Dolphins are known for their playful behavior, often observed holding puffer fish in their mouths. When frightened, these fish inflate with seawater, resembling a spiky tennis ball, which the dolphins spin and toss into the air.
Experts suggest that this may be part of the dolphins’ innate playful repertoire, although the exact reason remains uncertain. It’s possible that young dolphins are honing their echolocation skills, locating pufferfish on the ocean floor and engaging with them like a cat teasing its prey.
Interestingly, dolphins seem aware of the fact that puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a potent toxin. If they intended to consume the fish, they would likely stop playing and eat them. Instead, they delicately hold the pufferfish in their mouths without causing damage.
Another intriguing theory is that dolphins might be seeking a mild high from the chemicals released by pufferfish. Their playful interactions could be a way to experience these effects in a safe manner.
Dolphins are known for their playful interactions with various marine species – Credit: Getty
Moreover, dolphins are also seen tossing octopuses before consuming them. This behavior has a practical advantage: it eliminates the choking hazard posed by the numerous suckers on the inside of their throat.
Some animal games remain a mystery. For example, killer whales, celebrated for their intelligence and social behavior, exhibited a peculiar trend in the 1980s off Washington state’s coast, where a pod began carrying dead salmon on their heads. This behavior initiated with a single female and soon spread to the rest of the pod.
Though this trend faded by 1988, it resurfaced in 2024, making dead fish hats fashionable once more among killer whales. This peculiar behavior raises questions: Are they saving treats for later, or is it a playful game with unknown rules?
This article addresses the question, “Are there any animals that use other animals for sport?” submitted by Jeanie Holmes.
Have a question? Email us at questions@sciencefocus.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (please include your name and location).
For more incredible science facts, visit our Ultimate Fun Facts page.
Same-sex sexual activity isn’t exclusive to humans; various primates engage in it too.
A recent study identified 59 non-human primate species, including bonobos, chimpanzees, and macaques, that exhibit same-sex behavior.
This extensive research, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, is the most thorough review to date of same-sex behavior among primates (excluding humans). The findings challenge existing assumptions about the purpose of sexual activities within the animal kingdom and indicate that sex may serve a more complex social function.
The authors propose that same-sex behavior has evolved to assist primates in navigating complex social structures, reducing conflict, and strengthening bonds. They suggest that both genetic factors and external environmental stresses influence this behavior.
Vincent Savolainen, director of the Georgina Mace Center for the Living Planet at Imperial College London and lead author of the study, stated: “Our findings illustrate that homosexuality is not an anomaly; it’s widespread, beneficial, and essential.”
In their study, Savolainen and colleagues evaluated existing data from 491 primate species, focusing on documented instances of same-sex sexual activities.
“The behaviors observed included mounting, ventral-to-ventral, or ventral-to-dorsal contact, genital touching, and fellatio, encompassing both male-to-male and female-to-female interactions,” the study highlighted. Non-sexual same-sex interactions were excluded to maintain clarity.
Findings suggest that same-sex behavior is more prevalent among animals needing social cohesion to endure harsh environmental conditions, facing predation risks, or competing for resources. It is particularly common in social structures with rigid hierarchies, where sexual behaviors help individuals manage competition and foster alliances to reduce intergroup aggression.
“People often underestimate the significance of same-sex behavior in societal dynamics; it is as crucial as eating, fighting, parenting, and nurturing,” Savolainen remarked.
He likened same-sex sexual interactions to a form of “currency” that may enhance social standing, create opportunities, and facilitate resource sharing.
“In times of social strife, utilizing same-sex behavior can be advantageous,” Savolainen explained.
He noted that while this behavior is likely to be present in more than 23 primate species, limited data in the field and a lack of focused studies hinder comprehensive understanding.
Observing and interpreting same-sex sexual behavior can be challenging for scientists. Historically, many researchers viewed these behaviors as unusual and neglected documentation. Additionally, securing funding for studies on same-sex behavior in animals has been difficult, particularly from government sources.
“We have a plethora of species about which we lack knowledge. This knowledge gap is significant,” Savolainen warned. “Unless we incorporate same-sex behavior into our understanding of social dynamics, we can’t fully grasp how societies operate. We aim to gather more data in forthcoming studies.”
While the new research doesn’t directly relate its findings to contemporary human sexual behavior, it suggests that our ancestors experienced social and environmental pressures similar to those driving same-sex behavior in other primates.
Marlene Zook, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Minnesota who studies same-sex behavior in animals, commented on the interesting breadth of the analysis.
“The extensive range of data collected in this study is particularly impressive,” she noted.
Zook expressed no surprise at the conclusion emphasizing the influence of environmental and social factors on same-sex behavior. The study prompts a reconsideration of widespread misconceptions regarding animal sexual conduct, emphasizing its complexity beyond mere reproduction.
“Sexual behavior often transcends reproduction, a fact evident in our species. However, many tend to overlook this reality in animals,” Zook observed. “People seem to assume that animals, unlike humans, conduct sexual activities purely for procreation purposes, which is quite inaccurate.”
Zook added that the scientific community has traditionally dismissed the concept of a “gay gene” that directly influences homosexual behavior.
“No single gene dictates homosexual behavior in humans or other animals. Instead, a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors shape nearly all behaviors and traits, whether they be physical or psychological,” she concluded.
Male baboon (Papio hamadryas) showcases dominance through mounting behavior.
Credit: Ger Bosma/Alamy
Same-sex sexual behavior in monkeys and apes may enhance social standing and increase reproductive success, particularly in harsh environments with predators or limited food resources.
This conclusion stems from a study exploring variations in same-sex behavior across primate species, suggesting that such behavior, contrary to popular belief, is an adaptive trait aiding survival.
Historically, same-sex behavior has been dismissed as “unnatural.” However, it has now been documented in at least 1,500 animal species, including insects, dolphins, bison, and bonobos.
This could be just the beginning of a larger understanding; many species remain understudied. Additionally, same-sex activities may often go unrecognized due to ambiguous gender identification. Even when recognized, they may not be reported.
In research covering around 20 mammalian species over extended periods, 80% exhibit same-sex behavior. In a detailed study of a rhesus macaque colony (Macaca mulatta) in Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, researchers found that three-quarters of males engage in homosexual behavior, according to findings by Vincent Savolainen from Imperial College London.
The prevalence of same-sex behavior poses the question: why is it so common?
This phenomenon is often referred to as “Darwin’s paradox,” arising from the assumption that homosexual behavior is maladaptive, offering no reproductive advantage.
Several theories have been proposed to explain the high occurrence of same-sex behavior, despite its perceived maladaptive nature. One theory suggests that such acts may occur due to the inability of individuals to distinguish between genders. While this idea holds for simpler animals, it likely does not apply to complex animals such as apes and dolphins.
Another explanation is that same-sex behavior could be a byproduct of natural selection for other traits. For instance, some traits enhancing reproductive success in females could be linked to the increased likelihood of homosexuality in males.
Importantly, same-sex behavior may hold adaptive value. One theory suggests it aids males in forming alliances, enhancing their access to females. “Same-sex behavior serves as a social currency within these societies,” Savolainen explains.
His team analyzed data on same-sex behavior in 59 primate species, correlating it with various environmental and social factors. Notably, they observed that same-sex interactions are more prevalent in complex societies and dryer habitats where food scarcity and predation pressure are heightened.
The increased frequency of such behavior in stressful environments suggests its adaptive nature. If same-sex acts were purely for enjoyment, we would expect them to be less frequent in these conditions.
“Same-sex behavior may foster cooperation and cohesion by strengthening social bonds, which is particularly vital in challenging environments,” notes team member Chloe Coxshall, also from Imperial.
However, to establish the adaptive value, this behavior must show a link to enhanced fitness and increased offspring. “This is precisely what I aim to examine in monkey populations,” Savolainen states.
