Explore

Astronomers spot white dwarf star with two rings of planetary debris

Astronomers spot white dwarf star with two rings of planetary debris

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Billions of years from now, the sun is expected to run out of fuel and greatly expand into what is called a red giant, eventually shedding its outer layers and leaving behind its dense core, a white dwarf.

Scientists Map Octopus Squeezing Strategy, Informing Soft Robotics Design

Scientists Map Octopus Squeezing Strategy, Informing Soft Robotics Design

Scientists have successfully mapped the intricate strategies octopuses employ to squeeze through impossibly small openings. Researchers at the National University of Singapore's Soft Robotics Lab, in collaboration with biologists from the University of Naples Federico II, observed and video-recorded three sub-adult common octopuses navigating adjustable openings. The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, revealed that octopuses adapt their squeezing technique based on the size of the aperture. For wider openings (larger than the distance between their eyes), they use a three-step process: probing with one arm, moving several arms through, and then using those arms to pull the rest of their body. When the opening is narrower, they switch to a four-step process, adding an extra step to pull remaining arms through before separately squeezing their head and mantle. This research highlights the remarkable flexibility of octopuses, whose bodies are built around a muscular hydrostat system, all...

Endangered Hawaiian bird uses beak and body to dig out its dinner

Endangered Hawaiian bird uses beak and body to dig out its dinner

By Marta Serafinko Nov 5 (Reuters) - The ʻakiapōlāʻau has no need for a toolbox. The endangered Hawaiian bird taps the wood of trees, hacks into it with the lower half of its unusual beak, then switches to its long, flexible upper bill to probe the hole for insect larvae to eat.

Siberian burial site reveals ancient use of cannabis as an intoxicant

Siberian burial site reveals ancient use of cannabis as an intoxicant

By Will Dunham Nov 5 (Reuters) - A Siberian burial mound from the ancient Scythian culture dating to 2,800 years ago has yielded the oldest-known evidence for the use of cannabis for its mind-altering effects, with scientists finding its seeds among the grave goods and human hair bearing its

Massive fin whale glides past divers in rare encounter off Costa Rica

Massive fin whale glides past divers in rare encounter off Costa Rica

"This may be one of the first verified records [of fin whales] in Costa Rican waters.”

New Brittle Star Species Discovered in Denmark Linked to Ancient Whale Falls

New Brittle Star Species Discovered in Denmark Linked to Ancient Whale Falls

Paleontologists in Denmark have identified a new species of brittle star, *Ophiura huebnerjenseni*, from a 9.5-million-year-old whale carcass found in the Gram Clay Pit. This discovery marks the first fossil evidence globally of brittle stars associating with whale falls in shallow-water environments during the Miocene epoch. Researchers, including Mette Elstrup and Trine Sørensen of the Museum of Southern Jutland, and Ben Thuy and Lea D. Numberger-Thuy from Luxembourg and Germany respectively, found tiny skeletal plates of the brittle stars concentrated exclusively in sediment samples taken directly beside the whale bones. This specific distribution suggests that these ancient marine invertebrates gathered around the deceased whale, likely taking advantage of the large food source it provided. The species has been named in honor of Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen, founders of Germany’s Wacken Open Air heavy metal festival, with a geological connection noted between the festival's muddy grounds and the anc...

Florida Program for Shark Research Archives 7,000 Shark Bite Incidents, Tracks Trends

Florida Program for Shark Research Archives 7,000 Shark Bite Incidents, Tracks Trends

Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida, oversees an extensive archive of shark bite incidents, which currently contains approximately 7,000 records. This archive, initiated 60 years ago by the Navy, compiles information from news reports, victim accounts, and witness testimonies to understand shark attacks. Researchers actively engage with individuals involved in these incidents to gather comprehensive data. For instance, Leah Lendel, an 11-year-old shark attack survivor, recounted her experience from June of last year when a shark bit her hand off the coast of Boca Grande. Despite the severity of her injury, Lendel made a full recovery and has been inspired to pursue marine biology to better understand shark behavior. Naylor emphasizes that while shark attacks are rare, the archive helps identify trends that would otherwise be undetectable. Local, state, and federal governments generally do not track these incidents, viewing them as a minor problem in...

