were lured in by the buffet.



This pattern changes how we think about baitless fishing. Instead of relying on dead fish or synthetic lures, the pot becomes its own miniature food chain. 



But the effectiveness depends on species behavior, water depth, and even how shrimp respond to light at different stages of their life. That makes future testing in other ecosystems all the more important.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-pots-with-led-lights">Testing pots with LED lights</h2>



Future tests are needed before any large-scale rollout. Widespread use of lit pots would call for monitoring of battery use and potential ecological disturbances from extra light. But it could also replace or trim down the use of bait, lowering costs for many fishers.



There is also a chance that these glowing pots might reduce harm to sensitive ocean floors. Instead of dragging big nets, fishers might rely on static gear that has less contact with seabed communities. A switch like that could help keep local ecosystems healthier while still supporting a decent catch.



Towing giant nets for shrimp puts pressure on fuel, labor, and fish populations that get scooped up by accident. Pots with lights might use less bait and damage fewer habitats. But they also need repeated checking, which can become time-consuming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-lit-fishing-gear">The future of lit fishing gear</h2>



Testing new fishing gear goes beyond science labs. Skippers need to trust that these pots will bring in enough shrimp or fish to cover costs. Balancing gear investment, labor, and local rules can make or break whether lighted gear stays afloat in the long run.



One clear advantage is the simple attraction strategy. If lighting triggers a steady cycle of shrimp and fish, then that changes how pots are used. It might open up new fisheries or reduce side-catches in existing ones.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569125001255?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean &amp; Coastal Management</a>.



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Simple lights help fishers catch more shrimp with less damage

Fishing pots are a mainstay for many coastal communities. They...

Digger wasps exhibit remarkable memory skills when managing their nests. These wasps create separate burrows for each egg, storing food inside and returning after a few days to provide more. 



They can remember the locations of up to nine nests simultaneously, despite the chaotic surroundings filled with hundreds of other females' nests. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unexpected-find-inside-the-eye-of-a-tiny-wasp-megaphragma-viggianii/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wasps</a> rarely make mistakes, ensuring that each offspring receives adequate nourishment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digger-wasps-manage-multiple-nests">Digger wasps manage multiple nests</h2>



Mother <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasitic-wasp-had-a-flytrap-for-snatching-its-victims/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wasps</a> feed their young in age order, adjusting the sequence if one larva dies. 



They can also delay feeding larvae that received more food during the first visit. This intricate scheduling prevents starvation and ensures all larvae get sufficient food. 



“Our findings suggest that the miniature brain of an insect is capable of remarkably sophisticated scheduling decisions,” said Professor Jeremy Field, from the&nbsp;<a href="https://ecologyconservation.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre for Ecology and Conservation</a>&nbsp;on Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



“We tend to think that something so small couldn’t do something so complex. In fact, they can remember where and when they have fed their young, and what they fed them, in a way that would be taxing even to human brains.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-episodic-memory-in-wasps">Episodic memory in wasps</h2>



Humans use episodic memory to recall past actions and adjust future plans. Professor Field suggests that wasps may use a similar mechanism to remember where and when they last fed each larva. 



Although the exact process remains unknown, the study indicates that these wasps can track multiple nests, the food given, and the timing of each feeding.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caterpillar-hunting-and-feeding-strategy">Caterpillar hunting and feeding strategy</h2>



Digger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-wasp-species-named-after-famous-thieves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wasps</a> hunt caterpillars on heather plants, paralyzing them before placing them in burrows with eggs. The larva consumes the caterpillar as its first meal. 



Mothers then seal the burrow entrance and leave to either start a new burrow or continue feeding existing offspring. They return after two to seven days to check on the larvae. 



If a larva is dead, the mother lays a new egg and reorders the feeding schedule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-navigating-hundreds-of-nests">Navigating hundreds of nests</h2>



Despite nesting in nearly featureless sand with hundreds of other nests, mother wasps maintain exceptional spatial awareness. 



They use visual landmarks like stones to locate their nests with impressive accuracy. The study recorded just 1.5% of 1,293 food deliveries going to the wrong nest, emphasizing the precision of their navigation skills.



The researchers also tested the wasps by swapping caterpillars as mothers prepared burrows.



Wasps given larger caterpillars waited longer before providing more food, indicating a flexible feeding strategy based on larval needs. This adaptability helps manage resources effectively and supports the survival of the young.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wasp-memory-nests-and-scheduling">Wasp memory, nests, and scheduling</h2>



Professor Field noted that memory is energetically expensive, requiring neural machinery to store and process information.



While many lab-based studies explore memory in controlled settings, this study demonstrates the ecological relevance of memory in the wild, showing why natural selection may have favored these capabilities.



The researchers used various experiments to explore wasp memory and scheduling. One experiment involved replacing food items in nests, testing whether wasps adjusted feeding schedules based on food size. 



Mothers given larger prey items delayed further feeding, initiating new nests sooner. This behavior allowed them to increase reproductive output without compromising larval survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-wasps-adjust-after-losing-a-nest">How wasps adjust after losing a nest</h2>



Mothers could remember up to nine active nests and adjust feeding schedules without revisiting nests. 



However, when larvae died, mothers replaced them with new eggs, moving these nests to the back of the feeding order. This strategy minimized energy loss and prevented resource wastage.



Fieldwork at Witley Common, UK, revealed that digger wasps evolved cognitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/an-8-year-olds-backyard-discovery-of-ants-wasps-changed-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a> to counter parasitism and food scarcity. 



Parasitic flies pose a significant threat, laying eggs on wasp larvae. To minimize exposure, mother wasps avoid revisiting nests unless parasitism risk is low. This reduces the chances of parasites accessing vulnerable offspring. 



Additionally, food scarcity prompted wasps to develop efficient nest management. By remembering up to nine nests, mothers allocate food based on larval age without resampling, conserving time and resources. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-cognitive-traits">Evolution of cognitive traits </h2>



Researchers suggest that these memory and scheduling abilities may have laid the foundation for social behaviors seen in more advanced insect lineages. 



Managing multiple offspring, tracking nest locations, and adjusting feeding schedules align with the caregiving patterns observed in social insects like ants and bees. 



The study highlights how ecological pressures can drive the evolution of complex cognitive traits even in insects with tiny brains.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00509-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Wasp moms manage multiple nests with remarkable memory

Digger wasps exhibit remarkable memory skills when managing their nests....

This might sound surprising, but certain nose shapes in dogs could open new lines of thought about a serious birth defect. Scientists who study inherited traits are exploring a rare hunting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-dogs-share-genes-linked-to-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">breed</a> to see why some humans are born with structural gaps in their lip or palate.



Experts have found an unusual pattern in the PDGFRA gene, which is key in guiding facial tissues to fuse during <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1003851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">embryonic development</a>. 



The analysis points to the same gene in the formation of a dog’s split nose and the development of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10454293/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">orofacial clefts</a>, which are malformations in the lip or roof of the mouth. Peter Savolainen, from <a href="https://www.kth.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KTH</a> Royal Institute of Technology, notes that further study might help clarify this genetic link.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-dog-nose-shape">Rare dog nose shape </h2>



Bifid noses are uncommon in dogs, yet one hunting breed showcases them naturally. Researchers believe that this striking feature might come from a small change in the sequence of the PDGFRA gene.



<a href="https://ia801303.us.archive.org/35/items/pointerhispredec00arkw/pointerhispredec00arkw.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pointing dogs</a> with forked noses were recorded in parts of Europe hundreds of years ago. Historical reports mention distinctive nasal formations that some owners considered helpful for sniffing out game.



Some veterinary specialists suggest that bifid noses do not reduce a dog’s basic ability to thrive. They see this trait as a window into how small mutations can influence head shape without severely affecting general health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-nose-shape-and-human-birth-defects">Dog nose shape and human birth defects</h2>



Facial development in mammals hinges on precise alignment of tissue during early growth. When segments do not merge, a gap can appear, causing complications in appearance, feeding, and speech.



“While there are several genetic and environmental reasons behind orofacial clefts in humans, this study offers a clue to another factor. This indicates that the gene might be involved in some cases of human orofacial clefts,” said Savolainen.



Researchers point out that in the United States, about one in 1,600 babies is born with a combination of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/about/cleft-lip-cleft-palate.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cleft lip</a> and palate. They believe studying these specialized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-do-cats-outlive-dogs-clues-found-in-their-genes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dog</a> lineages could hint at new genetic angles for preventing or treating these craniofacial conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-variants-affecting-facial-structure">Gene variants affecting facial structure</h2>



Investigators noticed a forked-nose trait appeared in different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lineages</a>, which hints at more than one variant causing it. They suspect that heterozygous states of such alterations might give rise to distinctive facial patterns without severely harming the dog’s overall health.



Studies in laboratory animals show that disruptions to this gene can interfere with normal fusion of mouth and nose structures. Researchers are curious about whether humans who carry similar genetic shifts might be at higher risk for these anomalies.



Teams in various countries are examining how these nasal differences pop up outside of a single breed. Such occurrences hint that there could be multiple PDGFRA mutations with comparable effects on the face.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-gene-variants">Unexpected gene variants</h2>



Another part of the project examined additional genes involved in body size and head shape. A mutation related to larger stature was documented, adding evidence that small genetic tweaks can produce noticeable differences.&nbsp;



Genetic <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16341006/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> in dogs reveal how a narrow gene pool can highlight rare traits in ways large, mixed populations cannot. This selective breeding within certain lines can sharpen our insight into how genes affect form and function.



Other investigations are uncovering how certain gene disruptions might link to minor skull changes. Such findings may broaden scientists’ view of how cranium shape evolves in different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-insights-from-dog-nose-genetics">Health insights from dog nose genetics</h2>



Pinpointing the roots of these dog traits may help guide new research on human birth defects. Animal models are a valuable resource for pinpointing genes that contribute to structural issues.



Investigators remain cautious about jumping to quick conclusions, given the number of factors that influence these conditions. Yet they see a promising opportunity to expand genetic testing in different dog breeds.



Some are interested in examining the long-term effects of these mutations on overall health. Data on dog lifespans and medical outcomes could clarify whether any hidden risks accompany these facial differences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-dna-and-birth-defect-patterns">Dog DNA and birth defect patterns</h2>



Many hope that by uncovering how certain canine DNA segments shape the muzzle, parallels in human facial formation will become clearer. This approach uses fewer distracting genetic variables than those found in people, who have vast diversity across populations.



Dog-focused <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22270221/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have led to major discoveries in traits like coat color and disease risk. These projects illustrate how our four-legged companions may hold clues for tackling issues that also affect us.



Veterinary genetics can sometimes reveal single-gene influences that are masked in humans. That streamlined insight could help pinpoint the right spot in the genome when researching cleft conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-collaboration-on-genetic-research">Global collaboration on genetic research</h2>



Dogs are bred worldwide under various cultural traditions, which often intensifies certain desired traits. This results in inbred populations that can bring hidden genetic factors to light.



Tracking these lineages across countries also helps researchers trace the movement of genetic variants. Collaborations among <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30940804/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experts</a> in Europe, the Americas, and Asia have been key to piecing together what shapes canine and human development.



Some communities cherish these unusual physical features and continue breeding for them. Scientists respect the cultural value but remain interested in the broader medical lessons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-nose-genes-and-facial-deformities">Dog nose genes and facial deformities</h2>



More consistent collection of canine DNA samples could keep shedding light on overlooked deformities. Once found, these same changes might guide deeper inquiries into specific birth defects in families.



Comparing canine and human genetic data has sometimes revealed shared genetic themes. Investigators are eager to see how further analysis of the PDGFRA gene may improve understanding of orofacial clefts.



Many believe further attention on bifid noses will highlight unexpected genetic pathways. Tapping into global databases of dog genomes might confirm or refute patterns suspected in early trials.



Labs that combine veterinary science, human genetics, and developmental biology stand at the forefront of these efforts. Efforts to unravel the genetic code of dogs with unique features could spark a new outlook on facial anomalies in humans.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://genome.cshlp.org/content/35/5/1080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genome Research</a>.



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Dog nose shapes could help explain human birth defects

This might sound surprising, but certain nose shapes in dogs...

A new global assessment has identified 25 primate species that are now the most endangered on Earth. Many survive as only a few hundred - or even a few dozen - individuals, and without swift intervention several could vanish within the next decade.



The biennial list, “Primates in Peril 2023-2025,” was prepared by the <a href="https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-ssc-primate-specialist-group" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group</a>, the <a href="https://internationalprimatologicalsociety.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Primatological Society</a> and <a href="https://www.rewild.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Re:wild</a>, working with more than one hundred scientists.



