Wild orcas across four continents have repeatedly floated fish and other prey to astonished swimmers and boaters, hinting that the ocean’s top predator likes to make friends. Researchers cataloged 34 such gifts over 20 years, noting the whales often lingered expectantly—and sometimes tried again—after humans declined their offerings, suggesting a...
The pandemic pet boom was real. The happiness boost wasn’t
Locked-down Hungarians who gained or lost pets saw almost no lasting shift in mood or loneliness, and new dog owners actually felt less calm and satisfied over time—hinting that the storied “pet effect” may be more myth than mental-health remedy even in extreme isolation.
How female friendships help chimp babies survive
Female chimpanzees that forge strong, grooming-rich friendships with other females dramatically boost their infants’ odds of making it past the perilous first year—no kin required. Three decades of Gombe observations show that well-integrated mothers enjoy a survival rate of up to 95% for their young, regardless of male allies or...
New AI-Supported, High-Resolution Chesapeake Bay Watershed Stream Maps Reveal Additional Waterways and Will Help Prioritize Restoration Projects
A dataset unveiled today more than doubles the documented stream miles in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, elevating the total from approximately 100,000 to over 200,000 miles.
Tiny Ocean Migrants Play a Massive Role in Southern Ocean Carbon Storage
Dr Katrin Schmidt is among the authors of a study which reveals for the first time that zooplankton migration contributes significantly to carbon sequestration.
Where There’s Fire, There’s Smoke
New app estimates health impacts of breathing smoke from wildfires.
Fire smoke exposure leaves toxic metals and lasting immune changes
Smoke from wildfires and structural fires doesn t just irritate lungs it actually changes your immune system. Harvard scientists found that even healthy people exposed to smoke showed signs of immune system activation, genetic changes tied to allergies, and even toxic metals inside their immune cells.
Buried for 23,000 years: These footprints are rewriting American history
Footprints found in the ancient lakebeds of White Sands may prove that humans lived in North America 23,000 years ago — much earlier than previously believed. A new study using radiocarbon-dated mud bolsters earlier findings, making it the third line of evidence pointing to this revised timeline.
Fighting fire with fire: How prescribed burns reduce wildfire damage and pollution
Wildfires are becoming more intense and dangerous, but a new Stanford-led study offers hope: prescribed burns—intentionally set, controlled fires—can significantly lessen their impact. By analyzing satellite data and smoke emissions, researchers found that areas treated with prescribed burns saw wildfire severity drop by 16% and smoke pollution fall by 14%....
A giant pulse beneath Africa could split the continent — and form an ocean
Beneath the Afar region in Ethiopia, scientists have discovered pulsing waves of molten rock rising from deep within the Earth — a geological heartbeat that could eventually split Africa in two. These rhythmic surges of mantle material are helping to stretch and thin the continent’s crust, setting the stage for...