While conclusive evidence identifying same-sex behavior as adaptive in certain primate species remains elusive, scientific inquiry may soon challenge outdated perceptions surrounding this behavior.
What implications does this research hold for understanding human homosexual behavior? If validated, these findings may clarify its commonality. Researchers emphasize that these insights do not dictate moral judgments about such actions, thereby avoiding the naturalistic fallacy—wherein human behavior is evaluated through the lens of animal behavior.
Nevertheless, it’s intriguing to consider that redefining “the fittest” may be necessary in the context of survival of the fittest.
As Tropical Storm Melissa wreaked havoc south of Haiti, meteorologist Philippe Papin from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) firmly believed it was on the verge of evolving into a formidable hurricane.
In his capacity as the lead forecaster, he forecasted that within a mere 24 hours, the storm would escalate to a Category 4 hurricane and shift its course toward Jamaica’s coastline. Up to that point, no NHC forecaster had made such an announcement. What a daring prediction for quick validation.
However, Mr. Papin had an ace up his sleeve: artificial intelligence, specifically Google’s newly released DeepMind hurricane model from June. As expected, Melissa transformed into an unbelievably strong storm that devastated Jamaica.
NHC forecasters are increasingly depending on Google DeepMind. On the morning of October 25th, Mr. Papin elaborated on this in a public forum. He also shared on social media that Google’s model was central to his confidence: “Approximately 40 out of 50 members of the Google DeepMind ensemble predict Melissa will reach Category 5. While we are cautious about predicting its intensity due to track uncertainty, it remains a strong possibility.”
“Rapid intensification is likely as the storm traverses very warm ocean waters, characterized by the highest ocean heat content in the entire Atlantic Basin.”
Ultimately, Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane, marking one of the most powerful landfalls recorded in nearly two centuries across the Atlantic. Mr. Papin’s audacious forecasts could provide Jamaicans with critical time to brace for disasters, potentially safeguarding lives and property.
Google DeepMind is revolutionizing weather forecasts in recent years, and the parent forecasting system that the new hurricane model is based on has also excelled in identifying last year’s large-scale weather patterns.
Google’s models function by discovering patterns that traditional, slower, physics-based weather models may overlook.
“They operate much faster than their physics-based counterparts, with increased computational efficiency that saves both time and resources,” remarked former NHC forecaster Michael Rowley.
“This hurricane season has demonstrated that emerging AI weather models can be competitive, and in some instances, more accurate than the slower, traditional physics-based models that have long been our standard,” Rowley noted.
It’s important to note that Google DeepMind exemplifies machine learning—not generative AI like ChatGPT. Machine learning processes large data sets to identify patterns, allowing models to generate answers in minutes using standard computing resources. This stands in stark contrast to the flagship models employed by governments for decades, which take hours to compute using some of the world’s largest supercomputers.
Nevertheless, the fact that Google’s model has quickly surpassed traditional models is nothing short of remarkable for a meteorologist devoted to forecasting the planet’s most powerful storms.
Former NHC forecaster James Franklin expressed his admiration: “The sample size is now significant enough to conclude this isn’t merely beginner’s luck.”
Looking ahead, Franklin mentioned his intention to engage with Google during the upcoming offseason to enhance DeepMind’s output by providing additional internal data for better assessment of its predictions.
“What concerns me is that while these predictions appear very accurate, the model’s output operates like a black box,” Franklin remarked.
No private or commercial entity has ever developed a leading weather model that allows researchers to scrutinize its methods. Unlike the majority of models built and maintained by the government, which are available to the public at no cost, Google has established high-level resources for DeepMind; published in real-time on a dedicated website, though its methodologies largely remain concealed.
Google is not alone in harnessing AI for challenging weather forecasting issues. Governments in the US and Europe are also working on their own AI weather models, demonstrating enhanced capabilities compared to previous non-AI versions.
The next frontier in AI weather forecasting seems to be for startups to address sub-seasonal forecasts and challenges that have so far proven difficult. To enhance advance warning of tornado outbreaks and flash floods—a goal supported by US government funding. Additionally, a company named WindBorne Systems is launching weather balloons to bridge gaps in the U.S. weather observation network, recently diminished by the Trump administration.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse interrupted the daylight cycles of North American birds as they prepared for spring breeding. Researchers at Indiana University, after analyzing over 10,000 community observations and utilizing artificial intelligence to examine nearly 100,000 bird calls, discovered that bird behavior was significantly impacted by the few minutes of unexpected afternoon darkness. More than half of the bird species altered their biological rhythms, leading many to produce dawn choruses in the aftermath of the eclipse.
Circles indicate individual observations from the SolarBird app submitted on April 8, 2024. Image courtesy of Aguilar et al., doi: 10.1126/science.adx3025.
The daily and seasonal rhythms of birds are closely regulated by variations in light and darkness.
What occurs when these cycles are abruptly disrupted, such as during a total solar eclipse?
Previous research has explored the effects of solar eclipses on animal behavior, yet many studies have only provided scattered or anecdotal insights regarding animal responses.
Indiana University researcher Liz Aguilar and her team viewed the total solar eclipse in April 2024 as a unique research opportunity, offering an unprecedented natural experiment to observe how birds react to sudden light changes.
In preparation for the solar eclipse that would cast nearly four minutes of darkness over large regions of the central and eastern United States, they developed a smartphone app called SolarBird, which allows users to document bird behaviors in real time during the eclipse.
The citizen scientists’ contributions resulted in almost 10,000 observations spanning 5,000 km along the eclipse’s path.
Simultaneously, researchers deployed autonomous recording devices across southern Indiana to capture the calls of about 100,000 birds before, during, and after the totality.
These recordings were analyzed using BirdNet, an AI system capable of identifying species calls and measuring vocal activity.
Findings revealed that 29 out of 52 species detected exhibited significant changes in their singing behavior at various points during the event, although the eclipse’s effects varied among species.
In the moments leading up to the eclipse, 11 species were found to sing more than usual as darkness approached.
During the four minutes of darkness, 12 species reacted—some becoming silent, while others increased their vocal activity.
The most notable responses were observed after the sun re-emerged, with 19 species adjusting their songs to mimic a false dawn chorus.
Notably, barred owls hooted four times more frequently than usual, while robins—renowned for their pre-dawn melodies—hooted six times more than normal.
“These patterns indicate that the solar eclipse temporarily reset the internal clocks of certain birds, causing them to act as if a new day had commenced,” the researchers stated.
Their paper was published in the October 9, 2025 edition of the journal Science.
_____
Liz A. Aguilar et al. 2025. Total solar eclipses trigger dawn behavior in birds: Insights from acoustic recordings and crowd science. Science 390 (6769): 152-155; doi: 10.1126/science.adx3025
Several hominid species — Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, early homo varieties, Gigantopithecus brachy, Pongo, papio, homo neanderthalensis, and homo sapiens — have undergone significant lead exposure over two million years, as revealed by a new analysis of fossilized teeth collected from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Europe. This finding challenges the notion that lead exposure is merely a contemporary issue.
Lead exposure affecting modern humans and their ancestors. Image credit: J. Gregory/Mount Sinai Health System.
Professor Renaud Joannes Boyau from Southern Cross University remarked: “Our findings indicate that lead exposure has been integral to human evolution, not just a byproduct of the industrial revolution.”
“This suggests that our ancestors’ brain development was influenced by toxic metals, potentially shaping their social dynamics and cognitive functions over millennia.”
The team analyzed 51 fossil samples globally utilizing a carefully validated laser ablation microspatial sampling technique, encompassing species like Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, early homo variants, Gigantopithecus brachy, Pongo, papio, homo neanderthalensis, and homo sapiens.
Signs of transient lead exposure were evident in 73% of the specimens analyzed (compared to 71% in humans). This included findings on Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and homo species.