The report replaces 15 names from the previous roster to spotlight equally desperate cases and spreads the alarm of endangered primates across Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and South America.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changes-on-the-endangered-list">Changes on the endangered list </h2>



The editors emphasize that dropping a species does not mean its outlook improved. Instead, the panel wanted to highlight relatives facing the same grim future.



Indonesia and Madagascar each host four of the newly listed species, while China, Vietnam, and Nigeria follow with three apiece. Habitat loss, hunting, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/primates-face-an-uncertain-future-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>, and the illegal wildlife trade remain the shared drivers of decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-endangered-species-in-peril">The endangered species in peril</h2>



In Sumatra’s upland Batang Toru forest only about 767 Tapanuli <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-unlock-the-mysteries-of-orangutan-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">orangutans</a> endure, making this ape the rarest great ape ever recorded. 



Researchers calculate that the species now occupies barely 2.5 percent of its nineteenth-century range, and even that sliver is being chipped away by mining and a hydro-electric dam.



West Africa’s Cross River <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-gorillas-get-sick-from-being-too-social/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gorilla</a> is in even steeper trouble. Fewer than 250 mature animals survive in eleven hill sites straddling the Nigeria-Cameroon border, where renewed civil unrest adds to logging and farming pressures. 



Conservation plans have created new reserves and cross-border patrols, but the loss of one adult can erase years of local progress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smallest-endangered-primate">Smallest endangered primate </h2>



Madagascar adds the world’s smallest endangered primate to the list. Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur weighs a mere thirty grams yet has lost more than eighty percent of its population in ten years as slash-and-burn agriculture fragments its dry forest home.



“This species has also disappeared from most of the remaining intact forests, which points to frightening consequences for possible conservation measures," said Peter Kappeler, head of the field station in the Forêt de Kirindy. "This could be the first <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visually-striking-primate-features-ease-tension-and-reduce-conflict/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primate</a> we lose forever in the 21st century, as there are no captive populations either."



Even endangered species once thought safe enough to drop from the list can slip back. The limestone-dwelling Cao-vit gibbon of China and Vietnam, revived to public attention this year, actually numbers closer to ninety individuals than the hundred-plus once assumed, because older surveys double-counted groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-threats-different-landscapes"><a></a>Shared threats, different landscapes</h2>



Forest conversion for timber, farms, mines, and dams erases habitat on every continent. In Sumatra, satellite data show that lowland forest below 500 meters - prime orangutan territory - shrank sixty percent between 1985 and 2007.



In Madagascar’s Menabe region, forest cover has fallen more than thirty percent since 2012, splitting lemur populations into isolated fragments. For Cross River gorillas, a patchwork of villages, roads, and fields now separates once-connected sub-populations by distances no animal can safely cross.



Hunting and trafficking add a second blow. Although the Tapanuli orangutan lives in steep country, juveniles are still caught for the pet trade, and adults die in crop conflicts or snare traps. In West Africa gorilla poaching had fallen, but political violence since 2016 may be reviving the market for bushmeat.



Climate change lurks behind every local crisis. Longer dry seasons stress fruit-bearing trees, and fiercer storms flatten coastal forests - effects already noted in gibbon and lemur habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-action-is-needed">Urgent action is needed</h2>



“The situation is dramatic. If we don't act now, we will lose some of these species forever," warned Christian Roos, a geneticist at the <a href="https://www.dpz.eu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">German Primate Center</a>. “But there is hope - if science, politics, and society take action together.”



The report demands rapid expansion of protected areas, but equally stresses enforcement on the ground, where illegal logging and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-parrots-in-the-illegal-wildlife-trade-with-dna-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife trade</a> still thrive. It calls on governments to tighten laws, stop land grabs, and involve Indigenous and local communities as full partners.



Funding must move beyond short grants. Long-term patrol salaries, ecological restoration and, where numbers crash, carefully managed translocations or ex-situ colonies are all needed.



“Every primate species that we lose not only means an irreparable loss for nature, but also for us humans,” Roos said. “Because primates are not only fascinating animals - they are also key species of our ecosystems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hope-for-endangered-species">Hope for endangered species</h2>



Conservation can still tip the balance. Cooperative work by China and Vietnam secured two reserves for the Cao-vit gibbon and involved villagers in patrol jobs; the tiny population is now stable and even forming new groups.



In Nigeria camera-trap images of Cross River gorilla infants prove that, when forests are left standing and snares removed, the apes will breed again.



Success stories share three traits: local stewardship, legal implication, and money that lasts long enough to rebuild forests. The new list shows exactly where those ingredients must be applied first. 



It is not a roll-call of hopeless cases. It is an emergency action plan, and the next edition will reveal whether the global community has chosen rescue over remembrance.



The report can be found <a href="http://www.primate-sg.org/storage/pdf/Top_25_Primates_2023-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Most endangered primate species identified in new report

A new global assessment has identified 25 primate species that...

In the remote, misty highland forests straddling Vietnam and Laos, a rare creature may still roam unseen. Known as the saola, this elusive animal was only discovered by scientists in 1992 and has since earned the nickname "Asian unicorn" due to its near-mythical status. 



The saola looks like an antelope but is more closely related to cattle. Both males and females have a pair of long, straight horns that may be reminiscent of a unicorn's single spike, when seen side on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-the-asian-unicorn">Mystery of the Asian unicorn </h2>



Even at the time of its discovery, the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) was already in trouble. Today, fewer than 100 are thought to remain - if they’re alive at all.



"Right now, the existence of live saolas can neither be proven nor disproven. The last evidence we have was from 2013, when one was captured on a camera trap," said Nguyen Quoc Dung from the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute in Vietnam.



"But given the remoteness of its habitat, it is extremely difficult to say for sure whether there are still a few out there. There are some signs and indications that still give us hope."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-surprising-genetic-discovery">A surprising genetic discovery </h2>



Dung is part of an international research team that has now achieved something remarkable. Scientists from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a> and institutions across the globe have, for the first time, mapped the genome of the saola. 



Until now, there was virtually no genetic data on this critically endangered species. The researchers worked with saola remains gathered from hunter households in the region. 



Using fragments from these remains, they assembled complete genomes for 26 individuals. What they found reveals a new chapter in the Asian unicorn's story - and possibly, a path forward for its survival.



“We were quite surprised to find that the saola is split into two populations with considerable genetic differences. The split happened between 5,000 and 20,000 years ago," said Genís Garcia Erill, lead author of the study.



"That was completely unknown before, and there was also no way we could have known without genetic data. It is an important result because it affects how the genetic variation in the species is distributed."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loss-of-genetic-diversity">Loss of genetic diversity </h2>



The analysis also showed that both populations have been shrinking since the end of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">last Ice Age</a>. 



Over the past 10,000 years, the total number of saolas likely never exceeded 5,000 individuals. This long decline has caused a gradual loss of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-leopards-have-surprisingly-high-genetic-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic diversity</a> in both groups - but not the same genetic diversity.



“This means that the genetic variation lost in each population complements the other. So, if you mix them, they could compensate for what the other is missing,” said Garcia Erill.



In short, the key to saving the saola might lie in bringing these two populations back together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-plan-for-saola-survival">A plan for saola survival</h2>



The researchers used computer models to explore different scenarios for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-conservation-day-2024-saving-species-from-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation</a>. Their results suggest that mixing individuals from both populations in a captive breeding program could give the species its best shot at survival.



“If we can bring together at least a dozen saolas - ideally a mix from both populations - to form the foundation of a future population, our models show the species would have a decent chance of long-term survival," noted Rasmus Heller, senior author of the study.



"But it hinges on actually locating some individuals and starting a breeding program. That has worked before when species were on the brink of extinction."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-hope-for-the-asian-unicorn">New hope for the Asian unicorn </h2>



The researchers hope that the newly mapped genome will make it easier to locate any remaining saolas.



Until now, teams have searched using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-dna-can-help-track-endangered-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental DNA</a> (eDNA) - traces of genetic material left behind in water, soil, or even inside leeches. These techniques depend on detecting tiny DNA fragments, which has proven difficult.



“Many researchers have unsuccessfully tried to find traces of saola through methods like environmental DNA in water and even in leeches, the blood suckers inhabiting the same habitat," said study co-author Minh Duc Le of Vietnam National University.



"These techniques all rely on detecting tiny DNA fragments, and now that we know the complete saola genome, we have a much larger toolkit for detecting those fragments."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-asian-unicorns">The future of Asian unicorns</h2>



Even if none of the enigmatic Asian unicorns are ever found, this new information could still play a role in the future.



“Our results could, in theory, be used if we were ever to succeed in bringing the saola back through genetic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rna-recovered-from-an-extinct-species-tasmanian-tiger-for-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">de-extinction</a> technologies, which are a hot topic right now," said Heller.



"In that case, our new insights into saola genetic variation could make a huge difference in creating a viable population."



Still, there’s a sense of urgency and realism behind the hope. Heller noted that scientists have been searching for saolas since the 1990s, and it’s only gotten harder, because there were more of them back then. 



"I’m not overly optimistic, I have to admit - but I really hope the saola is still out there,” concluded Heller.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0092867425003903" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell</a>.



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Search for the mythical Asian unicorn: New genetic clues emerge

In the remote, misty highland forests straddling Vietnam and Laos,...

It appears that poems hold more than just literary merit. They can also show how porpoise and other wildlife populations have changed over time.



The <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/yangtze-finless-porpoise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yangtze Finless Porpoise</a>, a critically endangered freshwater porpoise, has captured the attention of ecologists and history buffs alike. Its story highlights how research can bridge <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enduring-earth-mystery-partially-solved-artificial-intelligence-nazca-geoglyphs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural</a> heritage and conservation science.



“Art, like poetry, can really spark an emotional connection, making people realize the harmony and respect we should have between people and nature,” says Zhigang Mei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (<a href="https://english.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CAS</a>), who first noticed that old poems might hold clues about where and when these porpoises lived. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-poems-documented-porpoise-habitats">Old poems documented porpoise habitats</h2>



The Yangtze river is about 3,915 miles long, flowing from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea near Shanghai. It has supported trade, travel, and local livelihoods for many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-played-a-spiritual-role-in-prehistoric-cave-art/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dynasties</a>, including the Tang (618–907 CE) and the Qing (1636–1912 CE).



Ancient travelers often wrote poems describing landscapes and any remarkable animals they saw. That is how 724 poems referencing the porpoise were discovered, some dating back over 1,400 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poems-reveal-porpoise-sightings">Poems reveal porpoise sightings</h2>



These records shine a light on the Yangtze finless porpoise when cameras or formal surveys were unavailable. Some poets portrayed the porpoise as frolicking and active, indicating that it was frequently visible in large parts of the river at different points in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beauty-in-art-lifts-the-mind-and-awakens-higher-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history</a>.



The poetic evidence correlates with other data about wildlife decline over the centuries. It also reinforces the power of integrating cultural insights with scientific methods to uncover long-term environmental changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-habitat-loss-using-ancient-poems">Mapping habitat loss using ancient poems</h2>



Based on these poems, the researchers found that the porpoise species’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-egyptians-may-have-seen-their-goddess-in-the-milky-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">historical</a> range has shrunk by at least 65%. 



The biggest losses happened in tributaries and lakes connected to the Yangtze, where dam construction has blocked the porpoises’ ability to migrate, as the poems reveal.



These developments echo the plight of other river life. Two native species, the Baiji dolphin and the Chinese paddlefish, have gone functionally <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2007.0292" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extinct</a> in recent decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-poetry-filled-a-scientific-gap">How poetry filled a scientific gap</h2>



Traditional wildlife surveys usually rely on fossils, DNA, or recent data. but these sources leave a huge blind spot when it comes to mid-range historical timelines.



That's where literature helped. The poems offered insight into a period that’s typically hard to document, filling the 1,000-year gap between ancient fossils and modern science with surprisingly detailed environmental clues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-human-activities">Impacts of human activities</h2>



Hydraulic engineering projects, particularly since the 1950s, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/7/908" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">altered parts</a> of the Yangtze and cut off vital pathways for the porpoise. Changes in water flow and increased boat traffic also likely contributed to fewer safe habitats.



Similar habitat pressures pushed the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19470453/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese sturgeon</a> closer to reliance on artificial stocking, especially after the gezhouba dam was completed in 1988. 



The porpoise is now confined mostly to a smaller segment of the main channel, highlighting how fast things have shifted in modern times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-validating-poems-as-historical-evidence">Validating poems as historical evidence</h2>



Not every poem could be taken at face value. Some poets exaggerated animal traits for effect, while others wrote with scientific precision that mirrored firsthand observation.



