While February is set to be a fairly low-key month for astronomical happenings, it starts off strong: by offering an excellent chance of spotting a 50,000-year-old comet that astronomers have been eagerly tracking since spring of 2022. For all of February’s night sky highlights, read on. CONSTELLATIONS As far as constellations are concerned, the Old […]
While it’s always a sad occasion when an animal goes extinct (such as the case of the Western black rhino in 2011), conservation efforts can revitalize a dying species and bring it back from the brink. Such is the case with Fender’s blue butterfly: The Oregon native species is moving off the endangered species list
A study run by scientists from New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life has found that some sharks are creatures of habit when it comes to breeding, and over a surprisingly long time span. The research, the world’s longest-running study of shark mating habits, also revealed other aspects of their mating behaviors. Published
Unless you’ve visited Australia, you’ve probably never seen a wombat out in the wild. These stout quadrupedal marsupials — only found in the land down under — measure an average of about 40 inches in length and weigh between 55 and 88 pounds. The extinct diprotodon, commonly referred to as the “giant wombat,” was much
A Long-Lost Species — the “True Giant Wombat” — Has Been Discovered in Australia Continue Reading »
Scientists working in Antarctica got quite the surprise while investigating the effects of climate change on the Ross Ice Shelf. The team, with members hailing from various universities in New Zealand, had drilled 500 meters down to access a river underneath the shelf. They immediately found their camera swarmed with marine life — indicating an
Scientists Discover “Hidden World” of Marine Life Under Antarctic Ice Shelf Continue Reading »
Each winter, ornithologists and amateur birdwatchers come together to participate in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC), a holiday tradition with a purpose. The count, which started on Christmas Day in 1900, is the longest-running citizen science project in North America, per Birds Canada, and involves thousands of volunteers stationed at more than
A simple order of french fries at the airport terminal may be fueling a future flight — at least at Dallas-Fort Worth International in Texas it is. As part of its goal to reach 100% net zero emissions by 2030, the airport has been recycling used cooking oil from its restaurants into jet fuel. “We
How Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Turns Used Cooking Oil Into Jet Fuel Continue Reading »
Birdwatching soared in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and interest in the pastime shows no signs of slowing. Researchers who have been investigating the science behind the hobby have discovered that it has numerous proven benefits to mental health and well-being. According to an October study published in Scientific Reports, birdwatching and its positive effect
At Southern California’s San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Dr. Mrinalini Watsa has been studying DNA samples of zoo-dwelling tigers. The ripple effect of her work offers considerable potential in pulling wild tigers back from the brink of extinction by offering a means of measuring wild tiger populations with greater accuracy — and possibly curtailing the
How DNA Analysis of Zoo-Dwelling Sumatran Tigers Can Help Save Them in the Wild Continue Reading »
Dinosaurs that are not classified as birds walked the Earth during the Mesozoic Era, which occurred between 245 and 66 million years ago. And yet, believe it or not, researchers have never found evidence that any non-avian prehistoric reptiles ever swam. There was one exception: Spinosaurus — a humongous, fearsome beast that was able to