Some of the earliest geological samples from Gigantopithecus brachy, believed to be around 1.8 million years old from the early Pleistocene and 1 million years old from the mid-Pleistocene, displayed recurrent lead exposure events interspersed with periods of little to no lead uptake.
To further explore the impact of ancient lead exposure on brain development, researchers also conducted laboratory studies.
Australopithecus africanus. Image credit: JM Salas / CC BY-SA 3.0.” width=”580″ height=”627″ srcset=”https://cdn.sci.news/images/2015/01/image_2428-Australopithecus-africanus.jpg 580w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2015/01/image_2428-Australopithecus-africanus-277×300.jpg 277w” sizes=”(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px”/>
Australopithecus africanus. Image credit: JM Salas / CC BY-SA 3.0.
Using human brain organoids (miniature brain models grown in the lab), researchers examined the effects of lead on a crucial developmental gene named NOVA1, recognized for modulating gene expression during neurodevelopment in response to lead exposure.
The modern iteration of NOVA1 has undergone changes distinct from those seen in Neanderthals and other extinct hominins, with the reasons for this evolution remaining unclear until now.
In organoids with ancestral versions of NOVA1, exposure to lead significantly altered neural activity in relation to Fox P2 — a gene involved in the functionality of brain regions critical for language and speech development.
This effect was less pronounced in modern organoids with NOVA1 mutations.
“These findings indicate that our variant of NOVA1 might have conferred a protective advantage against the detrimental neurological effects of lead,” stated Alison Muotri, a professor at the University of California, San Diego.
“This exemplifies how environmental pressures, such as lead toxicity, can drive genetic evolution, enhancing our capacity for survival and verbal communication while also affecting our susceptibility to contemporary lead exposure.”
An artistic rendition of a Gigantopithecus brachy herd in the forests of southern China. Image credit: Garcia / Joannes-Boyau, Southern Cross University.
Genetic and proteomic analyses in this study revealed that lead exposure in archaic variant organoids disrupts pathways vital for neurodevelopment, social behavior, and communication.
Alterations in Fox P2 activity indicate a possible correlation between ancient lead exposure and the advanced language abilities found in modern humans.
“This research highlights the role environmental exposures have played in human evolution,” stated Professor Manish Arora from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
“The insight that exposure to toxic substances may conjure survival advantages in the context of interspecific competition introduces a fresh perspective in environmental medicine, prompting investigations into the evolutionary origins of disorders linked to such exposures.”
For more information, refer to the study published in the journal Science Advances.
_____
Renaud Joannes Boyau et al. 2025. Effects of intermittent lead exposure on hominid brain evolution. Science Advances 11(42); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr1524
Over 1,100 individuals have faced charges related to the summer 2024 riots, with a small fraction being prosecuted for crimes associated with their online conduct.
Sentences varied from 12 weeks to seven years, igniting a surge of online backlash. The individuals behind the posts were varied; one notable case is that of I defended, who emerged as a cause célèbre and was labeled a “political prisoner.” Their posts were minimized and mischaracterized; their prosecution was framed as an infringement on free speech, despite the majority of online-related charges involving allegations of inciting racial hatred.
The posts did not predominantly surface in mainstream social media platforms like X, Instagram, or Facebook, but rather in niche online spaces commonly linked to fringe ideologies like Telegram, Parler, GetTr, 4Chan, and 8Kun. While many of these posts were on personal profiles, some appeared in public group forums.
This raised questions: What online communities did these individuals engage with, and who were their advocates? What type of content was circulating in these environments? It seemed that within these circles, views were so normalized that individuals felt emboldened to share content that was considered criminal by British authorities and the judiciary.
As a starting point, we utilized publicly accessible resources (police records and news reports) to track Facebook accounts of those implicated in previous investigations. Out of approximately 20 individuals charged with online offenses related to the summer 2024 riots, we followed five to three public Facebook groups. We also discovered visually similar or replicated posts defending those referenced in these groups.
This led to the mapping of a broader network of other Facebook groups, connected through shared memberships and group moderators and administrators.
In this exploration, we uncovered vibrant ecosystems characterized by a profound distrust of government and its institutions, alongside online communities preoccupied with anti-immigrant sentiments, naturalism, conspiracy theories, and misinformation.
Additionally, we found individuals who expressed genuine concerns about the society they belong to, alongside those who are deeply disillusioned and believe their freedom of expression is at risk.
Identification of Groups
Why focus on these groups?
Three groups were selected for the primary analysis because they included one or more current or former members charged in connection with the summer 2024 riots, or individuals involved in the riots who made comments either in person or online.
We established links between these and 13 additional groups, with all but three being public. These groups play significant roles, as moderators can oversee memberships, approve requests, and issue bans, with the authority to delete posts and comments. Administrators have even broader permissions, including the ability to modify group settings, update descriptions, and appoint additional moderators or administrators.
Which posts were analyzed?
To understand the type of content shared within these groups, we aimed to capture all posts made by the three largest groups from their inception until mid-May 2025.
We collected links and text from a total of 123,000 posts. However, due to the classification process (outlined below), the analysis was ultimately focused on 51,000 text-based posts.
What was the group membership size?
We did not record the names of individual group members (aside from moderators, administrators, and prominent posters). Therefore, when discussing combined memberships across groups, it is likely that individuals who belong to multiple groups were counted more than once.
Classification
First, we verified that the posts contained far-right content using established academic methods and categorized them through specific keywords indicating radicalization. We supplemented this with an AI tool that became available to data teams due to recent changes in editorial policies surrounding its journalistic use, classifying content as anti-establishment, anti-immigrant, migrant demonization, naturalism, and far-right identity/denial.
For categorizing the 51,000 social media posts, we employed ChatGPT 4.1 via OpenAI’s API. The prompts underwent rigorous testing across a random sample of 12 iterations, ensuring that at least two reviewers concurred until a consensus of over 90% was reached between the model and three human reviewers.
We are confident in the model’s reliability in small batches, supporting our broader evaluation based on a statistically determined sample of posts which achieved 93% agreement between human reviewers and the AI model.
The final analysis involved a statistically validated number of posts reviewed by the same annotator.
Testing concluded that the model performed exceptionally well, matching or even exceeding human reviewer consistency across most categories.
Accuracy (Percentage of correctly classified instances): 94.7%.
Precision (Percentage of correctly assigned true label counts by GPT): 79.5%.
Recall (Percentage of instances classified as true by humans and also classified as true by GPT): 86.1%.
F1 Score (A single percentage combining accuracy and recall, with higher values indicating better classification): 82.6%.
The model’s performance was evaluated by an internal statistical analyst, concluding its results were strong, benchmarked against similar academic studies.
Despite the model’s impressive performance, misclassifications in the analysis are inevitable.
We believe the classification process employing OpenAI’s API is thorough, transparent, defensible, and bolsters rigorous journalism.
Quick Guide
Please contact us about this story
show
The best public interest journalism relies on direct accounts from people of knowledge.
If you have anything to share about this subject, please contact us confidentially using the following methods:
Secure Messaging in Guardian App
The Guardian app includes a tool for sending story tips. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and concealed within routine operations on the Guardian mobile app, preventing any observer from realizing the communication.
If you haven’t yet downloaded the Guardian app, do so here (iOS/Android) and navigate to ‘Secure Messaging’ in the menu.
SecureDrop, Instant Messengers, Email, Phone, and Mail
If you can safely access the TOR network without being detected, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian through our <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop\">SecureDrop platform</a>.
Finally, our guide at <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tips\">theguardian.com/tips</a> details various secure contact methods, outlining the pros and cons for each.
A recent survey reveals that 50% of British adults still carry physical wallets, while many opt for mobile phones and smartwatches to transport their payment cards.
Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay have become the go-to payment methods for Generation Z and Millennials. In contrast, many individuals over 44 continue to depend on traditional debit and credit cards.
Four readers have shared their insights about wallets.
‘Not needed’
Alosh K Jose suggests that the shift to online and contactless payments post-Covid means there’s no necessity for a wallet anymore.
Photo: Alosh K Jose/Guardian Community
“It used to overwhelm me,” shares Alosh K. Jose from Newcastle upon Tyne. “Bringing it everywhere has become increasingly unnecessary.”
Josue states that the shift to online and contactless payments post-Covid means he doesn’t need a wallet. “All my bank cards are on my phone,” says the 31-year-old, who operates a business that provides local cricket sessions.
Despite being caught on a Spanish train during a widespread blackout that hit parts of Europe last April, Jose felt financially okay without too much cash.
“My fiancé and I traveled from Barcelona to Madrid, waiting five hours on the train before disembarking. [£8.70] Luckily, a few people shared cash with us, allowing us to catch the bus,” he recounts.
“If something similar were to happen in Newcastle, I’d be fine. There’s no language barrier even without physical cash.”
“I don’t want to risk my sensitive information being misused.”
Still favoring a physical wallet, Roger feels exposed when pulling his phone out.
Photo: Roger/Guardian Community
In Buckinghamshire, Roger, a retired IT professional, maintains both a wallet and a coin pouch. “Putting all my cards on my smartphone feels like risking everything at once,” he mentions.
At 69 years old, he prefers having physical cards on hand and feels vulnerable when taking out his phone. “Using it to pay at a store feels risky, and I worry about dropping it too often.”
“Having worked in security, I’m aware of the risks associated with personal information. I don’t want that window of potential misuse to be left open by using a digital wallet.”
Among his wallet’s contents, Roger holds cash, payment cards, reward cards, and even a snippet of a Times article from the 1980s.
Snippets from an article in the Times from the 1980s.
Photo: Roger/Guardian Community
“I prefer using physical cards – it’s about control.”
Georgina, part of Gen Z, finds it surprising how few people have wallets.
Photo: Georgina/Guardian Community
At 26, Georgina is astonished that many don’t have a wallet. “I always carry mine because I prefer to possess physical items instead of just digital equivalents,” she explains.
Her wallet includes a debit card, driver’s license, train cards, supermarket loyalty cards, and even £20 in emergency cash, along with an “overused business card from a taxi service.”
Georgina stands against the trend by not adopting digital wallets.
Photo: Guardian Community
As a member of Gen Z, Georgina, living in Leeds and developing online technology training courses, resists the trend of digital wallets.
“Call me old-fashioned, but I despise that idea,” she remarks. “Most of my friends use their phones to pay, and while I acknowledge it’s convenient—
“I cherish tangible things like cards and even nostalgic items like paper concert tickets. I prefer not to be overly reliant on my phone; it’s about having control. I used to worry about carrying my card, but now I find myself asking if I have cash.”
‘My wallet is essentially a generous phone case.’
Before receiving her first smartphone during the pandemic, Sarah Hayward carried a wallet “twice the size” of her current phone case.
Photo: Sarahayward/Guardian Community
Sarah Hayward, a 61-year-old artist from Worcester, mentions that her wallet has become “a generous phone case.”
Before getting her first smartphone during the pandemic, Hayward carried a wallet that was “double the size” of her current phone case. As an artist, she has often carried a digital camera. Now, her phone case has become a combination of all of her essentials.
While Sarah Hayward keeps a physical card, it remains hidden in her phone case.
Photo: Sarahayward/Guardian Community
“I carry bank cards, taxi cards from the airport, supermarket loyalty cards, season tickets from a local majestic home garden, annual travel insurance details, GHIC cards, my polaroid snapshots, and memories of my children with their partners from a recent Moroccan wedding, along with self-employment receipts and emergency cash.
“My phone also contains a video of my mother from four years ago before she passed away. It’s like a living wallet that has her presence in it.”
Hayward avoids digital payments as she finds physical cards much more “secure.” However, she acknowledges a downside to her preferred method: “There’s no space for lipstick and tissues.”
Long-term conclusive results from US-based experiments have emerged. The latest release on Tuesday highlights a tiny particle behaving unexpectedly, which is still positive news for our understanding of Physics Laws.
“This experiment represents a remarkable achievement in precision,” noted Toba Holmes, an experimental physicist at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, who is not affiliated with the collaboration.
The enigmatic particles known as Muons are heavier than electrons. They exhibit a wobbling motion akin to a spinning top when subjected to a magnetic field, and scientists are scrutinizing this motion to determine its compliance with the well-established physics framework known as the standard model.
Findings from the 1960s and 1970s suggested everything was functioning as expected. However, investigations at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the late 1990s and early 2000s yielded unexpected results.
Decades later, an international coalition of scientists opted to revisit the experiment with enhanced accuracy. The team navigated Muons around magnetic, ring-shaped tracks akin to those used in the initial Brookhaven studies, and recorded the wobble signals at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago.
The outcomes from the initial two sets published in 2021 and 2023 appear to affirm the odd behavior of Muons, encouraging theoretical physicists to reconsider the standard model alongside new metrics.
Recently, the team finalized the experiment and published Muon wobble measurements that align with their earlier findings, utilizing more than double the data collected in 2023.
Nevertheless, this does not finalize the fundamental understanding of what underpins the universe. As Muons travel along their paths, other researchers have devised methods to better harmonize standard models with observed behaviors, leveraging the power of supercomputers.
Further investigation is essential as researchers collaborate, and upcoming experiments will encourage future studies that assess Muon wobble. Scientists are also examining the latest Muon data for insights into other mysterious entities like dark matter.
“This measurement will serve as a benchmark for years to follow,” remarked Marco Incagli from the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
In their pursuit of Muons, scientists aim to unravel fundamental questions that have long intrigued physicists, as noted by Peter Winter from the Argonne National Laboratory.
“Isn’t it something we all wish to understand—how the universe operates?” Winter questioned.
It's published today International Polar Bear Daynew research will answer questions by showing the first combination of satellite tracking colors and remote camera traps Polar bear (Ursus Maritimus)) Denning is notoriously difficult to study as polar bear moms create dens under the snow in remote areas.
Shooter et al. It reveals the first detailed view of polar bear cults coming out of their burrows. Image credits: Jon Aars/Norwegian Polar Institute.
Turnip survival supports species survival, and denning is the most vulnerable period of life. Less than 50% of Cubs can become adults.
As industry expands in the Arctic, this study highlights the importance of uninterrupted Denning regions to protect polar bear populations.
“Polar bear mothers have increased difficulty replicating due to climate-based changes and could face additional challenges associated with expanding human footprints in the Arctic,” said Dr. Louise Archer, a researcher at the University of Toronto Scarborough University.
“We are excited to introduce new tools to monitor bears during this vulnerable period and gain insight into action across the Arctic.
“Every den we monitor has its own story, and every data point adds to this critical understanding of time and supports a more effective conservation strategy.”
In their study, the authors monitored the behavior of the polar bears in Den Emans held in Svalbad, Norway.
Female polar bears were equipped with GPS satellite collars recording their location, temperature and activity.
Researchers used these collar data to find burrows and traveled through the mountains of Svalbad to deploy time-lapse camera traps at 13 densites over six years.
They found that camera traps provide fine-scale insight into the behavior of the maternal Den, and that satellite collars are accurate and useful for monitoring bears in more remote locations for longer periods of time.
The family appeared in Svalbarbad around March 9th and appeared to abandon the burrow earlier than previously recorded in this group, and further monitoring was needed to establish whether this was a continuing trend.
Changing the timing of denning can put a risk to the cubs' survival as they will less time to develop before they can proceed further towards the sea ice.
In some cases, the bears appeared from the burrow in less than a minute before returning inside, while other appearances lasted for several hours.