To make sure their conclusions were sound, the researchers studied each poet’s life and writing style. They used this biographical context to sort realistic descriptions from imagined ones, strengthening the accuracy of their geographic mapping.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-from-an-ancient-art-form">Insights from an ancient art form</h2>



One of the most revealing parts of this study is how it merges modern ecology with records from a different era. 



A freshwater porpoise is not something most people associate with poetry, but these poems captured vivid notes about the animal’s behavior, distribution, and local folklore.



The Qing Dynasty alone produced 477 poems mentioning the porpoise, showing how popular the topic was among traveling poets of that period. This underscores the deep bond between people and their environment in traditional Chinese culture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-poetry-to-guide-porpoise-conservation">Using poetry to guide porpoise conservation </h2>



Experts now hope that protecting the porpoise means respecting the lessons of both history and science. 



The next steps include refining details from the poems to glean more about the porpoises’ social behavior, breeding grounds, and ideal habitat conditions.



These historical insights might help conservation programs address the porpoise’s remaining strongholds. They also challenge us to be mindful of how future infrastructure and urban development will affect other freshwater species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-old-texts-to-track-species">Using old texts to track species</h2>



There is growing interest in using historical documents - poems, journals, and even paintings - to spot shifts in biodiversity over millennia. 



Researchers want to understand which measures can effectively preserve species and which human activities are most damaging in the long run.



The Yangtze finless porpoise story suggests that culture, science, and poems should work together to shape a more thoughtful approach to conservation. 



Protecting a species is never just a scientific endeavor; it also involves celebrating the traditions, poems, and stories that connect people to that species.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00266-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Ancient poems tell the story of how this rare porpoise reached the brink of extinction

It appears that poems hold more than just literary merit....

Leiden,,The,Netherlands,-,April,30,,2022:,Closeup,Of,The

The idea of a sharp‑witted Tyrannosaurus rex prowling through Cretaceous forests, planning ambushes with the cunning of a primate, has stirred public fascination for years. 



A fresh debate erupted in 2023 when neuron counts - those microscopic processors in every brain - were promoted as the new yardstick for dinosaur intelligence. 



Could tallying fossilized brain cells really tell us whether T. rex was closer to a crocodile or a clever <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baboons-may-offer-clues-to-early-human-social-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">baboon</a>?



That question matters because neurons do more than fire signals; they set the stage for learning, memory, and even social complexity. 



If a seven‑ton predator had primate‑level <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-genes-to-genius-what-makes-the-human-brain-unique/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neuron numbers</a>, our picture of dinosaur life would need a radical rewrite. As it turns out, the story is more complicated - and far more intriguing - than a single metric suggests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-t-rex-brain-power-claim-stirs-debate">T. rex brain power claim stirs debate</h2>



The spark came from neuroscientist Suzana Herculano‑Houzel of <a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University</a>. In a 2023 <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cne.25453" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Comparative Neurology paper</a>, she proposed that by measuring fossil skull cavities and comparing them with living birds and reptiles, researchers could estimate dinosaur neuron counts. 



Her calculations suggested that large theropods might boast totals on a par with monkeys, hinting at problem‑solving abilities, tool use, and cultural behaviors.



Popular media embraced the possibility of a “smart” tyrant lizard. Yet many specialists felt the hype skipped a few steps. 



Paleoneurologists quickly noted that reptile brains fill only part of the cranial cavity, leaving cerebrospinal fluid to occupy the rest. Misreading that gap, they warned, inflates neuron estimates and, by extension, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/optimal-decision-making-is-a-balance-of-experience-and-knowledge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perceived intelligence</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examining-t-rex-fossil-brains">Examining T. rex fossil brains</h2>



To test the claim, an international coalition of paleontologists, neuroanatomists, and cognitive psychologists re‑analyzed the data. 



<a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alberta</a> research associate Cristian Gutierrez‑Ibanez helped steer the effort. “There were a lot of people who thought the record needed to be set straight,” he explained.



“Particularly because it did make it into the press. You end up with this popular idea that T. rex was super smart and could use tools and have culture and you go, ‘Whoa!’”



Instead of eight separate rebuttals, the group pooled expertise. “We said there is no point in eight different things being written to say this is wrong. Why don't we just put them all together?” 



Their review, published in The Anatomical Record, swapped rough cavity volumes for high‑resolution CT scans of fossil braincases. 



The new approach pulled neuron counts sharply downward, placing T. rex in a cognitive bracket closer to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-lizards-are-saving-australian-sheep-farms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">today’s large reptiles</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-neuron-counts-aren-t-crystal-balls">Why neuron counts aren’t crystal balls</h2>



Counting cells may look objective, but brains are more than piles of neurons. Connection patterns, circuit density, and metabolic rates all influence what an animal can do with those cells. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-croc-day-embracing-the-mighty-reptile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alligator</a> dissections illustrate the pitfalls. 



“The first time I dissected an alligator brain, I took the top of the skull off and I went, ‘Where is the brain?’” recalls University of Alberta professor Doug Wylie. 



Plenty of space sits empty inside reptile skulls, so cavity volume exaggerates brain tissue size.



Body mass muddies the water, too. “We don't know why it's true, but it is true. A larger animal needs more neurons.” 



An adult male baboon tips the scale at roughly 30 to 90 lb, while a mature T. rex weighs around 14,000 lb. Many of its neurons merely kept those massive muscles, eyes, and sensory organs running. 



With so much neural real estate devoted to basic physiology, little would remain for the advanced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-have-remarkable-spatial-memory-and-sense-of-direction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cognition seen in primates</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brains-bodies-and-t-rex-math">Brains, bodies, and T. rex math</h2>



Herculano‑Houzel had argued that high neuron counts implied warm‑blooded metabolisms in predatory dinosaurs. The rebuttal team disagrees. 



Reptile brains pack neurons more loosely than bird or mammal brains, so raw totals alone can’t reveal metabolic style. “She's focused on the neuron number, and they are too high anyway,” Wylie says.



Recent bone histology supports a middle‑ground view: many dinosaurs likely <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-may-have-become-warm-blooded-180-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maintained body temperatures</a> through a blend of behavioral basking and elevated internal heat production, rather than strict cold‑bloodedness or full mammalian endothermy. That nuance highlights why single‑factor models fall short.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-t-rex-like">What was T. rex like?</h2>



Gutierrez‑Ibanez and colleagues suggest looking at trackways, tooth wear, growth rings, and isotope chemistry to piece together behavior. 



Evidence points to a sensorily acute predator with good vision, a powerful sense of smell, and the ability to coordinate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robopteryx-dinosaur-feather-secrets-revealed-by-a-robot-dinosaur/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pack‑style hunting</a> now and then - but not the foresight to fashion tools or pass down cultural traditions. 



“We are not dissing T. rex,” Gutierrez‑Ibanez says. “We are just saying that claiming T. rex had the intelligence of a baboon and culture might be taking it too far.”



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crocodile-evolution-was-influenced-by-environmental-factors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crocodiles</a> provide a sober benchmark. They solve simple problems, show limited parental care, and learn from routine, yet they don’t build societies or share knowledge across generations. 



A Cretaceous apex hunter operating at that level would still have been formidable without needing a primate‑grade intellect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-do-we-go-from-here">Where do we go from here?</h2>



Neuron counting remains a valuable technique, especially when paired with modern imaging and rigorous scaling laws. But brains never work in isolation; they evolve alongside bodies, behaviors, and environments. 



The next wave of research will likely blend biomechanics, climate modeling, and even ancient DNA proteins to refine dinosaur life histories.



T. rex may not have been a reptilian Einstein, yet it ruled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/qunkasaura-pintiquiniestra-new-sauropod-dinosaur-discovered-in-spain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Late Cretaceous</a> ecosystems for nearly two million years - a success record most species never achieve. 



Sorting out how it did so requires many lines of evidence, and that scientific detective work is just getting started.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19328494" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Anatomical Record</a>.



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Was T. rex as smart as modern primates? Another study weighs in on the debate

The idea of a sharp‑witted Tyrannosaurus rex prowling through Cretaceous forests,...

Scientists have taken a close look at certain reef fish and found something that no one expected. These underwater inhabitants can shift their jawbones in more ways than just up and down. The fish use a quick jaw twist in order to feed more effectively.



Peter Wainwright from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Davis</a> and his colleagues discovered this unusual trait while studying the <a href="https://www.fishbase.se/summary/zanclus-cornutus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moorish idol</a> (Zanclus cornutus), a striking species known for its long dorsal fin and bold stripes. 



The experts saw swift sideways motions that differ from the typical jaw movements of most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-illuminates-fish-interactions-in-coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> - a finding that might explain how certain fish became successful herbivores.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-use-the-jaw-twist-to-feed-better">Fish use the jaw twist to feed better</h2>



High-speed video helped <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2418982122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> detect a rapid shifting motion in the mouth region of this coral reef species.



Two-dimensional footage does not capture the complexity of the action, so cameras operating at hundreds of frames per second were crucial for seeing the sideways glide that is rarely seen in vertebrates.



The research team examined the mouth structures using scans and dissections, and spotted the unique anatomical elements that permit the jaws to move in multiple directions without slowing down. "I thought, holy cow, that’s not something we expected!” said Wainwright.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jaw-movement-helps-to-scrape-algae">Jaw movement helps to scrape algae</h2>



This side-to-side movement appears to boost the way in which the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reef-fish-populations-are-boosted-by-ocean-connectivity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> remove bits of algae from rocks on coral reefs. 



Many reef environments feature hard surfaces where edible plant material clings stubbornly, so efficient techniques for scraping and plucking food may be especially important.



Surgeonfish, which share a close kinship with the Moorish idol, also display a version of this sliding jaw function. This capacity helps them graze on tough patches of algae, which supports their diets and possibly contributes to the dominance of certain fish species in these habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-jaw-adaptations-for-targeted-grazing">Fish jaw adaptations for targeted grazing</h2>



These mouth maneuvers seem to offer a quick way to yank food free. Fish that rely on suction feeding typically aim for items drifting in the water, but <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226413625_The_trophic_status_of_herbivorous_fishes_on_coral_reefs_II_Food_processing_modes_and_trophodynamics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grazing species</a> face different challenges when their meals grow attached to stones or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-coral-reef-fish-survive-in-the-worlds-warmest-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coral</a>.



Lateral jaw movement might allow them to target specific chunks of algae, while leaving the rest of the body steady. 



Staying still in choppy waters can reduce energy waste, so subtle mouth motion alone may make feeding smoother and more successful.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-fish-feeding-affects-coral-reef-health">How fish feeding affects coral reef health</h2>



By adopting this method, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0801946105" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">herbivorous</a> fish may help regulate algal overgrowth. Large algal blooms can sometimes crowd out coral species, so hungry fish that trim back the vegetation are often vital for the health of reefs.



“For Zanclus, this adaptation seems to relate to where they feed,” said Michalis Mihalitsis, now at the <a href="https://www.uog.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Guam</a>, who worked on the study. His comment highlights the link between physical traits and the specific environmental niches that fish occupy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-evolution-and-the-jaw-twist">Fish evolution and the jaw twist</h2>



Vertebrate <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7672094/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jaws</a> have undergone countless modifications since the first fish appeared, over 400 million years ago. Each structural shift opens up new dietary options, supporting the rise of new species with unique ways of eating.



Sideways jaw movement is familiar to mammals that chew the cud, such as cows and goats. In fish, this trait is much less common, making its discovery in the Moorish idol and <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/holomua/surgeonfish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surgeonfish</a> particularly surprising.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead-in-reef-research">Looking ahead in reef research</h2>



Scientists plan to explore whether other families of benthic-feeding fish also possess some degree of sideways jaw rotation. As more species are examined, other hidden techniques that have allowed various fish lineages to flourish could come to light.



Understanding fine-scale feeding approaches can reveal how fish keep reefs in balance. Each specialized adaptation for cropping algae may have influenced which species thrived in these colorful yet competitive underwater neighborhoods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jaw-adaptations-impact-fish-feeding">Jaw adaptations impact fish feeding</h2>



Researchers are starting to see the big picture of how a single trait may drive broad ecological shifts. A fish that can chomp algae in a quick and strategic manner might help shape community dynamics, protect coral structures, and boost biodiversity.



This mouth movement breakthrough raises questions about what else fish mouths can do. It also shows how delicate mechanical tweaks can transform an animal’s role in its ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-jaw-structures">Future research on jaw structures</h2>



Future work could involve close analysis of mouth ligaments, muscles, and bone joints across diverse reef species. Pinpointing the underlying genetics might allow scientists to trace how such mobility spread among related fish groups.



