Cleaner wrasse have revealed a remarkable new side of fish intelligence. Marked with fake parasites, they used mirrors to inspect and remove the spots—far faster than seen in earlier tests. Even more striking, some fish dropped shrimp in front of the mirror to watch how its reflection moved, a form...
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A giant blade-crested spinosaurus, the “hell heron,” discovered in the Sahara
Deep in the heart of the Sahara, scientists have uncovered Spinosaurus mirabilis — a spectacular new predator crowned with a massive, scimitar-shaped crest that may once have blazed with color under the desert sun. Discovered in remote inland river deposits in Niger, the fossil rewrites what we thought we knew...
Flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may be harming wildlife
Flea and tick medications trusted by pet owners worldwide may have an unexpected environmental cost. Scientists found that active ingredients from isoxazoline treatments pass into pet feces, exposing dung-feeding insects to toxic chemicals. These insects are essential for nutrient cycling and soil health. The findings suggest everyday pet treatments could...
A simple water shift could turn Arctic farmland into a carbon sink
Deep in the Arctic north, drained peatlands—once massive carbon vaults built over thousands of years—are quietly leaking greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But new field research from northern Norway suggests there’s a powerful way to slow that loss: raise the water level. In a two-year study, scientists found that restoring...
Triceratops had a giant nose that may have cooled its massive head
Triceratops’ massive head may have been doing more than just showing off those famous horns. Using CT scans and 3D reconstructions of fossil skulls, researchers uncovered a surprisingly complex nasal system hidden inside its enormous snout. Instead of being just a supersized nose for smelling, it likely housed intricate networks...
FAU Feasibility Study: Queen Conch Aquaculture and Seagrass Impacts
Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has been awarded a grant from Blue Carbon Plus (BC+) to explore sustainable, market-driven aquaculture opportunities in The Bahamas and elsewhere.
Record-Breaking Sediment Core Provides Unprecedented Evidence of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Retreat
An international team has drilled the longest ever sediment core from under an ice sheet, providing a record stretching back millions of years that will help climate scientists forecast the fate of the ice sheet in our warming world.
Global Warming Must Peak Below 2°C to Limit Tipping Point Risks
Global warming must peak below 2°C then return under 1.5°C as quickly as possible to limit the risk of dangerous “tipping points”, experts say.
Scientists uncover oxygen-loving ancestor of all complex life
For decades, scientists have believed that complex life began when two very different microbes joined forces, eventually giving rise to plants, animals, and fungi. But one major puzzle remained: how could these organisms have met if one depended on oxygen and the other supposedly lived without it? New research suggests...
Giant virus discovery could rewrite the origin of complex life
A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different families of giant DNA viruses. Its unusual way of hijacking and disrupting the host cell’s nucleus offers fresh insight...