Tag Archives: Environment
Extreme ‘Housework’ Cuts the Life Span of Female Komodo Dragons
The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest lizard. A research team which included scientists from the University of Melbourne, Australia, Indonesia and Italy studied 400 individual Komodo. The results suggest that females have high energy ‘costs’ for reproduction resulting in their smaller size, whereas to reproduce successfully, males must keep increasing in size. Early female deaths may be exacerbating competition … [ Read more ]
Japan Earthquake Caused Long-Lasting Stress in Dogs
Family dogs caught up in the Japan earthquake of 2011 and subsequent nuclear disaster at Fukushima showed signs of stress not inconsistent with PTSD long after the events, a new study finds. The research compared abandoned dogs rescued from Fukushima with non-disaster affected dogs abandoned in 2009 and 2010, before the earthquake. The dogs that lived through the disaster had … [ Read more ]
Cuban Solenodon: Venomous Mammal, Presumed Extinct, Rediscovered
The shrewlike Cuban solenodon (Solenodon cubanus)—a “living fossil” that has not changed much in millions of years—was all but wiped out in the 19th century by deforestation and introduced species. A team of Cuban and Japanese researchers has been searching for the animals, known by locals as almiquí, ever since. The Cuban solenodon is one of only two remaining species … [ Read more ]
100 Million Year Old Fossilzed Spider Attack
A spider has been waiting for its meal for 100 million years. A one-of-a-kind fossil has been discovered by researchers at Oregon State University. The fossil captures a spider in the midst of capturing its prey, a parasitic wasp. Scientist George Poinar says that the spider was inspecting its meal when tree resin washed over them, capturing them forever. The … [ Read more ]
Record-Breaking Star Found Orbiting Supermassive Black Hole In Milky Way
Astronomers have announced the discovery of a remarkable star that orbits the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy in only 11.5 years – the shortest known orbit of any star near this black hole. “I’m extremely pleased to find two stars that orbit our galaxy’s supermassive black hole in much less than a human lifetime,” said Prof … [ Read more ]
Urban Coyotes Move Into Cities
About five miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, scientists have located the smallest known coyote territory ever observed. Coyotes are the largest of the mammalian carnivores to have made their way to, and thrived in, urban settings. In comparing findings about coyote survival in cities to research by another group on those living in rural areas, scientists have found that … [ Read more ]
San Francisco Rated As Number One City For Heart Health
Men’s Health magazine recently graded the best and worst cities for heart health in the USA. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country and every year, more than 500,000 people suffer from heart attacks. Aside from the winner, San Francisco, Aurora, Colorado, Seattle, Washington and Austin, Texas ranked high. The worst cities included Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cleveland, … [ Read more ]
Fish Expected To Decrease In Size As Oceans Warm
A team in British Colombia used computer modeling to determine the size of fish as climate change increases the temperature of the oceans. The scientists analyzed 600 species of fish and found that as the ocean warms, there is less oxygen in the water. This reduction in oxygen limits fish growth and many species’ could experience a reduction in … [ Read more ]
White Sharks Reveal Individual Differences In Diets
Scientists from UC Santa Cruz performed a study to determine the standard diet of white sharks found along the California coast. They analyzed their vertebrae to determine diet variations over a shark’s lifetime. They discovered that although white sharks mainly dine on sea lions, seals, dolphins and fish, many change their diets as they age and show individual preferences for … [ Read more ]
Rare ‘Iron Man’ Statue Carved From Meteorite
A statue weighing 21 pounds, known as the Iron Man, is believed to have been carved from a meteorite that struck Earth 15,000 years ago. The statue was carved in Tibet and features the god Vaisravana. The material was tested and found to have high concentrations of nickel that matched that of ataxite, a rare type of meteoric rock. ‘Iron … [ Read more ]