New knowledge might spark investigations into how environmental pressures push mouth features to evolve. As climate change affects reef conditions, fish that are able to adapt their feeding methods could prove more resilient, and help preserve vital coastal ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-jaws-reveal-ecosystem-dynamics">Fish jaws reveal ecosystem dynamics</h2>



Exploring these jaw movements offers a view into the interplay of form and function within marine life. When tiny physical details align with dietary demands, entire ecosystems may shift toward richer variety or greater stability.



Observations of how fish navigate algae-laden surfaces broaden our appreciation of the ties between animals and their habitats. Investigators plan to continue searching for morphological secrets that aid survival in the swirling waters of tropical reefs.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2418982122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Fish use a 'jaw twist' to access more food on coral reefs

Scientists have taken a close look at certain reef fish...

Monk parakeets stand out for their lively chatter in city parks. They are originally from South America but have adapted well to urban environments, often roosting and breeding in large communal nests.



After watching these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ecuadors-rare-red-faced-parrot-gets-a-new-home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> for a while, it is hard not to notice the range of sounds they produce. They seem to greet each other with whistles, screeches, and abrupt squawks that vary from one bird to the next, and they interact across tree canopies and open lawns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parakeet-vocal-diversity-and-social-bonds">Parakeet vocal diversity and social bonds</h2>



Many people might think that parrots squawk randomly. Yet <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241717" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> discovered that an individual with more companions also has a more varied set of sounds.



“This research is a really important first step,” said Simeon Smeele from the <a href="https://www.ab.mpg.de" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior</a>. He and his team studied hundreds of monk parakeets over a two-year period in Barcelona.



The experts mapped how each <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-parrots-in-the-illegal-wildlife-trade-with-dna-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird</a> connected with the others, noting which individuals spent time together and which ones nested side by side. The group found that birds living in larger social units tended to use a broader mix of call types.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-calls-in-social-settings">Female calls in social settings</h2>



One detail turned heads. Females produced more types of calls than males did.



“It really looks like there are some call types that are used uniquely in social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elusive-bird-night-parrot-pezoporus-occidentalis-thought-to-be-long-extinct-rediscovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">situations</a>. And it’s really interesting to see that females appear to produce more of these, suggesting they are the more social sex,” stated Smeele.



The data showed that these calls are not only about attracting attention. Some might help them manage interactions within the nest or signal identity among neighbors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parakeet-friends-sound-distinct">Parakeet friends sound distinct</h2>



Parrots might share nest trees, but that does not mean they mimic each other’s voices. In many species, birds within the same group often sound more alike, yet in these monk parakeets the result was flipped.



“What I find really exciting is that we were able to link what individuals say to very specific levels of sociality," said Smeele.



"For example, close friends that allowed each other to approach within pecking distance sounded less like each other, as if they were trying to sound unique in their little gang."



Such individuality may help them coordinate tasks around nest building or recognize each other’s calls in busy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infanticide-or-adoption-why-parrots-kill-each-others-chicks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a>. It might also allow certain birds to stand apart if they are higher in the pecking order.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-groups-more-vocalizations">Bigger groups, more vocalizations</h2>



Scientists have long noticed that species living in bigger teams often have more complex communication. Research on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16866738/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carolina chickadees</a> has shown that groups of greater size can trigger richer call structures.



Monk parakeets follow a similar pattern. According to the new study, a bird nested in a big colony made a greater variety of sounds, possibly to handle the daily hubbub of communal living.



This diversity might even scale up as more parrots settle in crowded parks, resulting in a creative environment where many types of calls are shared or invented.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decoding-parakeet-calls-further">Decoding parakeet calls further</h2>



Each call likely serves a function, whether it signals an alarm, a greeting, or a social bond. Figuring out these functions is trickier than it sounds because parakeets often chatter in large flocks.



“The next big step is to better understand what each of the sounds mean, a real mammoth task, since most of the social squawking happens in large groups with many individuals talking at the same time!” said Smeele.



Pinpointing who is calling to whom could help decode a chaotic scene that appears random but might contain important social signals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-for-human-language-studies">Insights for human language studies</h2>



Parrot behavior offers an interesting peek at how complexity arises in social communication. Humans certainly lean on language for the same reason: many relationships call for many ways to express ourselves.



Experts suggest that the parakeets’ varied calls might operate much like a nuanced social toolkit. When a bird needs to defend a favorite perch or greet a nest mate, it can tweak its calls as needed.



The findings echo ideas about how social pressures in our own evolutionary past might have nudged human language toward more vocabulary and flexible ways to share information.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unresolved-questions-about-parakeets">Unresolved questions about parakeets</h2>



While the study shines a light on parrot chatter, many questions remain about how these calls arise in the nest. Scientists wonder whether younger birds learn from their parents or peers, or if they pick up new call elements whenever they meet fresh faces.



Some also want to see if parakeets in other cities behave the same way. The birds have spread widely across Europe and North America, so there may be subtle differences in how they talk in each region.



Investigations like these could reveal a chain of learning that might shape entire populations of monk parakeets over many generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-ties-shape-vocal-patterns">Social ties shape vocal patterns</h2>



Many examples in the animal kingdom show that bigger families and more interactions spur new forms of communication. 



Monk parakeets highlight how even everyday chatter can reflect deeper relationships. They show that social ties can shape the sound of voices, with friend groups forging their own acoustic style. 



Individual acoustic style might be a simple tool for sorting out personal space or forming alliances in a bustling colony.



As these bright green birds continue to thrive in city parks, they remind us that nature’s best talkers often lead the busiest social lives.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241717" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Monk parakeets develop a unique voice to navigate social life

Monk parakeets stand out for their lively chatter in city...

Illegal wildlife trade in North Korea is a shadowy yet thriving enterprise. Beneath the state’s stringent regulatory framework, a dark undercurrent flows - one where endangered species become mere commodities. 



This silent crisis has been investigated by experts at University College London (<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>). The research reveals the stark reality of a nation where economic desperation and government complicity intertwine to ravage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>.



The study is the first in-depth examination of North Korea’s wildlife trade. Researchers interviewed defectors, including former hunters, middlemen, and buyers, exposing a network of illegal trade that stretches from the country’s dense forests to the bustling markets of China. 



The findings are chilling: endangered species are being hunted, skinned, and sold while the state profits from their suffering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rise-of-black-markets">The rise of black markets</h2>



The collapse of North Korea’s economy in the 1990s reshaped the country’s social and economic fabric. A once-centralized distribution system crumbled, pushing citizens into the shadows of the black market. 



Food shortages forced families to fend for themselves, and in the absence of state support, wildlife became both a lifeline and a lucrative trade.



Hunting, a desperate act of survival, turned into a thriving underground economy. Deer, wild boar, and red fox became prime targets, not just for their meat but for their skins and bones. These products were not only consumed locally but also sold to middlemen, who then smuggled them across the border to China.



Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell, the study’s lead author, connects economic hardship to the surge in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-civet-day-2025-reveals-the-dark-side-of-a-luxury-coffee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a> exploitation. 



“The widespread harvesting of North Korea’s wildlife, driven by the economic limitations of the North Korean state and the shortages of food, medicine and basic goods experienced by many of its citizens, is an important threat to the biodiversity of North Korea and the wider region,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-china-s-role-in-the-wildlife-trade">China’s role in the wildlife trade</h2>



Wildlife trade in North Korea doesn’t end within its borders. China has become a voracious consumer of North Korean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-honors-success-in-clean-energy-and-wildlife-recovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a> products. 



The study reveals that middlemen capitalize on economic desperation, offering substantial sums for tiger bones, bear bile, and deer antlers.



One former hunter, now a defector, described how deer antlers from large stags could fetch a price that would sustain a family for months. Some antlers, smuggled into China, were ground into medicinal powders and sold as luxury health supplements.



The study also exposes the intricate network of middlemen who facilitate this trade. These brokers navigate a labyrinth of border patrols and bribes, disguising wildlife products as everyday goods. 



Despite international sanctions, the illicit flow of animal products continues, driven by insatiable demand and unchecked corruption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-state-sanctioned-wildlife-exploitation">State-sanctioned wildlife exploitation</h2>



North Korea’s wildlife trade laws ostensibly protect endangered species. Yet the state itself is a key player in the trade of protected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a>. 



The study uncovers how government-run farms raise otters, pheasants, and Asiatic black bears, ostensibly for domestic consumption but ultimately to fuel the black market.



Bear bile farming, a practice condemned globally for its cruelty, continues unabated. North Korea began farming bears in the 1970s, a practice that later spread to China and South Korea. Despite mounting international pressure, the country persists, extracting bile to supply a market that prizes its medicinal properties.



One defector recounted how households were forced to submit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pet-dogs-severely-harm-wildlife-even-when-leashed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal</a> skins to meet state quotas. Failure to comply could result in severe repercussions. Even children were tasked with raising rabbits, their skins later harvested to produce winter clothing for the military.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traditional-medicine-drives-wildlife-exploitation">Traditional medicine drives wildlife exploitation</h2>



Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) reveres wildlife products for their supposed healing properties. In North Korea, the use of deer antlers, bear bile, and badger oil extends beyond folklore. It is an industry that thrives amid scarcity and desperation.



Participants in the study reported that deer antlers, once reserved for high-ranking officials, are now sold to the highest bidder. Smuggled antlers are processed into powders and pills, marketed as potent health supplements in China.



The trade in badger oil, used to treat ailments ranging from skin conditions to joint pain, is another thriving enterprise. Asian badgers, once common, have become targets of relentless hunting. 



One participant described how wildlife like badgers were captured, killed, and traded for their oil, the resulting product sold as a cure-all in local markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-north-korea-s-vanishing-wildlife">North Korea’s vanishing wildlife</h2>



In North Korea, the sable is a creature of myth and memory. Once abundant in the country’s forests, this small carnivore is now all but extinct. 



The study details how sable skins, once a common sight in markets, have become so rare that traders refer to them as “ghost pelts.” The report paints a grim picture of a species driven to the brink by relentless hunting.



Sables, valued for their luxurious fur, were trapped, skinned, and smuggled into China, where their pelts fetched exorbitant prices. The trade was so lucrative that some hunters risked their lives crossing frozen rivers to transport their illegal haul.



Amur tigers and leopards face a similar fate. Their skins, bones, and claws are traded as status symbols, used in traditional medicine or displayed as trophies. One defector recounted how a single tiger pelt could fetch a price that would feed a family for a year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dark-side-of-wildlife-breeding">The dark side of wildlife breeding</h2>



Wildlife farms in North Korea are a paradox — legal yet inherently cruel. Bears are caged for bile extraction, otters are bred for their pelts, and deer are farmed for their antlers.



The study highlights how these state-run farms operate under a thin veneer of legality. While their stated purpose is to provide a sustainable source of animal products, in reality, they supply a black market that thrives on animal suffering.



Coypu, a non-native species introduced for its fur, now roams the countryside, an invasive consequence of escaped farm stock. Meanwhile, rabbits, raised under Kim Il Sung’s directives, are now a staple in state-run farms.



One defector described how children in schools were tasked with raising rabbits, their skins later collected by government officials. The meat, considered a “gift” from the state, was a rare protein source in a country where food is perpetually scarce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-trade-threatens-biodiversity">Wildlife trade threatens biodiversity</h2>



The consequences of North Korea’s wildlife trade extend beyond its borders. Amur tigers, rebounding in parts of China, risk being poached if they cross into North Korea. 



Deer populations, already decimated, may soon disappear entirely. Dr. Elves-Powell emphasized the need for regional cooperation.



“China can counter this threat by continuing to reduce domestic demand for illegal wildlife and putting diplomatic pressure on its economically dependent neighbour to disengage from state-sanctioned illegal wildlife trade,” he stated.



China’s role is pivotal. Despite being a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the country remains a major market for North Korean wildlife products. 



Strengthening border controls and enforcing stricter penalties for smugglers could significantly curb the flow of illicit goods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-trade-and-protection-laws">Wildlife trade and protection laws</h2>



The study concludes with urgent recommendations for North Korea and its neighbors. First, the researchers call for immediate enforcement of existing wildlife protection laws, targeting both state-run farms and private traders.



Second, they advocate for a total ban on bear bile farming, a practice that has been condemned by conservationists for decades. North Korea’s continued participation in this trade not only endangers its bear populations but also tarnishes its international reputation.



