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Pest Control Worker Walks Into An Office And Finds A 10-Foot-Tall Termite Mound

Pest Control Worker Walks Into An Office And Finds A 10-Foot-Tall Termite Mound

A few years ago, pest manager Eddie Pearce was called out to a quarry in Gordonvale, Australia.

Why Australia Has So Many Colorful Lorikeets

Why Australia Has So Many Colorful Lorikeets

Australia is home to a fascinating array of lorikeet species, each possessing distinct characteristics that allow them to thrive in various ecologi...

University of Oxford Study Suggests Animals Evolved Hundreds of Millions of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought

University of Oxford Study Suggests Animals Evolved Hundreds of Millions of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought

A new study led by the University of Oxford, published in Science Advances, indicates that animals may have evolved much earlier than suggested by the fossil record. Researchers propose that the origin of animals could date back to the Neoproterozoic Era, potentially between 800 and 700 million years ago, which is hundreds of millions of years before the first unmistakable animal fossils appear. The study challenges previous assumptions based on deposits like the Weng'an Biota in China, which, despite exceptional preservation, showed no definitive animal fossils. The Oxford team, including members from the University of California, Berkeley, ETH Zürich, and Yale University, re-evaluated molecular clock analyses using older geological constraints from deposits in Norway, Australia, and Arizona. This approach shifted the estimated origin of animals backward by approximately 200 million years. The findings are supported by chemical fossils, or biomarkers, found in ancient rocks, which are consistent with spon...

Meet the Parrot With Nearly Every Color of the Rainbow

Meet the Parrot With Nearly Every Color of the Rainbow

The rainbow lorikeet, scientifically known as *Trichoglossus moluccanus*, is a vibrant species of parrot native to Australia. This medium-sized bir...

Mama And Baby Cling To Each Other On Pool Cover As They Slowly Sink Into Water

Mama And Baby Cling To Each Other On Pool Cover As They Slowly Sink Into Water

This past Sunday morning, a resident of Coorparoo, Australia, was feeding her dog when she noticed something strange in her pool.

‘SNL’: Dakota Johnson Confides in Taylor Swift About Dating Musicians

‘SNL’: Dakota Johnson Confides in Taylor Swift About Dating Musicians

"I am actually doing a public service by dating them because, ladies, I am saving you a lot of money on Zoloft," the actress jokes

Taylor Swift's Former Beverly Hills Home Listed for Sale, Showcasing Post-Swift Renovations

Taylor Swift's Former Beverly Hills Home Listed for Sale, Showcasing Post-Swift Renovations

Taylor Swift's Former Beverly Hills Home Listed for Sale, Showcasing Post-Swift Renovations

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot's links to the country, police say

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot's links to the country, police say

By Praveen Menon and Alexander Cornwell SYDNEY/TEL AVIV, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on

Lowy Institute Seeks Program Director for Pacific Islands Program

Lowy Institute Seeks Program Director for Pacific Islands Program

The Lowy Institute, a prominent Australian international policy think tank based in Sydney, is actively recruiting a Program Director for its Pacific Islands Program. This senior role involves leading the institute's research and public engagement concerning the Pacific Islands, Australia's Pacific policy, and the implications of major power competition in the region. The successful candidate will be responsible for defining the program's analytical direction, conducting original research, overseeing events and outreach initiatives, and representing the institute to government, media, and corporate sectors. Applicants are expected to possess a minimum of ten years of professional experience in Pacific Islands affairs, coupled with in-depth knowledge of the region's strategic, political, and economic dynamics. The institute emphasizes the need for demonstrated capacity in producing original research and high-quality policy analysis, excellent communication skills, and strong stakeholder engagement abilities...

Dwarf Shrimp Scientific Names Undergo Revisions and Clarifications

Dwarf Shrimp Scientific Names Undergo Revisions and Clarifications

The scientific classification of dwarf shrimp, popular in the aquarium hobby, is undergoing significant revisions and clarifications. Many species have experienced name changes and reclassifications due to ongoing research by carcinologists. For instance, the Cherry Shrimp, initially classified under Caridina and then Neocaridina denticulata and N. heteropoda, is now firmly established as Neocaridina davidi since 2013. Similarly, Bee Shrimp, once referred to as Caridina cf. cantonensis, were identified in a 2014 paper as Caridina logemanni, with genetic evidence suggesting they are hybrids. Tangerine Tiger Shrimp, long thought to be Caridina serrata, were noted in 2020 to be genetically distant from true serrata and are now believed to be Caridina cantonensis. Tiger Shrimp, including varieties like Orange Eye Blue Tiger, were reclassified in 2014 as Caridina mariae, a sister species to C. cantonensis. Bumblebee Shrimp, previously listed as Caridina (cf) breviata, C. venusta, or C. tumida, are now suggested...

On This Day in 2025, Taylor Swift Released The Life of a Showgirl

On This Day in 2025, Taylor Swift Released The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift's twelfth studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," released on October 3, 2025, quickly established itself as a commercial powerhouse, ...

Single Psilocybin Dose Shows Promise in Improving Social Exploration in Male OCD Mouse Model

Single Psilocybin Dose Shows Promise in Improving Social Exploration in Male OCD Mouse Model

Researchers from the University of Melbourne's Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, La Trobe University, and other Australian institutions have found that a single dose of psilocybin increased social exploration in male mice exhibiting obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-like behaviors. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, utilized a mouse model where the absence of the SAPAP3 gene is linked to compulsive-like grooming. Male SAPAP3 knockout mice, after receiving a single injection of psilocybin (1 milligram per kilogram of body weight), spent more time investigating an unfamiliar mouse and its chamber seven days later, compared to control mice given a saline solution. This effect was specific to male mice and was not observed in females. The study also noted increased neural activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in psilocybin-treated mice, regardless of genotype, with infralimbic c-Fos levels correlating with improved social recognition in male SAPAP3 knockout m...