In terms of departing den forever, camera footage showed that polar bears remained near the burrow to stay on average for 12 days.
However, this ranged between 2-31 days and was very different among polar bear families.
Some moms switched dens – they were observed leaving their original dens and moving their families to new dens.
Cubs are heavily dependent on their mothers and rarely venture out in their dens alone. The Cubs were only seen in 5% without mothers. In Svalbad, they rely on their mothers for up to 2.5 years.
“This study gives us a total glimpse into one of the most vulnerable and important periods of polar bear life and provides insights that will help guide our collective conservation efforts.”
“Combining innovative technology and long-term research gives us a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by polar bear moms and cubs in the rapidly changing Arctic.”
“Conserving Denning's habitat is essential for population health, and this study provides invaluable insights that can help guide conservation management.”
“There were few studies that included observational data at polar bear burrow sites, and therefore this study contributes significantly to our knowledge of denning ecology,” said Dr. John Arles, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Polar Institute.
Furthermore, data from the satellite radio collar was available to all mothers, and observational data allowed us to communicate how recorded activity and temperature changes corresponded to behavior. ”
study It will be displayed in Journal of Wildlife Management.
____
Louise C. Archer et al. Monitoring the phenology and behavior of polar bears during the emergence of den using cameras and satellite telemetry. Journal of Wildlife ManagementPublished online on February 26th, 2025. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.22725
Scientists of University of Bergen: The surprising diversity of behavior within the rosette-shaped colony has been revealed. Salpingoeca Rosetta is a rare species of choanoflagellates – the closest relatives of animals.
Artwork depicting calcium signaling in rosette colonies of choanoflagellates Salpingoeca Rosetta. Image credit: Davis Laundon & Kate Zvorykina, Ella MAR Studio, Inc.
“We discovered that communication takes place between the cells of the colony, which regulates the overall shape of the rosette and the beating of the ciliary body,” said Dr. Jeffrey Colgren, a researcher at the Michael Szasz Center at the University of Bergen. Ta.
“Before I put the cultures under the microscope, I didn’t really have any expectations of what I was going to see in the cultures, but once I saw them, I was really excited.”
Multicellularity is a defining feature of all animals, allowing animals to interact with their environment in unique ways by integrating input from highly specialized cell types such as neurons and muscle cells. make it possible.
In the case of choanoflagellates, flagellated bacterial organisms found in marine and aquatic environments around the world, the boundaries between unicellularity and multicellularity are less clear-cut.
including some species Salpingoeca Rosetta exhibiting a complex life cycle that includes a colonial period.
Colonies are formed by cell division, similar to the development of animal embryos, but they do not have specialized cell types and resemble groups of individual cells rather than cohesive organisms.
“Salpingoeca Rosetta “This is a powerful model to study the emergence of multicellularity in animal evolution,” said Dr. Pawel Burkhardt, also from the Michael Saas Center at the University of Bergen.
“Our study provides interesting insights into early sensorimotor systems, as it reveals that colonial flagellates coordinate their movements through a common signaling pathway.”
Using a newly developed genetic tool that can visualize calcium activity Salpingoeca Rosetta The authors found that the cells synchronize their behavior through voltage-gated calcium channels, the same type of channels used by neurons and muscle cells in animals.
“This evidence of how information flows between cells in a choanoflagellate colony points to cell-to-cell signaling at the apex of multicellularity,” Dr. Colgren said.
“Surprisingly, this discovery suggests that the ability to coordinate movement at the cellular level predates the first animals.”
The research team now plans to further investigate how signals are propagated between cells and whether similar mechanisms exist in other choanoflagellate species.
“The tools developed and the results of this study reveal many new and interesting questions,” said Dr. Colgren.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing what direction ourselves and others take this in the future.”
a paper A description of the discovery was published in a magazine scientific progress.
_____
Jeffrey Colgren and Pawel Burkhardt. 2025. Electrical signaling and cooperative behavior in animals’ closest relatives. scientific progress 11(2);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr7434
MIta’s Rewritten policy on ‘hateful acts’ That means users will be able to say different kinds of things on that platform, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. After Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to how content is monitored on the platform, multiple edits were made to the policy.
Among them are:
Certain injunctions against referring to transgender and non-binary people as “it” have been removed. A new section has been added to clarify that “mental illness or abnormality claims are permitted if based on gender or sexual orientation.” It said this was a reflection of “political and religious discourse around transgender and homosexuality, as well as the common use of non-serious terms such as ‘queer'”. Additionally, this policy is aimed at “those who seek exclusion, [using] Derogatory language in the context of discussing political or religious topics, such as when discussing transgender rights, immigration, or homosexuality. ”
Meta’s policy is to target individuals and groups based on their protected characteristics or immigration status with dehumanizing language that users compare to animals, pathogens, and sub-life forms such as cockroaches and locusts. There is no change in the fact that content should not be posted. However, this shift suggests that it is now possible to compare women to household goods and possessions, and to compare people to feces, filth, bacteria, viruses, diseases, and primitive humans.
Mehta removed warnings against avowed racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia. It also removed warnings against expressions of hate, such as calling people “shitholes,” “sluts,” and “bastards.”
The change could also mean posts about the “China virus,” a term frequently used by President-elect Donald Trump in relation to the coronavirus, would be allowed.
Self-sabotage (also called “self-handicapping” by psychologists) is intentionally doing something that can harm your chances of success. academic ability testperformance at work, sportsor relationships.
For example, let’s say you intentionally don’t rehearse your work presentation. Or let’s say you have a running race coming up and you decide not to train for it. In a relationship, you might start ignoring your partner’s texts, even if you’re happy with the relationship.
In all these cases, behaving this way may sound strange and self-defeating. However, research suggests that there is a logic to self-destruction. It’s something people often do as a way to protect their self-esteem and reduce their fear of failure or abandonment.
For example, let’s say you deliberately fail to prepare for a presentation at work, and as a result, your presentation goes very poorly. The reason for your failure may be that you didn’t prepare, rather than the presentation saying something fundamental about you as a person or your skills. Similarly, if you come in last in a running race, you can ignore your misfortune and attribute it to not training at all.
If you ignore your partner’s messages, and they decide to break up with you, you can take that rejection not as a sign that they don’t like you anymore, but as a sign that you’ve been ignoring them. You can blame the facts. Or choose to go out with someone else.
In other words, self-sabotage is a way to protect your ego by having the perfect excuse in case of failure or rejection.
People who fear failure or have low self-esteem are more likely to engage in this type of self-sabotage. In the short term, it may make you feel better about yourself, and it’s a way to protect your image in the eyes of others. However, this is not a recommended strategy. Because in the long run, of course, it’s going to be something like this. increase the likelihood of failure or rejection.
How to stop self-sabotage
If you really want to give a good presentation, you better prepare. I should have trained to win the race. And if you really want to be with your partner, you shouldn’t make them angry by ignoring their messages.
If you’re stuck in a habit of self-sabotage, it will take time to break it, but a healthier approach is within reach. One useful strategy is the so-called “Master Mindset”This includes viewing challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than as deep judgments about your unique skills and worth. If you give your best at a work presentation or a running race and it doesn’t go perfectly, think about how you can do it better next time.
Another helpful strategy is to practice. self-pityThis includes treating yourself with the same kindness you would treat a close friend or relative, and recognizing that your worth does not depend on any particular opinion or outcome of a relationship.
If you feel close to a romantic partner, get used to that feeling of vulnerability and know that even if the relationship ends someday, it doesn’t mean you are inherently broken or unlovable. Remind yourself.
read more:
Will being too kind hinder your life?
Why some people don’t feel shame, according to psychologists
The Ultimate Anxiety Guide: The 6 Biggest Questions About Anxiety Answered by Psychologists
Why do I always cry when I watch movies on a plane?