Third, the study recommends that China strengthen its efforts to curb demand for illegal wildlife products. Without a crackdown on black market networks, North Korea’s endangered species will continue to vanish, one animal at a time.



Finally, the report emphasizes the need for international pressure. Diplomatic efforts, coupled with targeted sanctions, could compel North Korea to curb its exploitation of wildlife. Yet, as long as economic desperation persists, the allure of quick profits from animal products may prove too strong to resist.



In a land where economic hardship, cultural tradition, and state control converge, North Korea’s wildlife is running out of time. The silent extinction continues, unnoticed, unchecked, and utterly devastating.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320725001399" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biological Conservation</a>.



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North Korea's wildlife trade targets endangered animals

Illegal wildlife trade in North Korea is a shadowy yet...

A virus doesn’t need wings to travel. It just needs a ride - and sometimes, that ride is a cage packed into the back of a truck. That’s what scientists are now suggesting about the ancestor of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.



New research suggests that the ancestor of this virus likely originated in Western China or Northern Laos. But it showed up nearly 2,700 kilometers away in Central China just a few years later - too far for its natural host, the horseshoe bat, to cover on its own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-journey-of-the-covid-virus">Hidden journey of the COVID virus</h2>



The study comes from scientists at the <a href="https://medschool.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California San Diego School of Medicine</a>, working with collaborators from other institutions. 



The team concluded that the virus was likely transported by other animals involved in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-sunscreens-lose-effectiveness-and-become-harmful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife trade</a> - similar to what happened during the SARS outbreak in 2002.



Horseshoe bats are known carriers of sarbecoviruses, the virus family that includes both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. 



These viruses don’t make bats sick, but they can jump to humans through a process called “zoonotic spillover.” It’s still debated how that spillover happens and which animals might be involved beyond bats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-evolution-of-viruses">Complex evolution of viruses</h2>



To trace the virus's path, the researchers looked at viral genomes shared online and mapped out how these viruses evolved over time. 



That task wasn’t easy. These viruses tend to recombine - shuffling their genetic material like a deck of cards when two viruses infect the same bat.



“When two different viruses infect the same bat, sometimes what comes out of that bat is an amalgam of different pieces of both viruses,” said Dr. Joel Wertheim from UC San Diego School of Medicine. 



“Recombination complicates our understanding of the evolution of these viruses because it results in different parts of the genome having different evolutionary histories.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bats-carrying-the-covid-virus">Bats carrying the COVID virus</h2>



To work around the recombination issue, the scientists identified parts of the virus genomes that had not recombined. These stable sections allowed them to paint a clearer picture of the virus’s evolutionary path.



The analysis showed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vaccine-resistant-coronavirus-discovered-in-russian-bats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sarbecoviruses</a>, including those related to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, have been circulating in Western China and Southeast Asia for a long time. As the bats moved across the landscape, the viruses moved with them - at roughly the same pace.



“Horseshoe bats have an estimated foraging area of around 2-3 kilometers and a dispersal capacity similar to the diffusion velocity we estimated for the sarbecoviruses related to SARS-CoV-2,” said Dr. Simon Dellicour from Université Libre de Bruxelles and KU Leuven.



But that wasn’t the case for the specific ancestors of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. These viruses showed up far from their point of origin, and they did it fast - less than 10 years before the outbreaks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-to-the-wildlife-trade">Looking to the wildlife trade </h2>



Dr. Jonathan E. Pekar is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh and a graduate of the UC San Diego School of Medicine.



"We show that the original SARS-CoV-1 was circulating in Western China - just one to two years before the emergence of SARS in Guangdong Province, South Central China, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-surprising-mutations-in-sars-cov-2-virus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SARS-CoV-2</a> in Western China or Northern Laos - just five to seven years before the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan,” said Dr. Pekar.



That timeline makes it highly unlikely that bats alone moved the virus such a long distance. More likely, the viruses hitched a ride through the wildlife trade - moving with infected animals sold for food or fur.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-following-the-trail-of-infected-animals">Following the trail of infected animals</h2>



This theory isn’t new. Previous research suggested that palm civets or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/raccoon-dogs-may-be-a-growing-threat-to-waterbirds-in-finland/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">raccoon dogs</a> helped carry SARS-CoV-1 from Yunnan Province to Guangdong Province. The latest study strengthens the idea that SARS-CoV-2 traveled in the same way.



“The viruses most closely related to the original SARS coronavirus were found in palm civets and raccoon dogs in southern China, hundreds of miles from the bat populations that were their original source,” said Dr. Michael Worobey from The University of Arizona. 



“For more than two decades the scientific community has concluded that the live-wildlife trade was how those hundreds of miles were covered. We’re seeing exactly the same pattern with SARS-CoV-2.”



The findings challenge claims that SARS-CoV-2 might have come from a lab leak.



“At the outset of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-virus-lingers-body-two-years-after-infection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a> pandemic, there was a concern that the distance between Wuhan and the bat virus reservoir was too extreme for a zoonotic origin,” said Dr. Wertheim. “This paper shows that it isn't unusual and is, in fact, extremely similar to the emergence of SARS-CoV-1 in 2002.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-virus-movement">Understanding virus movement</h2>



The frequency of zoonotic spillover events is rising. Wildlife trade, urban growth, and habitat loss are bringing humans and animals into closer contact than ever before. 



Scientists believe that keeping tabs on wild bat populations and tracking the viruses they carry could help us predict where the next pandemic might start.



Understanding how viruses move through the world - whether by wing or by wagon - could be a key step in keeping us safer in the years to come.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0092867425003538" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell</a>.



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COVID virus spread too quickly for bats alone to be responsible

A virus doesn’t need wings to travel. It just needs...

Marine life, including algae, can present a kaleidoscope of color, sometimes produced by microstructures rather than pigments. This unique method, known as structural color, is a topic scientists have explored in creatures from fish to seaweeds.



Recent findings show that certain red <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-in-lake-erie-may-be-hiding-toxic-deadly-compounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae</a> use structural color in ways that go beyond simple aesthetics. One researcher who has observed this phenomenon for years is Hiroshi Kawai, an expert in marine biodiversity and ecology at <a href="https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kobe University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-algae-s-unexpected-color-shift">Algae’s unexpected color shift </h2>



“Being a diver, I have long been aware that some red <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/algae-that-thrives-on-ice-plays-an-unexpected-role-in-glacier-melting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae</a> have a much whiter appearance than their usual red when observed in water,” said Kawai. While exploring coastal waters, experts came across young shoots with a blueish tint near their tips.&nbsp;



Further sampling required specialized gear due to the algae’s fragile nature and deep location. Still, enough specimens were gathered for close inspection with advanced imaging methods.



Researchers classify Asparagopsis taxiformis in the <a href="https://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&amp;id=146314" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bonnemaisoniales</a> order, placing it among seaweeds that show diverse structures. Its delicate branches can break under minor stress, prompting careful handling techniques.



A qualified phycologist, someone who studies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/algae-revived-after-7000-years-beneath-the-baltic-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae</a>, can notice subtle traits that casual observers miss. Long hours underwater revealed more than just color variations, including the potential for chemical defenses within the tissues.



Field research in deeper zones sometimes requires special permits for scuba operations and environmental guidelines. Strict adherence to these rules ensured minimal disturbance to local ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-algae-reflect-light">How algae reflect light</h2>



Scientists observed that certain <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00226.x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gland cells</a> in the algae contain tightly packed spheres of reflective materials, each measuring about the same size. Uniform spheres reflect light of a single color, which explains why the tips appear blue.



As the algae mature, the sphere sizes vary and scatter multiple wavelengths of color. That color shift results in a whitish tint that can mask the original red tone.



<a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/rhodophyta.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rhodophyta</a>, the broader group of red algae, includes species that rely on pigments like phycoerythrin. Structural color adds another layer of visual effects beyond the red shades typically seen.



Different wavelengths bounce off micro-scale structures, producing colors without relying on traditional pigments. This phenomenon has also been recorded in certain land plants and insects.



Some marine biologists stress that structural color is often more stable than pigment-based hues. Changes in water clarity or sunlight intensity can still influence how it appears to observers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-colors-protect-algae-from-predators">Colors protect algae from predators</h2>



At the site of these color shifts, researchers found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22404468/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anti-herbivory chemicals</a> that may deter hungry fish. Some experts propose that the bright hue signals a warning, making the algae less appetizing to potential grazers.



Where the algae’s fruiting structures develop, the lighter tones may help it blend in. This trick could be beneficial in waters where vision-based predators roam.



The presence of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721038444" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bromides</a> in certain algae species has been documented as a possible deterrent. Some analyses suggest these substances can interfere with fish digestion, encouraging them to seek meals elsewhere.



A shift in shading at different growth stages points to complex interactions between the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-algae-play-an-unexpected-role-in-cooling-the-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algae</a> and its environment. Defensive strategies might change as the algae transitions from young shoots to fruiting bodies.



Anti-herbivory strategies in algae can vary, with some relying on tough external layers instead of chemicals. The dual approach of color and substances is less common, drawing renewed interest in laboratory studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-warming-seas">Impact of warming seas</h2>



“As warm-water fish migrate further north, they might pose a significant threat to the algae there that are not protected by such coloration,” explained Kawai. 



Global warming can shift tropical fish populations into cooler regions, increasing grazing pressure on algae not prepared for such threats. 



Such color shifts could lead to reduced numbers of red algae without these visual defenses. This raises concerns about ecosystem changes in regions previously free from tropical fish.



Rising temperatures can alter marine habitats faster than some organisms can adapt. Species with built-in protective traits might outcompete those lacking similar adaptations.



Marine ecologists suggest ongoing surveys to track how expanded grazing ranges affect underwater forests of algae. In some spots, these forests also serve as shelters for small <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-emerged-zygnema-star-algae-conquer-earths-landmass/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine</a> animals, amplifying the impact of fish movement.



Warmer conditions also affect the reproductive cycles of many algae species. Faster or altered reproductive phases can intersect with shifting fish populations, compounding the stress on these underwater communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structural-color-of-algae">Structural color of algae</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hokkaido University</a> contributed to the effort, hinting that structural color might be more prevalent in marine plants. Some brown algae were also found to display similar optical features in earlier work.



Such color patterns may serve multiple roles, from camouflage to signaling. Future studies may uncover additional strategies across other algae groups.



Chemical compounds linked to defense could attract interest from various industries. Discoveries about unusual pigments or reflective properties sometimes pave the way for new materials or pharmaceuticals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Stronger global collaboration may spur further research on deep-water algae and their hidden qualities. Closer ties between institutions also help support the extensive fieldwork required to observe these species in their natural habitats.



Collaboration between universities offers a broader perspective on how widespread algae color phenomena may be. Sharing data across continents can reveal patterns that single-site studies might overlook.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09670262.2025.2483980" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Journal of Phycology</a>.



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Red algae use color tricks to warn fish they taste bad

Marine life, including algae, can present a kaleidoscope of color,...

Why do cats often outlast dogs? The answer may lie deep within their genes. Scientists from the University of Bath explored evolutionary patterns in mammals, uncovering how brain size and immune system complexity might hold the key to extended lifespans.



Unlike earlier studies that focused on single genes, this research highlights broader genomic changes that shape <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/124-year-old-crocodile-challenges-everything-we-know-about-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">longevity</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-brains-immune-genes-and-lifespan">Bigger brains, immune genes and lifespan</h2>



The researchers examined the maximum lifespan potential (MLSP) of 46 mammal species.



They focused on the longest recorded life span in each species, eliminating factors like predation, food scarcity, and environmental stress. This approach offered a clearer view of genetic influences on longevity.



The team found that mammals with larger brains and longer lifespans carried more immune-related genes. Dolphins, with their complex cognitive abilities, can live up to 39 years. Whales, boasting even larger brains, can reach a remarkable 100 years. 



Meanwhile, mice, with much smaller brains, rarely live beyond two years. This pattern reinforces the link between cognitive complexity, immune resilience, and extended life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-genes-expand-to-boost-lifespan">Immune genes expand to boost lifespan</h2>



The researchers identified gene family size expansion as a significant predictor of MLSP in mammals.



They analyzed 4,136 gene families and discovered 236 that showed positive correlations with longevity. Most of these expanding gene families contained immune system genes, highlighting the immune system’s central role in regulating lifespan.



Body mass did not significantly impact gene family expansion. Instead, relative brain size emerged as the primary factor. 



The findings suggest that cognitive development and immune resilience may share an evolutionary path, linking brain complexity with immune function in the quest for longer life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-small-brained-animals-live-longer">Some small-brained animals live longer</h2>



Not all species followed the big brain-long life pattern. Mole rats, despite their small brains, can live up to 20 years. Bats, known for their small brain size, also exhibit extended lifespans. Researchers found that both species carried an unusually high number of immune-related genes.



