If winter’s long, dreary days have you down, take heart — March ushers in the official start of spring by way of the spring equinox, after which point days will once again grow longer (or, technically speaking, brighter). Of course, this means daylight saving time is also on the horizon, so get ready for the […]
Not only do trees provide natural beauty and shade to urban areas, but their leaf-filled branches could also increase the lifespan of city residents. A new study recently published in The Lancet has estimated that increasing urban tree cover — the canopy created by trees that shades the ground below — by 30% could prevent
When you think of ceramic, porcelain or china probably comes to mind. Over in South Africa, though, scientists are using the material to house endangered penguins in order to protect them from the warming weather caused by climate change. The African Penguin Nest Project team, made up of researchers and conservationists from around the world,
Ceramic Boxes That Look Like Tiny Igloos House Endangered Penguin Nests in Africa Continue Reading »
Tucked in a lake on a remote island country in the western Pacific lives a mysterious and rare creature. They’re small and squishy, they don’t have a brain, heart, or eyes, and they have stingers that don’t cause pain. Meet the golden jellyfish: a unique, gold-colored subspecies that draws visitors from all over the world
Valentine’s Day is soon approaching, and why limit our understanding of love and romance to humans alone? There are plenty of animal species that mate and remain committed to their chosen partner for life, from bald eagles and beavers to seahorses and mice. Monogamy and faithfulness could be natural for some species, as a 2019
Mating for Life: 17 Animal Species That Are Monogamous in the Wild Continue Reading »
There is an abundance of fish species in the River Mersey once more. An iconic part of the United Kingdom’s topography, River Mersey separates Lancashire in the north from Cheshire in the south. In recent years, the once-heavily polluted river has become one of Europe’s biggest environmental success stories. “It’s the best environmental good news
How England’s River Mersey, Once Polluted and “Biologically Dead,” Was Restored Continue Reading »
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 »