Asked by: Samantha Osborne via email
To submit a question, please email questions@sciencefocus.com (remember to include your name and location)
The Royal Society is facing pressure to remove technology mogul Elon Musk from its membership due to concerns about his behavior.
As reported by The Guardian, Musk, known for owning the social media platform X, was elected to the British Academy of Sciences in 2018. Some view him as a contemporary innovator comparable to Brunel for his contributions to the aerospace and electric vehicle sectors.
Musk, a co-founder of SpaceX and the CEO of Tesla, has been commended for advancing reusable rocket technology and promoting sustainable energy sources.
Nevertheless, concerns have been raised by several Royal Society fellows regarding Musk’s membership status, citing his provocative comments, particularly following recent riots in the UK.
Critics fear that Musk’s statements could tarnish the reputation of his companies. In response to inquiries, Musk’s companies, including X, provided comments.
Musk’s social media posts during the unrest were widely condemned, with Downing Street rebuking his remarks about civil war and false claims about UK authorities.
The concerns around potentially revoking Musk’s membership focus on his ability to promote his beliefs responsibly and not on his personal views.
The Royal Society’s Code of Conduct emphasizes that fellowship entails upholding certain standards of behavior, even in personal communications, to safeguard the organization’s reputation.
The Code stipulates that breaching conduct rules may result in disciplinary measures, such as temporary or permanent suspension. Specific procedures are outlined if misconduct allegations are raised against a Fellow or Foreign Member.
Expelling a member from the Royal Society is rare, with no records of such action in over a century. Previous controversies included a dean resigning over remarks about teaching creationism in schools.
A Royal Society spokesperson assured that any concerns regarding individual Fellows would be handled confidentially.
Google was found to have created an illegal monopoly in online search and advertising by a federal court in a landmark antitrust lawsuit brought against it by the Department of Justice. This ruling will significantly impact Google’s operations and how people engage with the internet’s most popular websites.
The court specifically concluded that Google violated antitrust laws through exclusive agreements with device manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, paying them billions to ensure that Google products were the default search engine on their devices. These agreements allowed Google to establish a search monopoly and stifle competition unfairly.
The implications of this ruling will depend on what actions are taken next. It could lead to substantial changes in how Google conducts its business or potentially be weakened through the appeals process. The outcome will also have broader implications for how regulators address big tech companies and alleged monopolies.
Here’s what to expect following this decision.
Google may be compelled to alter its search practices
The U.S. v. Google ruling did not specify remedies for Google’s monopoly on internet search, and the Justice Department did not seek penalties in its lawsuit. A separate trial will determine the remedies the government may impose on Google, which could range from contractual adjustments to a potential breakup of the company.
Judge Mehta could rule that Google is prohibited from entering exclusive search agreements, allowing it to be the default search engine if chosen by device manufacturers without the need for costly payments. Apple and Samsung have yet to comment on the ruling. Mozilla, reliant on Google payments, could face significant financial impact.
Judge Mehta may also consider options like browser choice screens seen in Europe to enhance competition. A harsher ruling could mandate the separation of Google’s search service from the rest of its operations and impose fines on antitrust violations.
Google intends to appeal the decision
Google rejected the court’s ruling and plans to appeal, initiating a legal battle with the Justice Department that could delay any repercussions for the company. Throughout the trial, Google maintained its superior product argument.
Past legal precedent suggests that a large technology company like Google may challenge an antitrust ruling successfully. Microsoft, in a similar case, managed to overturn key aspects of an antitrust decision against it through appeals.
Google has not disclosed its appeal timeline or response strategy following the ruling.
New Antitrust Lawsuit Looms
In addition to the current case, Google faces a forthcoming antitrust lawsuit concerning its digital advertising practices, alleging monopolistic behavior and stifling competition in that area.
This second lawsuit targets Google’s dominant position in the digital advertising industry, threatening a substantial revenue stream for the company. Google refutes the allegations and views the legal action as an attempt to gain unfair advantages.
IIn 2021, linguist Emily Bender and computer scientist Timnit Gebru Published a paper. The paper described language models, which were still in their infancy at the time, as a type of “probabilistic parrot.” A language model, they wrote, “is a system that haphazardly stitches together sequences of linguistic forms observed in large amounts of training data, based on probability information about how they combine, without any regard for meaning.”
The phrase stuck: AI can get better, even if it’s a probabilistic parrot; the more training data it has, the better it looks. But does something like ChatGPT actually exhibit anything resembling intelligence, reasoning, or thought? Or is it simply “haphazardly stringing together sequences of linguistic forms” as it scales?
In the AI world, such criticisms are often brushed aside. When I spoke to Sam Altman last year, he seemed almost surprised to hear such an outdated criticism. “Is that still a widely held view? I mean, it’s taken into consideration. Are there still a lot of people who take it seriously like that?” he asked.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Photo: Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images
“My understanding is that after GPT-4, most people stopped saying that and started saying, ‘OK, it works, but it’s too dangerous,'” he said, adding that GPT-4 did reason “to a certain extent.”
At times, this debate feels semantic: what does it matter whether an AI system is reasoning or simply parroting what we say, if it can tackle problems that were previously beyond the scope of computing? Of course, if we’re trying to create an autonomous moral agent, a general intelligence that can succeed humanity as the protagonist of the universe, we might want that agent to be able to think. But if we’re simply building a useful tool, even one that might well serve as a new general-purpose technology, does the distinction matter?
If a human knows the fact that “Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space,” then they can also correctly answer the question “Who was the first woman in space?” This seems trivial, since it’s a very basic form of generalization. However, autoregressive language models show that we cannot generalize in this way.
This is an example of an ordering effect that we call “the curse of inversions.”
Researchers have repeatedly found that they can “teach” large language models lots of false facts and then completely fail the basic task of inferring the opposite.But the problem doesn’t just exist in toy models or artificial situations.
When GPT-4 was tested on 1,000 celebrities and their parents with pairs of questions like “Who is Tom Cruise’s mother?” and “Who is Mary Lee Pfeiffer’s son?”, the model was able to answer the first question (” The first one was answered correctly, but the second was not, presumably because the pre-training data contained few examples of the parent coming before the celebrity (e.g., “Mary Lee Pfeiffer’s son is Tom Cruise”).
One way to explain this is that in a Master’s of Law you don’t learn the relationships between facts. tokena linguistic formalism explained by Bender. The token “Tom Cruise’s mother” is linked to the token “Mary Lee Pfeiffer”, but the reverse is not necessarily true. The model is not inferring, it is playing wordplay, and the fact that the words “Mary Lee Pfeiffer’s son” do not appear in the training data means that the model is useless.
But another way of explaining it is to understand that humans are similarly asymmetrical. inference It’s symmetrical. If you know that they are mother and son, you can discuss the relationship in both directions. However, Recall Not really. Remembering a fun fact about a celebrity is a lot easier than being given a barely recognizable snippet of information, without any context, and being asked to state precisely why you know it.
An extreme example makes this clear: Contrast being asked to list all 50 US states with being shown a list of the 50 states and asked to name the countries to which they belong. As a matter of reasoning, the facts are symmetric; as a matter of memory, the same is not true at all.
Dead Planets Society is a podcast that explores wild ideas about manipulating the universe and tests them against the laws of physics, from splitting the moon to creating catastrophic events with gravitational waves. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Listen on Spotify or visit our podcast page.
In the early universe, there may have been tiny black holes as massive as mountains but smaller than atoms. If these primordial black holes exist, they could address major cosmological issues and offer endless opportunities for the Society of Dead Planets to explore.
In this episode, hosts Chelsea White and Leah Crane are joined by black hole experts like Alison Kirkpatrick. Researchers at the University of Kansas are investigating the effects of placing a primordial black hole inside different objects, such as the Sun, Earth, or even the human body, yielding surprising results.