This discovery raises intriguing questions: Can immune complexity offset cognitive limitations in extending lifespan? 



The data indicate that while a large brain often correlates with longevity, a sophisticated immune system might offer a different route to a longer life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-system-the-guardian-of-longevity">Immune system: The guardian of longevity</h2>



The study reveals the immune system’s crucial role in promoting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-humans-get-big-brains-fossil-teeth-reveal-new-clues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">longevity</a>. By removing aging cells, managing infections, and preventing tumor growth, immune-related genes act as protectors against aging’s damaging effects.



“It’s been known for a while that relative brain size is correlated to longevity – the two characteristics have a shared evolutionary path, and having a larger brain potentially offers behavioural advantages,” noted Dr. Benjamin Padilla-Morales from the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/research-centres/milner-centre-for-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milner Centre for Evolution</a>.



”However, our study also highlights the surprising role of the immune system not just in fighting disease, but in supporting longer life across mammalian evolution.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-splicing-enhances-lifespan-potential">Gene splicing enhances lifespan potential</h2>



MLSP-associated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genes</a> in humans exhibited higher gene expression and increased alternative splicing. This mechanism allows a single gene to produce multiple proteins, effectively expanding its functional repertoire.



Why does this matter? In the context of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-old-are-you-really-new-tool-measures-aging-from-the-inside-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a>, alternative splicing may offer an adaptive advantage. It enables cells to respond more effectively to stress, repair damage, and maintain tissue integrity. 



The findings suggest that evolutionary pressure not only favors more immune-related genes but also promotes genes capable of producing diverse proteins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-lifespan-advantage-for-some-animals">A lifespan advantage for some animals</h2>



While immune genes dominated the findings, brain size remained a critical factor in determining lifespan. 



Researchers noted that species with larger brains showed both higher gene expression and more extensive gene family expansions. This pattern suggests that cognitive development and longevity share a genetic foundation.



Dolphins, for example, exhibit both advanced cognitive abilities and long lifespans, living up to 39 years. Elephants, with their complex social structures and memory capabilities, can live even longer. These examples illustrate a broader evolutionary trend: cognitive complexity and life extension often go hand-in-hand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-repair-key-longevity-mechanism">DNA repair: Key longevity mechanism</h2>



While immune genes captured the spotlight, researchers also identified significant links between MLSP and DNA repair genes. Species with extended lifespans, such as whales and elephants, exhibited notable expansions in gene families related to DNA repair.



The researchers also found that DNA repair genes exhibited higher levels of alternative splicing. 



This dual mechanism - gene family expansion and transcript diversification - may provide a multi-layered defense against cellular damage, preserving tissue function over longer lifespans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-resistance-the-next-frontier">Cancer resistance: The next frontier</h2>



The research team plans to investigate cancer-related genes further. They aim to uncover how specific genes contribute to both longevity and cancer resistance. 



By analyzing long-lived species like whales and bats, researchers hope to pinpoint genetic targets that might help mitigate cancer risk in humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-immune-genes-and-longevity">Evolution, immune genes, and longevity</h2>



The study reveals a complex evolutionary narrative. Longevity in mammals appears to hinge not only on brain size but also on immune system complexity. 



Gene family expansions, especially in immune-related genes, suggest that natural selection may have prioritized immune resilience as a critical component of extended lifespan.



The researchers propose that further exploration of cancer-related genes and DNA repair pathways may offer deeper insights into how some species achieve exceptional longevity. 



The implications extend beyond the animal kingdom, opening potential avenues for aging research in humans.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-98786-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Why do cats outlive dogs? Clues found in their genes

Why do cats often outlast dogs? The answer may lie...

It has long been accepted that dinosaurs had dwindled in numbers before the asteroid hit. Many people believed they were already on their way out, based on the fact that fewer fossils turned up from that period.



<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/earth-sciences/people/research-staff/dr-chris-dean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christopher Dean</a> from University College London, along with an international research team, now challenges that storyline. 



Their new study indicates that dinosaurs were not fading away prior to the asteroid’s impact, and that a biased fossil record skewed the data we’ve relied on for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revisiting-old-assumptions">Revisiting old assumptions</h2>



Previous ideas about declining dinosaur populations came from simple fossil counts. Researchers saw fewer remains toward the last part of the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/timeline/early-cretaceous/gallery.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous</a> and interpreted that as the dinosaurs’ slow fade. That conclusion stuck around for decades.



Yet these authors suggest that many fossils went undiscovered because rock layers in certain regions are difficult to access or simply not preserved. 



They point out that the world was changing in big ways, with mountain formations and receding inland seas reshaping the land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-occupancy-modeling-approach">Occupancy modeling approach</h2>



This work centers on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780124071971/occupancy-estimation-and-modeling" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">occupancy modeling</a>, an ecological method that helps scientists estimate the presence of species, even when evidence is incomplete. 



The researchers took thousands of fossil records covering hadrosaurs, ceratopsians, ankylosaurids, and tyrannosaurids. They then calculated how likely it was to find traces of these animals across North America.



The results were surprising. Instead of confirming a genuine decline in dinosaur variety, the team found that the apparent reduction lined up with spots where fossils had a slim chance of surviving or being unearthed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-numbers-looked-off">Why the numbers looked off</h2>



The study singled out geological factors as the real culprits behind the missing dinosaur evidence. Changes in land elevation and the retreat of a shallow sea reduced places where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jaw-fossil-reveals-fruit-eating-mammal-from-the-dinosaur-age/">dinosaur</a> bones could be buried and preserved. 



Much of that land is now covered by vegetation, buildings, or other features that hide potential fossil sites.



The researchers learned that certain dinosaur groups seemed to be more easily detected than others. Some, like the duck-billed hadrosaurs, might show up better in formations we’ve explored. 



Others, like the armored ankylosaurids, often turned up less, possibly because their favored habitats didn’t fossilize so well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-extinction">Rethinking extinction</h2>



This fresh perspective also implies that dinosaurs were not globally struggling before the asteroid impact. They appear to have maintained strong populations up until a <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.208.4448.1095" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">catastrophic event</a> ended everything at once. 



If the asteroid had missed Earth, it’s possible that these creatures might have continued to do just fine for a much longer stretch of time.



By focusing on areas where remains had little chance to form fossils, the investigators highlight how easily scientists can be misled by blank spots in the data. 



The old narrative of dinosaurs in gradual decline could be more a reflection of Earth’s changing terrain than of genuine biological trends.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-outlook-on-extinction-risk">An outlook on extinction risk</h2>



These findings show that surviving or vanishing isn’t always tied to a group’s natural trajectory. Sometimes it’s a wild card event, like an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-that-once-threatened-earth-may-target-the-moon/">asteroid collision</a>, that seals a species’ fate. The difference between lasting millions more years and disappearing overnight might boil down to pure luck.



This insight resonates with discussions around present-day biodiversity. Many modern species could be widespread and healthy, yet vulnerable to sudden environmental disasters. Fossil records teach us that success can flip to extinction if a global-scale shock arrives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-past-and-present">Bridging past and present</h2>



Scientists are now more cautious when interpreting gaps in ancient records. The notion of consistent and smooth data through time is flawed. 



Much like detectives, paleontologists have to piece together scattered clues, aware that some bits are missing or distorted.



Occupancy modeling and related methods give researchers a sharper toolset. They can spot hidden patterns that once escaped notice, reshaping our view of iconic events such as the dinosaur die-off.



It appears that dinosaurs were thriving until the sky quite literally fell on them. The mismatch between earlier fossil counts and the true state of dino populations may indicate a biased rock record. 



By accounting for that bias, the team provides a picture of a world that was still teeming with dinosaur life right up to the final curtain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-future-fossil-research">What this means for future fossil research</h2>



This study opens the door for broader use of occupancy modeling in paleontology. By estimating how likely it is to detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-animals-become-fossils-while-others-just-disappear/">fossils</a> under different conditions, scientists can now better separate real biological changes from sampling artifacts. 



That help will help sharpen the accuracy of diversity estimates across different regions and time periods.



Going forward, this approach could reshape how researchers investigate other extinction events or global biodiversity shifts. 



If similar sampling biases exist elsewhere in the fossil record, entire chapters of Earth’s history might need to be rewritten through this updated lens.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00310-0?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982225003100%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Study claims that dinosaurs thrived until the asteroid hit, debunking decades of accepted beliefs

It has long been accepted that dinosaurs had dwindled in...

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often in ways less obvious than bulldozing forests. Frequent mowing, pesticide use, and habitat loss converge to create a hostile landscape for countless insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>.



Now, a research team from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (<a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JMU</a>) has thrown new light on just how severe the damage really is.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insect-decline-in-farmlands">Insect decline in farmlands</h2>



In Bavaria, a team led by Professor Jörg Müller wanted to look past assumptions. From forests to farmland, the researchers studied 400 insect families. But they didn’t just count what they saw.



They used DNA metabarcoding - a technique that scans genetic material from environmental samples. Combined with precise statistical tools, this allowed the team to detect not only the insects themselves but also the hidden patterns in their decline.



The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, revealed a stark contrast between agricultural and near-natural habitats. What they found changes the story on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect</a> loss - and sharpens its urgency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-and-insect-diversity">Farming and insect diversity</h2>



The researchers used Malaise traps to catch insects from a range of environments. Farmland samples, surprisingly, gave the clearest data. 



These landscapes, open and simplified, make it easier to catch and identify insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>. Yet even with this advantage, the results were grim.



After adjusting for how completely each sample captured the existing diversity, the researchers recorded a 44 percent decline in total insect species diversity on farmland. 



This isn’t a seasonal dip. It’s a structural collapse, cutting across species lines. Farmland has become less of a home for insects and more of a barrier to their survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unseen-collapse-in-insects">Unseen collapse in insects</h2>



Counting species wasn’t enough. The team introduced a new method to standardize how completely each habitat’s insect community had been sampled. That meant creating fair comparisons across very different environments.



They filtered out sequencing errors, focused on real trends in species presence, and sharpened the lens on insect biodiversity. 



The method accounted for both how many different kinds of insects were present (taxonomic diversity) and how distantly related those insects were from one another (phylogenetic diversity).



What they saw was not just fewer insects - but fewer kinds of insect lineages, going back through evolutionary time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-erases-insect-history">Farming erases insect history</h2>



When insects disappear, ecosystems don’t just lose pollinators or prey. They lose deep genetic history. The JMU team found nearly a 30% reduction in evolutionary diversity in farmland <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a>.



This means entire branches of the insect family tree are vanishing - lineages shaped over millions of years, wiped away in a few decades. Such a loss affects ecosystem resilience, narrowing the genetic pool that might once have buffered against future environmental shifts.



"This study underscores the urgent need for biodiversity-sensitive land use. A continued decline in insect diversity could have far-reaching consequences for the health and stability of ecosystems," stated Dr. Mareike Kortmann, the study’s lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biodiversity-crisis-in-agriculture">Biodiversity crisis in agriculture</h2>



Forests and semi-natural habitats still support varied insect life. They offer shade, cover, and food webs rich with interactions. Agricultural lands, in contrast, have become biodiversity hotspots in reverse. Instead of buzzing life, they teem with absence.



Dominant insect species - those you’d expect to be hardy survivors - are dropping fastest in taxonomic diversity. 



Meanwhile, rare species face a deeper erasure. Their entire evolutionary lineages are disappearing. Farmland is not just hostile to insects. It’s selectively erasing their past, present, and future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-needed-for-insects">Action needed for insects</h2>



This study introduced a powerful new toolkit for understanding insect decline and extinction. By combining genetic analysis, statistical rigor, and evolutionary context, researchers can now draw a clearer map of biodiversity loss and fragmentation.



But the view it reveals is bleak. Knowing more means little if it doesn’t drive action. The researchers call for focused conservation efforts - especially in farmlands where both common and rare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-farming-insect-waste-reshapes-soil-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a> edge closer to disappearance.



They have made the warning unmistakable. The question now: will we change course before the silence spreads?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2927" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B Biological Sciences</a>.



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Modern farming is causing many insect species to collapse

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often...

Hummingbirds normally patrol the scarlet blooms of the western United States, sipping nectar and carrying pollen from one monkeyflower to the next.



Yet along the outer edges of that crimson range botanists once noticed something odd: scattered stands of Mimulus cardinalis and Mimulus verbenaceus (two monkeyflower species) had traded their fiery petals for butter-yellow ones.