NOAA Scientists Identify Mysterious Golden Orb as Deep-Sea Anemone Cuticle

NOAA Scientists Identify Mysterious Golden Orb as Deep-Sea Anemone Cuticle

Scientists from the U.S. Government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have identified a mysterious golden orb discovered in the Gulf of Alaska in 2023. Initially baffling researchers, the object was found during a deep-water mapping expedition by the ship Okeanos Explorer. The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer located the reflective golden blob, approximately 10cm across with a skin-like fibrous texture, at 3,200 meters below the surface on the Walker Seamount. After three years of painstaking analysis, including electron microscopy and whole genome sequencing at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, the orb was confirmed to be the anchoring cuticle of a giant deep-sea anemone, Relicanthus daphneae. This discovery suggests the species is more widespread than previously thought, as it had only been observed near hydrothermal vents in other oceans.

Shark Expert Deems Repellent Bands 'Sugar Pill' After Fatal Attack, Questions Effectiveness

Shark Expert Deems Repellent Bands 'Sugar Pill' After Fatal Attack, Questions Effectiveness

Senior marine life ranger Sharky Baxter has critically assessed wearable shark repellent bands, labeling them as little more than a 'sugar pill' following a fatal shark attack in South Africa. A 65-year-old woman was killed while swimming despite wearing a magnetic repellent band, raising significant doubts about the efficacy of such devices. Baxter stated that these bands provide a false sense of security, noting a history of individuals wearing them still being attacked by sharks. Scientist Maddy Massie further explained that while electric deterrents have some scientific backing due to their interference with a shark's electrical sensing system, magnetic devices have far less evidence supporting their effectiveness, often only working at extremely close ranges, less than one meter. Both experts question the commercialization of these devices, especially how sales surge after shark encounters, capitalizing on public fear.

Researchers Discover New Pygmygoby Species in Red Sea, Highlighting Deep Reef Biodiversity

Researchers Discover New Pygmygoby Species in Red Sea, Highlighting Deep Reef Biodiversity

Researchers have identified a new species of fish, Charon’s pygmygoby (Trimma charon), in the northern Red Sea. This small, translucent fish, measuring between 12 and 17 millimeters, features a distinctive broad orange-red stripe, golden spots on its tail, and an unusual four-part eye. The discovery was made at the entrance to a cave on a steep reef slope. Only two specimens of Charon’s pygmygoby have been found to date, suggesting it may primarily inhabit deeper, unexplored 'mesophotic' reefs below 30 meters. The species is named after Charon from Greek mythology, alluding to the golden spots on its tail resembling coins and its potential dwelling in the 'underworld' of deep reefs. The study, led by Viktor Nunes Peinemann at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, and co-authored by Matthew D. Tietbohl Talas, Michael L. Berumen, and Sergey V. Bogorodsky, was published in the journal ZooKeys. This finding brings the total number of Trimma species known in the Red Sea to 11...

Mercury contamination found at more ancient Maya sites

Mercury contamination found at more ancient Maya sites

By Will Dunham Nov 6 (Reuters) - For the ancient Maya, the vibrant red mineral cinnabar held deep sacred meaning, representing blood, life and the soul. They used it widely as pigment in murals and temples while also employing it in ceremonies and funerary rites.

Scientists Discover Unidentified Baby North Atlantic Right Whale, Boosting Conservation Hopes

Scientists Discover Unidentified Baby North Atlantic Right Whale, Boosting Conservation Hopes

Researchers in Canada have captured images of a previously unidentified baby North Atlantic right whale off Anticosti Island in Quebec. This discovery, confirmed by scientists at the New England Aquarium in Boston, indicates the calf was likely born months ago but went undocumented during winter surveys. The mother has been identified as Silt, a 38-year-old whale known to researchers. This finding increases the total number of baby right whales discovered from the most recent birthing season to 24, marking it as the most productive year for the species since 2009 and the fourth-highest count on record. North Atlantic right whales, numbering only about 380 globally, have experienced a population decline since 2010, making each new birth crucial for their survival. The whale was spotted by researchers from the Mingan Island Cetacean Study, a nonprofit organization, despite extensive boat-based and aerial surveys along the U.S. East Coast failing to detect it earlier.