A small black hole inside a star or planet would have minimal impact, either passing through or staying near the center depending on the object’s mass. However, a larger black hole the size of Earth but with the radius of a grape could drastically alter the fate of the Sun or consume a planet from within.
Despite the risks, a black hole of this size could potentially manipulate gravity to reshape the universe. For instance, a small black hole near the Moon’s surface could counteract its drift away from Earth.
Kirkpatrick explains that standing a few meters away from a small black hole is relatively safe, but closer proximity would result in gravitational forces tearing apart the nearest parts of the body. Introducing a black hole into the body, even through teleportation, is not advisable.
Kirkpatrick strongly advises against placing a primordial black hole inside the human body due to the immediate havoc it would wreak. The American Medical Association did not provide a response regarding the effects of black holes on humans.
Sarah Wiggard and Ralf Sommer / Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen
Tiny soil insects called nematodes usually feed on bacteria and algae and have small mouths to accommodate their diet. However, when baby nematodes are fed the fungus, their mouths double in size, giving them the ability to cannibalize their mates.
that’s what ralph sommer Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen, Germany, made the discovery while studying the development of predatory soil nematodes. Allody Progaster Sudhouushi.when the larvae are raised Penicillium Some of them ate fungi and cheese and grew into cannibals with giant mouths. “We were shocked,” he says.
The researchers knew that the different mouth shapes seen in this species resulted from different feeding habits. Nematodes that feed on bacteria have narrow mouths, while nematodes that feed on much smaller nematode species have slightly wider mouths. But this extreme variant, which the researchers called “teratostomia,” or Te morphology, had not been previously documented.
Sommer and colleagues investigated the genetics underlying these different mouth shapes and found that all three were controlled by the same sulfatase gene. But that activity only seems to result in a giant, gaping mouth. A. Sudaushi. The species’ complete set of genetic instructions was duplicated only recently in its evolution, Sommer said, so the doubling of gene pairs may have facilitated the origin of the worm’s giant mouth. That’s what it means.
Because the fungi’s diet was low in nutrients and more Te forms were found in high-density conditions, the researchers found that Te forms and their associated cannibalistic habits may have evolved as a response to the stresses of starvation and crowding. That’s what I think.
Nicholas Levis Indiana University points out that a similar phenomenon is seen in several other species. For example, the tadpoles of spadefoot toads and some salamanders can develop into cannibalistic carnivores depending on environmental conditions, Levis says.
But even in such cases, animals often avoid eating their own kind. Te nematodes are nondiscriminatory and prey on genetically identical neighbors. Levis says this is a “surprising finding” that could indicate that the development strategy is “really hopeless.”
“This discovery…made me wonder how much more diverse there is in the natural world than what we see,” Levis says. “How many other hidden ‘monsters’ are there waiting to be discovered under the right environmental conditions?”
On April 8th, while most people in the United States will be staring into the sky (preferably wearing appropriate safety glasses), animals will have no idea what’s going on.
That’s natural, right? For animals, the sun constitutes their entire life. Without energy drinks and late-night TV to disrupt their sleep schedules, the sun is an all-in-one alarm clock, sleeping pill, and calendar for animals.
“Basically, everything we’ve ever heard about animal behavior during a solar eclipse can reasonably be considered anecdotal from a scientific perspective.” Professor Adam Hartstone Rose says the person who led the research. BBC Science Focus.
undefined
Hartstone-Rose and his team observed the behavior of 17 species at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. This is the first time such a study has been conducted. What did they find? Now, how animals behave during a total solar eclipse varies dramatically, from not at all bothersome to downright weird…
Strange ways animals may react to solar eclipses
Heartstone-Rose said animals responded to celestial events in one of four ways. These include not responding at all, starting nighttime routines, showing anxiety, and exhibiting new behaviors.
“Most animals fall into a category that we call related to circadian rhythms. So basically, animals treat solar eclipses as if they were evening, then night, then morning; “I get into a routine,” he says.
Similar nighttime routines have been widely reported for other eclipses. As the moon passes in front of the sun, expect birds to quiet down and crickets and cicadas to become more active.
The next largest behavioral category was, somewhat sadly, anxiety-related behaviors. For example, evidence gathered by Hartstone-Rose and her research team suggests that if you’re near a giraffe during a solar eclipse, you should stay well away from them.
“During the peak of the eclipse, the giraffes started running around like crazy and in potentially dangerous ways,” Hartstone-Rose explains.
“Giraffes in the wild are very gentle animals. They’re a little bit wild and sensitive. They don’t do crazy things unless they have to, so when I saw giraffes running around…, only when startled by a predator, vehicle, etc.”
Thankfully, any disturbing behavior didn’t last long. “The good news is that all of the animal’s behavior returns to normal very quickly, literally within minutes.”
But what about these so-called “novel” behaviors? This is where things get weird.
The siamang is a type of gibbon that lives in the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Although they look cute, they are known to be very noisy and have large throat pouches.use their heads to help sing.
The research team recorded the calls of the siamang during and for several days before and after the eclipse, and found that it emitted a unique call during the totality. It was something they had never heard before.
“We were able to statistically show that vocalizations during a solar eclipse are much different than at any other time we’ve been able to record vocalizations,” Hartstone-Rose says. “That was pretty remarkable.”
read more:
The prize for the strangest solar eclipse behavior is… giant tortoise?
If anxious runs and strange songs weren’t enough, Riverbanks Zoo’s Galapagos tortoises took their reaction to the solar eclipse to a different level.
“Galapagos tortoises are not charismatic animals,” Hartstone-Rose says. “They’re like weird looking rocks that can live to be well over 100 years old.”
Galapagos giant tortoises began mating from the moment of totality. – Image credit: Getty
According to stereotypes, they are not particularly fast moving and the males Weight is over 227 kg making it the largest turtle species on Earth.
When the sun eclipsed the moon in 2017, Galapagos tortoises started doing something unexpected. They literally started breeding right before our eyes. “
Therefore, a solar eclipse may lift your turtle’s mood. Did anyone know?
How can I participate this time?
After 2017’s surprising discoveries, researchers hope to do even more this year.
Hartstone-Rose and a team of researchers plan to observe animal behavior at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas. They will observe and compare some of the same species and new species from 2017.
But you don’t have to be a trained researcher to help scientists understand animal behavior during this once-in-a-lifetime event.
If you want to participate, just choose the animal you want to observe, whether it’s a dog, cat, domestic animal, or natural animal.
You don’t have to go down the path of perfection either. There will be at least a partial solar eclipse across the United States on April 8, and researchers want to know whether the severity of the eclipse affects behavior.
Before you worry that you’ll miss the eclipse itself because you’re too busy checking to see if your dog is scratching its ears, don’t worry. Data collection only takes a few seconds every few minutes, so you still have time to understand everything.
Why study animals during a solar eclipse?
While understanding how different animals behave during a solar eclipse may seem interesting to some, it is ultimately a pointless endeavor. Fair point. Although there is some method to madness.
First, Hartstone-Rose points out that it’s important to understand which animals exhibit anxiety.
“If solar eclipses are upsetting, or if the human response to solar eclipses is upsetting, that’s important information for us to know. For example, giraffes really If it runs around, it may be ethical to move the giraffe indoors during the next solar eclipse.
“At the end of the day, we don’t want them to hurt themselves.”
Even more poignantly, he thinks this could answer some of the big questions about our relationship with animals.
“One of the big questions, and anyone who has a pet dog or cat knows this, is what’s going on inside this animal’s head. Do you know? ? What is my dog thinking at any given moment? People have such questions not only about dogs, but about all their favorite animals.”
Perhaps by understanding how animals respond to one of the most unique and fascinating experiences on earth, we can move one step closer to solving the mystery.