Earlier fieldwork hinted that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-show-surprising-adept-teamwork-skills/">bumblebees</a>, not hummingbirds, seemed drawn to these rare morphs, but decades ago researchers lacked the genomic and biochemical tools to learn why.



A team led by Kelsey Byers at the <a href="https://www.jic.ac.uk/">John Innes Center</a> has now reopened the case. In a recent study, the group combined controlled pollinator trials, floral chemistry, and comparative genetics. 



The findings reveal how color, scent, and shape interact when a plant begins shifting from one pollination strategy to another. Researchers documented an adaptive walk - evolution’s slow path from ancestral traits to new ecological niches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-prefer-a-yellow-color">Bees prefer a yellow color</h2>



Inside climate-regulated glasshouses, the researchers offered captive bumblebees paired arrays of yellow and red flowers from both species.



The insects showed a clear preference, visiting yellow twice as often as red. 



Chemical analysis then uncovered a clue: the yellow morphs emitted higher volumes of volatile compounds, a likely adaptation because bees, unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-have-an-incredible-strategy-to-survive-food-shortages/">hummingbirds</a>, rely heavily on scent when foraging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-struggle-despite-color">Bees struggle despite color</h2>



Color and fragrance alone do not guarantee reproductive success. High-speed video revealed that bees wrestled awkwardly with the tubular corollas, structures sculpted through millennia of hummingbird visitation.



Many bees tore the delicate petals while probing for nectar and often failed to brush against the floral reproductive organs, a prerequisite for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-transforming-pollen-science-and-health-planning/">pollen</a> transfer. As a result, the bees’ frequent visits did not translate into efficient pollination.



The researchers interpret this mismatch as evidence that the yellow monkeyflowers represent an early stage in the switch from bird to bee service: color mutation and heightened scent have arisen first, but corolla architecture has yet to catch up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-genes-same-traits">Different genes, same traits</h2>



A long-standing question was whether the yellow trait in the two Mimulus species emerged through the same molecular pathway. The team’s genomic scans show the answer is partly yes and partly no.



Both species boosted yellow and orange carotenoid pigments by changes to the same suite of genes, a textbook example of convergent evolution. Yet other alterations - loss of red anthocyanin pigments and shifts in scent chemistry - arose through different genetic tweaks in each lineage.



“Even though these species are closely related, they have followed different paths to the same endpoint for many of their traits,” Byers said.



“We have identified ways that flowers can change and affect pollinator visitation, as well as some genetic pathways that can underlie these changes and how they have evolved in different but closely related species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-timeline-for-trait-evolution">A timeline for trait evolution</h2>



Because floral color strongly influences pollinator choice, mutations in pigment genes may surface first during a pollinator shift. Secondary adjustments, such as boosted scent emission or re-shaped petals, could then fine-tune the interaction.



The Mimulus data support that sequence. Large-effect color mutations preceded subtler changes in odor bouquet, while corolla morphology still lags behind, leaving the bee–flower fit imperfect. 



The researchers argue that this hierarchy of changes - big steps followed by smaller refinements - may be typical whenever plants embark on new mutualisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bee-friendly-color-affects-farming">Bee-friendly color affects farming</h2>



Pollinator partnerships underpin terrestrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effective-conservation-efforts-key-to-saving-biodiversity/">biodiversity</a> and sustain many food crops. By dissecting how wild species recalibrate those relationships, scientists gain conceptual tools for conservation and agriculture.



“By understanding how traits evolve in the wild, we understand biodiversity better, and by understanding how these traits can be affected by plant genetics, we have the foundation of the ability to engineer traits to impact pollinator preference and thus crop yield,” Byers said.



Tuning color and scent may let breeders align crops with local pollinators, improving output without extra chemicals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-on-the-research-agenda">Next on the research agenda</h2>



The team plans gene-editing and transgenic experiments to verify the precise functions of the carotenoid biosynthesis genes that acted convergently and the anthocyanin regulators that diverged.



They are also surveying another yellow population of Mimulus cardinalis to see whether it repeated the same genetic tricks or invented new ones. Such comparative work will refine our picture of how predictable - or idiosyncratic - evolutionary innovation can be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floral-traits-still-changing">Floral traits still changing</h2>



For now the yellow monkeyflowers stand as living waypoints on an evolutionary journey not yet complete. Bumblebees like their color and perfume, but the floral entrance still suits a hovering hummingbird more than a burrowing bee.



With time and mutations, petal tubes may evolve to guide bees directly to stamens and stigmas. Should that happen, future botanists might find a fully bee-adapted Mimulus lineage where once only hummingbirds ruled - and they will have these early studies to trace how the transformation began.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57639-3">Nature Communications</a>.



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These wildflowers changed color to attract bees

Hummingbirds normally patrol the scarlet blooms of the western United...

Snow leopards roam the vast, rugged terrains of northern India, concealed by their elusive nature. A team of researchers set out to track the snow leopard population in this region across a sprawling 59,000 km² landscape.



The comprehensive study was led by Pankaj Raina, from the <a href="https://leh.nic.in/department/wildlife-department/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Wildlife Protection</a> in Ladakh. Identifying the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopards-tracing-the-evolution-of-an-apex-predator/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secretive cats</a> demanded meticulous research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-elusive-snow-leopards">Tracking elusive snow leopards</h2>



The researchers looked for footprints, feces, and scratch marks to spot snow leopards. They also watched for brown bears and lynx and counted wild herbivores and livestock too.



Next, 956 camera traps were deployed over 8,500 km² (3,282 square miles), strategically positioned to maximize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopards-the-carnivores-that-eat-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">leopard</a> sightings.



Artificial intelligence analyzed the captured images, identifying individual snow leopards by the unique pattern of spots on their foreheads - a method aptly termed “fingerprinting.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-population-density-and-distribution">Population density and distribution</h2>



In Ladakh, researchers estimated 477 snow leopards, representing 68% of India’s total <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopard-day-2024-honoring-the-elusive-mountain-ghost/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a>. Density varied, with 1 to 3 individuals per 100 km² (39 to 116 square miles). 



Hemis National Park stood out, showcasing the highest density of snow leopards globally. Surprisingly, 61% of Ladakh’s snow leopards coexisted with human communities. 



Grasslands rich in resources, areas with moderate climates, and complex terrains harbored higher leopard populations. Abundant prey with minimal human interference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-counting-snow-leopards">Counting snow leopards </h2>



Capturing these elusive creatures on camera required inventive strategies. "To photograph snow leopards' foreheads, we had to make them pose in front of our cameras," said Raina.



"This was done by spraying a small amount of perfume just below the cameras that were deployed near their favored scent marking rocks on the high ridge tops. The curious leopards lower their heads to smell the novel smell and we have our prized photos!"



The challenge didn’t end with taking photos. Identifying individuals was another story. The team used a specialized pattern recognition program.



"Fingerprinting snow leopards: A special pattern recognition software that fits a three dimensional model on the snow leopards forehead image extracts the spot patterns and stores them in a database for comparing it with other snow leopard photographs, and comes up with close matches," said the researchers.



"This reduced our work many fold and improved the accuracy of correct individual identification that is crucial for population estimation using statistical models."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-in-snow-leopard-research">Gaps in snow leopard research </h2>



Beyond the clever use of cameras, the study’s methodology addressed existing gaps in snow leopard research. Researchers implemented a double-sampling approach, covering areas with varying densities to form a comprehensive population estimate.



Over 26,130 images of 126 unique leopards were captured. These images became part of India’s first national photo library of snow leopards - a digital archive aimed at monitoring population changes, tracking poaching incidents, and understanding snow leopard movements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-reverence-and-ecological-realities">Cultural reverence and ecological realities</h2>



Ladakh’s snow leopard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopards-tracing-the-evolution-of-an-apex-predator/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> thrives not only due to rugged landscapes but also due to the cultural reverence locals hold for wildlife.



"The deep-rooted reverence for wildlife among Ladakh’s communities, combined with the economic benefits from snow leopard tourism and conflict management strategies, helps sustain some of the world’s highest snow leopard densities - a model that could be adapted and upscaled across the species' range," noted the study authors. 



While Hemis National Park reported the highest densities, multi-use areas also emerged as critical habitats. These regions, characterized by higher prey density and less human disturbance, supported substantial snow leopard populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-challenges-and-adaptive-strategies">Future challenges and adaptive strategies</h2>



Despite the success, emerging threats loom. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-pose-great-threat-to-biodiversity-in-mountain-ranges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Habitat loss</a> due to infrastructure projects. Climate change altering prey distribution. Poaching, still a pressing concern.



Researchers advocate for scalable monitoring techniques that can be applied globally. In Ladakh, integrating local knowledge with advanced technology could serve as a blueprint for snow leopard conservation worldwide.



Ladakh’s snow leopard conservation framework weaves together traditional practices and modern science. 



As human-wildlife interactions increase, balancing conservation with community needs becomes more urgent. In Ladakh, this delicate equilibrium holds the key to sustaining one of the world’s largest snow leopard populations.



Adapting this model to other regions could redefine global snow leopard conservation.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0322136" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Ghost cats: Scientists used a clever trick to count snow leopards

Snow leopards roam the vast, rugged terrains of northern India,...

In the web of life, survival demands strategy. For the brown widow spider, survival hinges on one essential task – protecting its offspring. 



These invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-spiders-have-personalities-what-new-research-reveals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spiders</a> have spread across urban landscapes, thriving in hidden corners beneath garbage cans, fence posts, and building nooks. Their success may not just be about adaptability but also about fierce maternal instincts.



Valeria Arabesky and her team at <a href="https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ben-Gurion University of the Negev</a> decided to dig deeper. In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, they examined how brown widow spiders defend their egg sacs against parasitic wasps.



The findings reveal that these spiders don’t just rely on luck - they actively fight back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maternal-instincts-of-brown-widow-spiders">Maternal instincts of brown widow spiders</h2>



For many species, eggs represent a vulnerable stage of life. Defenseless and stationary, they become prime targets for parasites and predators. 



"For creatures that start their life as eggs, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-develop-natural-immunity-to-ticks-after-being-bitten-once/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spiders</a>, parental protection can be crucial. The eggs themselves are defenseless and very attractive to parasites and predators, thus their parents are their only hope for survival," noted Arabesky, the study’s lead author.



Brown widow spiders take this to heart. While some spiders abandon their eggs, brown widows do the opposite. They guard them with vigilance, patrolling the web and encircling their egg sacs with protective legs. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-battle-begins-wasp-vs-spider">The battle begins: Wasp vs. spider</h2>



Tiny parasitic wasps, known as Philolema latrodecti, target spider eggs. They approach spider webs, seeking a chance to lay their own eggs inside the silken sacs. What happens next? A clash of survival <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spider-man-web-slinging-technology-has-become-a-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a>.



Brown widow spiders respond with aggression. They don’t wait. They tap their egg sacs, sending vibrations that warn the wasps to stay away. 



If that doesn’t work, they escalate. The spiders capture the wasps, killing them and tossing them out of the web - without even feeding on them. It’s not about hunger. It’s about protection.



White widow spiders, on the other hand, adopt a less aggressive stance. They shake their webs violently, hoping to dislodge the intruders. But shaking only goes so far. While it can fend off some wasps, it lacks the direct impact of the brown widow’s lethal approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-silk-spikes-the-secret-weapon">Silk spikes: The secret weapon</h2>



Beyond aggression, brown widow spiders wield another weapon - silk spikes. They cover their egg sacs in dense, sharp silk protrusions. The spikes form a physical barrier, complicating any wasp’s attempts to penetrate the sacs.



The researchers tested this strategy. They carefully removed spikes from some sacs and left others intact. Then, they introduced the parasitic wasps. The results? Wasps consistently preferred the smooth, spike-free sacs, laying their eggs there without hesitation.



Spikes, it turns out, aren’t just for show. They serve a vital purpose. Brown widow spiders use them to disrupt wasp attacks, giving their eggs a fighting chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-brown-widows-adapt-to-threats">How brown widows adapt to threats</h2>



Brown widow spiders don’t just sit back and wait for wasps to attack - they adapt. When wasps linger nearby, these spiders go into defense mode, thickening the silk spikes around their sacs. It’s a calculated move, a way to reinforce barriers when threats increase.



This behavior suggests a level of environmental awareness. Brown widows aren’t passive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiders-adapt-their-webs-to-filter-out-human-made-noise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creatures</a>. They assess their surroundings, identify potential dangers, and adjust their defenses accordingly. That level of adaptability may explain why they’ve become such successful invaders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-spaces-help-widow-spiders">Urban spaces help widow spiders</h2>



Urban environments provide the perfect stage for this spider-wasp showdown. Buildings, fences, and garbage cans create hiding spots for spiders, while also attracting parasitic wasps. The stakes rise in these crowded, chaotic spaces.



