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Categories: Environmental: Wildfires, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published Paleontology: New fossil fish genus discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Paleontologists have identified a new genus of fossil goby, revealing evolutionary secrets of a lineage that stretches back millions of years.
Published Eating small fish whole can prolong life expectancy, a Japanese study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found evidence linking the intake of whole-sized small fish with a reduced risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in Japanese women.
Published New way to spot beetle-killed spruce can help forest, wildfire managers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new machine-learning system can automatically produce detailed maps from satellite data to show locations of likely beetle-killed spruce trees in Alaska, even in forests of low and moderate infestation where identification is otherwise difficult. The automated process can help forestry and wildfire managers in their decisions. That's critical as the beetle infestation spreads.
Published Soaring birds use their lungs to modify mechanics of flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An air-filled sac within the birds' lungs is believed to increase the force the birds use to power flight muscles while soaring.
Published Ingestible microbiome sampling pill technology advances
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Significant progress has been made in the development of a small device, about the size of a vitamin pill, that can be swallowed and passed through the gastrointestinal tract to sample and help identify the full inventory of microbiome bacteria in an individual.
Published No bones about it: 100-million-year-old bones reveal new species of pterosaur
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has identified 100-million-year-old fossilized bones discovered in western Queensland as belonging to a newly identified species of pterosaur, which was a formidable flying reptile that lived among the dinosaurs.
Published Are plants intelligent? It depends on the definition
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Goldenrod can perceive other plants nearby without ever touching them, by sensing far-red light ratios reflected off leaves. When goldenrod is eaten by herbivores, it adapts its response based on whether or not another plant is nearby. Is this kind of flexible, real-time, adaptive response a sign of intelligence in plants?
Published Millions of insects migrate through 30-meter Pyrenees pass
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over 17 million insects migrate each year through a single mountain pass on the border between France and Spain, new research shows.
Published Virus-like nanoparticles control the multicellular organization and reproduction of host bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that virus-like nanoparticles can promote the multicellular organization and reproduction of host bacteria. These particles, which are evolutionarily related to phages (viruses that infect bacteria), contain an enzyme that helps shape the multicellular architecture and ultimately enhances morphological differentiation.
Published Algae offer real potential as a renewable electricity source
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The need to transition away from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy production is critical. That's why a team of researchers is looking at a potential power source that not only produces no carbon emissions but removes carbon as it works: algae.
Published Scientists unlock secrets of how archaea, the third domain of life, makes energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international scientific team has redefined our understanding of archaea, a microbial ancestor to humans from two billion years ago, by showing how they use hydrogen gas. The findings explain how these tiny lifeforms make energy by consuming and producing hydrogen. This simple but dependable strategy has allowed them to thrive in some of Earth's most hostile environments for billions of years.
Published Novel Genetic Clock discovers oldest known marine plant
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research team has discovered the oldest known marine plant using a novel genetic clock. This 1400-year-old seagrass clone from the Baltic Sea dates back to the Migration Period. The research project is a significant step towards better understanding and protecting marine ecosystems.
Published Elephants have names for each other like people do, new study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wild African elephants address each other with name-like calls, a rare ability among nonhuman animals, according to a new study. Researchers used machine learning to confirm that elephant calls contained a name-like component identifying the intended recipient, a behavior they suspected based on observation. The study suggests elephants do not imitate the receiver's call to address one another but instead use arbitrary vocal labels like humans.
Published Tiny new species of great ape lived in Germany 11 million years ago
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ancient apes in Germany co-existed by partitioning resources in their environment, according to a new study.
Published A new study reveals that marine cyanobacteria communicate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A breakthrough study changes the way we understand cyanobacteria, which are essential for the sustenance of life. The study shows that these organisms do not operate in isolation, but rather physically interact through membrane-nanotubes, which function as exchange bridges between cells.
Published Researchers solve 2,000-year-old mystery of the shipworm
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source They bedeviled ancient Greek navies, helped shipwreck Christopher Columbus, aided in the sinking of the Spanish Armada and caused the wharves in San Francisco Bay to collapse into the sea, but until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint exactly how shipworms -- a family of mollusks -- are able to cause such damage. A team of researchers has discovered that a population of symbiotic microbes, living in an overlooked sub-organ of the gut called the 'typhlosole,' have the ability to secrete the enzymes needed to digest lignin -- the toughest part of wood.
Published Flapping frequency of birds, insects, bats and whales described by universal equation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, researchers report in a new study.
Published Fighting fires from space in record time: How AI could prevent devastating wildfires
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery.
Published Fishy mystery of marine reptile solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The identity of a prehistoric marine reptile has finally been revealed after experts discovered that some of its remains actually belonged to fish.
Published Blood sausages and yak milk: Bronze Age cuisine of Mongolian nomads unveiled
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bronze cauldrons were used by the inhabitants of the Mongolian steppe around 2,700 years ago to process animal blood and milk. This is shown by a protein analysis of archaeological finds from this period.