Brown widow spiders thrive here. Their dense, spiked egg sacs blend into the urban clutter, camouflaged yet heavily fortified. White widow spiders, accustomed to open desert habitats, struggle to keep up. They lack the silk spikes. 



They lack the aggressive tactics. In the end, they lose more eggs to wasps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-war-without-end">A war without end</h2>



The battle between brown widows and wasps isn’t just about survival. It’s about control - of space, resources, and control of life itself. Brown widow spiders fight this war with silk, with legs, with sheer tenacity.



Their relentless defense strategies may hold a deeper lesson. Invasive species like brown widows don’t just spread through numbers. They spread by mastering the art of survival - by finding new ways to shield their young, by adapting, by refusing to back down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Arabesky’s study raises more questions than it answers. Are other invasive species using similar tactics to protect their offspring? Could these strategies help explain how certain species dominate new habitats? And what role does parental care play in the success of invaders?



These questions open the door for further research. Brown widow spiders may have set the stage, but they’re just one piece of a larger puzzle. 



As invasive species continue to reshape ecosystems, scientists may find that the fight for survival is more complex - and more intense - than anyone ever imagined.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2735" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Brown widow spiders protect their young from parasitic wasps

In the web of life, survival demands strategy. For the...

Fish often appear as simple creatures, mindlessly drifting through water. Yet, behind those unblinking eyes, complex cognitive processes unfold as they learn and adapt. 



For years, researchers confined fish cognition studies to sterile labs, where controlled settings attempted to simulate natural environments. But these setups often miss the mark.



Now, a team from Wageningen University &amp; Research (<a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WUR</a>) has created a tool that brings the lab to the wild. Their innovative device, a simple yet effective feeding board, allows fish to solve tasks in their natural habitats. 



Published in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, the study reveals not only the cognitive abilities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-fishing-helps-scientists-survey-marine-life-in-the-deep-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> but also their intriguing social strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-learning-insights-in-fish">Key learning insights in fish</h2>



Imagine being placed in a blank room, far from your familiar surroundings. Would you behave the same? Probably not.



In traditional lab studies, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-fish-use-tools-to-crack-open-prey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> are removed from their natural environments and placed in tanks devoid of the usual stimuli. Stress levels rise, motivation dips and learning suffers. Elevated cortisol levels can cloud cognitive performance, making fish seem less capable than they truly are.



Moreover, lab-raised fish miss out on real-world challenges. They don’t have to avoid predators, search for food, or navigate intricate habitats. As a result, findings from lab studies may not accurately represent how fish behave in the wild.



Recognizing these limitations, Catarina Vila-Pouca and Alexander Kotrschal decided to flip the script. Instead of bringing fish to the lab, they brought the lab to the fish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tool-reveals-fish-learning-potential">Tool reveals fish learning potential</h2>



At first glance, the apparatus appears unremarkable. It’s a 30x30 cm PVC board with 24 small holes, each covered by a pivoting disc. Underneath each disc lies a food reward. The challenge? The fish must push the disc aside to access the food.



"We sought a solution that could be deployed anywhere, from shallow ponds to fast-flowing rivers," said Vila-Pouca.



The device is light, portable, and adaptable, allowing fish to engage with it without the stress of capture or confinement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guppies-display-learning-skills">Guppies display learning skills</h2>



For the initial trial, the researchers headed to Trinidad’s Aripo River to learn how fish interact with the apparatus. The test subjects: wild guppies. Known for their vibrant social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unlikely-allies-octopuses-cooperate-with-fish-to-catch-prey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interactions</a>, guppies provided the perfect opportunity to assess how fish learn in group settings.



Researchers set up the feeding board in outdoor enclosures and watched as the guppies approached. Initially, the fish appeared puzzled. They nudged the discs, swam away, then returned. Some individuals began to grasp the concept, pushing the correct discs to uncover food.



By the end of the trial, nine guppies emerged as standout solvers. These individuals successfully dislodged more than 20% of the target discs, demonstrating not only persistence but also learning proficiency. 



Meanwhile, other guppies watched and waited, benefiting from the efforts of their more industrious peers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-strategies-to-access-food">Social strategies to access food</h2>



A fascinating pattern emerged. Some guppies became “producers,” actively solving the task and claiming rewards. 



Others assumed the role of “scroungers,” hovering nearby and swooping in to snatch the prize once a producer had done the hard work.



Throughout the study, these strategies persisted. The same individuals continued to dominate as producers, while others remained content to scrounge. This division in behavior reflects broader social foraging dynamics seen in other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-leaving-home-how-cichlids-perfectly-time-independence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>, from birds to primates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-sticklebacks-in-a-new-habitat">Testing sticklebacks in a new habitat</h2>



After the Trinidad experiment, the researchers headed to Wageningen University’s freshwater pond in the Netherlands. This time, the subjects were ninespine sticklebacks, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-boat-shaped-robot-mimics-insects-and-is-made-of-fish-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> noted for its observational skills.



Unlike the guppies, the sticklebacks showed less variability in behavior. Almost all individuals engaged with the feeding board, with fewer scroungers in the mix. Most fish actively attempted to dislodge the discs, leading to a more egalitarian task-sharing dynamic.



Despite their collective approach, individual differences still surfaced. Some sticklebacks learned the task faster, while others required more time to grasp the concept. 



The apparatus not only revealed cognitive abilities but also highlighted how different species adopt distinct strategies based on their ecological context.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-how-fish-learn">Tracking how fish learn </h2>



The beauty of the feeding board lies in its ability to track learning across multiple sessions. Each interaction was recorded, allowing researchers to pinpoint which fish improved over time and which struggled.



In the Trinidad trial, nine guppies consistently excelled. They returned to the board repeatedly, experimenting with different discs and refining their approach. These fish not only solved the task more frequently but also adapted their strategies based on previous successes.



Scroungers, on the other hand, rarely attempted to solve the task independently. Instead, they hovered nearby, waiting for producers to uncover the reward. This behavior underscores how social learning influences cognitive performance. 



While some fish clearly excelled as problem-solvers, others thrived as opportunists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adjusting-the-tool-for-different-habitats">Adjusting the tool for different habitats</h2>



What makes the feeding board truly groundbreaking is its versatility. The same apparatus used in shallow rivers worked seamlessly in the still waters of a pond. With minor adjustments, it can be adapted for various habitats, from rocky streams to open lakes.



In the Netherlands study, the team added a video camera to capture every interaction without disturbing the fish. This setup provided a deeper understanding of group dynamics and individual learning trajectories. 



The data revealed that sticklebacks, unlike guppies, showed a more uniform learning pattern, with fewer dominant individuals taking control of the task.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-future-research">Implications for future research</h2>



"By studying animals within their natural habitats, we are better able to observe authentic behavior. This not only enhances our understanding of cognitive evolution but also has implications for conservation and animal welfare," said Kotrschal.



The feeding board offers a powerful tool for researchers worldwide. Beyond assessing learning and memory, the device can be adapted to study spatial navigation, social recognition, and decision-making. It also allows for repeated testing, enabling researchers to observe how cognitive abilities evolve over time.



Moreover, the low cost and portability of the device make it accessible for use in remote or ecologically sensitive areas. As researchers continue to refine the apparatus, the potential for expanding fish cognition studies becomes evident.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-learn-and-strategize">Fish learn and strategize</h2>



For decades, fish cognition research remained trapped in laboratory tanks, far removed from the real world. With the advent of the feeding board apparatus, that era is ending.



The Trinidad and Netherlands studies reveal just how much fish can learn - and how much they rely on social cues to navigate challenging tasks. Producers emerge as leaders, setting examples for others. Scroungers capitalize on those efforts, showing that even fish can employ cunning strategies.



As the researchers refine the apparatus and test it across more species, one thing is certain - fish are not as simple as they seem. Beneath those calm, glassy eyes lies a mind capable of problem-solving, learning from peers, and even strategizing.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.70002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Methods in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Fish reveal surprising learning skills in natural habitats

Fish often appear as simple creatures, mindlessly drifting through water....

When most people think of the Cretaceous Period, salmon probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. Towering dinosaurs and steamy tropical landscapes usually steal the spotlight. 



But in what is now northern Alaska, the picture was very different - and surprisingly familiar. Freshwater rivers and streams, instead of being dominated by dinosaurs or reptiles, teemed with ancient versions of fish we still see today, including early forms of salmon and pike.



In a recent study from the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/uaf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a>, researchers identified three new species of fish from 73 million years ago. 



One of them, Sivulliusalmo alaskensis, has taken the spotlight as the oldest known member of the salmon family ever found in the fossil record.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-first-for-salmon">A new first for salmon</h2>



“This is not only a new species; it’s the oldest salmonid in the fossil record,” said Patrick Druckenmiller, director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North. 



The name Sivulliusalmo alaskensis combines the Inupiaq word for “to be first” with the Latin word for salmon.



Before this, the earliest known salmonid fossils came from British Columbia and Washington. This new find pushes the lineage back by around 20 million years. 



The researchers also found fossils of two new species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/northern-pike-are-sneaking-through-the-ocean-to-invade-new-lakes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pike</a>, as well as the earliest Arctic example of the fish group that includes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/controlling-invasive-carp-with-sound-waves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carp</a> and minnows.



“Many of the fish groups that we think of as being distinctive today in the high-latitude environment in Alaska were already in place at the same time as dinosaurs,” said Druckenmiller.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warm-world-cold-loving-fish">Warm world, cold-loving fish</h2>



The presence of salmonids in such ancient, northern waters may seem surprising. After all, salmon today are known for thriving in cold environments.



But even during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colossal-new-dinosaur-was-hidden-in-spains-early-cretaceous-fossils/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous</a> - a time known for its warm global temperatures - the Arctic still experienced sharp seasonal changes.



“Salmon were already the kind of fish that do well in a place where those dramatic shifts were happening,” said Andrés López, curator of fish at the UA Museum of the North. 



“Despite all of the changes that the planet has gone through, all of the changes in the geography and the climate, you still had the ancestors of the same groups of species that dominate the fresh waters of the region today.”



The researchers believe these fish adapted well to fluctuations in temperature and daylight. This resilience could explain how their descendants still thrive in the far north today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salmon-and-dinosaurs-shared-rivers">Salmon and dinosaurs shared rivers</h2>



The fossilized fish remains came from the Prince Creek Formation, a site in northern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/in-alaska-dinosaurs-lived-where-rainfall-was-optimal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alaska</a> known for its rich collection of dinosaur bones. 



But while dinosaurs steal the headlines, it's the tiny fossils that often hold the most detailed stories of the ecosystem.



“These types of fossils are often overlooked,” said Druckenmiller. “You couldn’t begin to understand a modern Arctic ecosystem without understanding the smallest animals that live there.”



That same principle, he argued, applies to ancient ecosystems. To better understand Cretaceous life, the team studied even the tiniest vertebrate fossils - especially those of ancient fish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-the-oldest-salmon-fossil">Finding the oldest salmon fossil</h2>



Finding those fossils wasn’t easy. Fish fossils are common in the Prince Creek Formation, but they’re often too small to spot during fieldwork. So the researchers hauled back buckets of sediment to their lab, where they sifted through them under microscopes.



The key fossils that revealed the new salmon species were tiny jaws, some small enough to rest on a pencil eraser. 



To see them in detail, the research team - including scientists from Western University in Ontario and the University of Colorado Boulder - used micro-computed tomography. This technology let them digitally reconstruct the fossils in 3D.



“We found a really distinct jaw and other parts that we recognized as a member of the salmon family,” Druckenmiller said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-born-in-dinosaur-era-rivers">Born in dinosaur-era rivers</h2>



The team’s findings suggest that salmon may not have migrated north, as some previously thought. Instead, their evolutionary roots may lie in the North from the very beginning.



“Northern high latitude regions were probably the crucible of their evolutionary history,” said Druckenmiller.



That idea fits with the absence of lower-latitude fish species in the same rock layers. For now, the story of salmon seems to have started in the shadow of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-nursery-discovered-in-the-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic dinosaurs</a> - in rivers that once flowed through a polar world that was cold, warm, and ever-changing all at once.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70014" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papers in Palaeontology</a>.



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When dinosaurs roamed, salmon swarmed in Arctic rivers

When most people think of the Cretaceous Period, salmon probably...

species in Nautilidae

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