About our experts
adam hartstone rose He is a professor of biological sciences at North Carolina State University. His research typically focuses on anatomical adaptations (e.g. feeding experiments), muscle examination (e.g. masticatory muscles), and analysis of bones and teeth in live animals. In 2017, he led a study on animal behavior during a total solar eclipse at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina.
Ripley’s Aquarium plans to introduce up to six small-toed sawfish to the facility. A spokesperson said the majority of the company’s animal care team will assist in the effort, including transporting the sawfish to the Marine Science Research Center to care for it.
Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium also said in a release that a quarantine facility for the rescued sawfish is ready and they are eager to help.
“Solving this mystery will require strong collaboration,” said Kathryn Flowers, Mort postdoctoral researcher and lead scientist on the effort.
The problem affects many species of fish off the coast of Florida, said Dean Grubbs, associate director of research at Florida State University’s Coastal Marine Research Institute.
“It goes all the way from very small prey species like pinfish to things like grouper and some stingrays,” he said.
Brehm said there are several theories about what’s going on, but with this type of event it’s difficult to come to an answer right away.
“I’ve heard to some extent that it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” he says. “But it’s very difficult to know which one it is because there are so many different possibilities.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on wednesday They found evidence to rule out several potential causes. The report said the fish did not appear to be suffering from any infectious or bacterial infections, and other factors such as oxygen, salinity and temperature were not suspected to be contributing factors.
The commission’s hotline for sawfish sightings has been in place for years, but the number of calls has increased in the last month.
Shea McKeon, director of marine programs at the American Bird Conservancy, said the group is also closely monitoring the fish situation, but has not yet seen a link to the bird deaths. . To help scientists figure out the root cause, the public can record instances of strange fish behavior they see on the water and upload videos and photos to community science sites like iNaturalist.org he said.
Grubbs said the problem appears to have gotten worse since February.
“We’ve spent the last 15 years studying sawfish, so it’s very sad to see these sawfish die,” he said. “And it’s hard. It’s hard for my students, my graduate students, to see that. It’s definitely painful. We want to get to the bottom of it and find a way to recover from this.” Masu.”
Marissa Parra
Marissa Parra is a national correspondent for NBC News based in Miami, Florida.
For decades, physicists have been searching for gravitons, the hypothetical particles thought to carry gravity. Although they had never been detected in space, particles like gravitons have now been observed in semiconductors. Using these to understand the behavior of gravitons could help unify general relativity and quantum mechanics, which have long been at odds.
“This is a needle in a haystack. [finding]. And the paper that started all this goes back to 1993. ” lauren pfeiffer at Princeton University. He wrote the paper with several colleagues. Aaron Pinchukdied in 2022 before finding any hint of the elusive particle.
Pinchuk's students and collaborators, including Pfeiffer, have completed the experiment they began discussing 30 years ago. They focused on electrons within a flat piece of the semiconductor gallium arsenide, which they placed in a powerful refrigerator and exposed to a strong magnetic field. Under these conditions, quantum effects cause electrons to behave in strange ways. The electrons interact strongly with each other, forming an unusual incompressible liquid.
Although this liquid is not gentle, it is characterized by collective motion in which all the electrons move in unison, which can lead to particle-like excitations. To investigate these excitations, the team illuminated the semiconductor with a carefully tuned laser and analyzed the light scattered from the semiconductor.
This revealed that the excitation contains a type of quantum spin that had previously been theorized to exist only in gravitons. This isn't a graviton itself, but it's the closest thing we've ever seen.
Liu Ziyu The professor at Columbia University in New York who worked on the experiment said he and his colleagues knew that graviton-like excitations could exist in semiconductors, but they needed to make the experiment precise enough to detect it. He said it took many years. “From a theoretical side, the story was kind of complete, but the experiments weren't really convincing,” he says.
This experiment is not a true analog of space-time. Electrons are confined in flat, two-dimensional space and move more slowly than objects governed by the theory of relativity.
But he says it is “hugely important” and bridges various previously underappreciated areas of physics, such as materials physics and the theory of gravity. Kun Yan from Florida State University was not involved in this study.
but, Zlatko Papik Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK cautioned against equating the new discovery with the detection of gravitons in space. He said the two are equivalent enough for electronic systems like the one in the new experiment to serve as a testing ground for theories of quantum gravity, but they are not equivalent for all quantum phenomena that occur in space-time on a cosmic scale. It says no.
This connection between particle-like excitations and theoretical gravitons also yields new ideas about exotic electronic states, team members say. de Linjie At Nanjing University, China.
Experts have revealed that this is the first time a humpback whale of this species has been documented engaging in any form of sexual activity.
The social behavior of humpback whales has been extensively observed and documented for many years. However, in a recent study published in Marine Mammal Science, researchers shared the first photographs of this species engaging in sexual intercourse.
The report was authored by marine biologist Stephanie Stack and two photographers, Lyle Kranichfeld and Brandi Romano, who captured the interaction in January 2022 in the waters off the coast of Maui, Hawaii.
Kranichfeld, 44, remarked, “We recognized the scientific importance of this event. Even if our findings were not published or did not lead to any significant outcomes, we understood that this unique behavior was significant for the scientific community and those studying whales.”
The encounter involved a male whale that seemed to be unhealthy or injured and a healthy male whale. The report mentioned that the ailing whale appeared weakened and infested with lice, which are known to thrive on debilitated humpback whales.
The researchers suggested that the weakened whale may have sought refuge near the photographer’s boat to protect itself from other whales. Kranichfeld emphasized that they never approached the whales in the water or attempted to swim with them, as both actions are illegal.
Tragically, the emaciated whale eventually succumbed after circling the boat and trying to swim away from the healthier whale. The healthy whale then used its pectoral fins to hold the other whale in place and engaged in sexual activity.
A recent study delved into the play preferences of cats and discovered that cats enjoy having control over when, where, and how they play. This finding sheds light on how to encourage cats to play fetch.
According to research published in Scientific Reports, scientists found that cats initiated and concluded the fetch game more frequently than their owners. And, when the cats were the ones to start the game, they played for a longer duration compared to when their owners initiated the game.
Interestingly, cats actually continued playing for longer periods even after their owners had stopped the game. This suggests that while cats seem to be in control of the fetch game, they are willing to continue playing as long as they are allowed to.
This study, announced in Scientific Reports, surveyed 924 cat owners with cats who play fetch, involving 1,154 current or former cats.
The study revealed that fetching cats typically have favorite items to retrieve and play with, often opting for various household objects over toys, especially those that are mouse-sized, such as hair ties or bottle tops.
Moreover, these cats tend to have a preferred family member and location for playing and fetching. The researchers from the University of Sussex, including Gemma Forman, noted that cats show a preference for bedrooms and stairs, with different heights adding to their interest in playing.
But why do some cats play fetch?
Researchers speculate that fetching behavior mirrors hunting behavior, but with an added element of social interaction with their owner, creating a unique interspecific dynamic that is not commonly observed in cats.
Among purebred cats, Siamese cats are more likely to engage in fetch, while mixed-breed cats exhibit higher involvement in the fetch game.
For pet owners who are not professional pet trainers, the study offered some encouragement – 94% of pet owners reported that their cats started playing fetch without needing to be taught. Additionally, most cats begin fetching at a young age, with 61% of the cats in the study starting before they were one year old.
Gemma Forman, one of the study authors, emphasized the importance of being open and accepting of their cat’s needs and behaviors, as their cat might have already indicated its desire to play, even if communicating this need can be challenging.
It’s easy to be misunderstood if your name has the word “murderer” in it.
Still, it appears to have been a wild year for killer whales. From “attacking” and sinking several boats off the coast of southwest Europe to hunting great white sharks around South Africa and Australia, this black-and-white behemoth is living up to its name as of 2023. It looked like.
The whale’s surprising behavior has repeatedly put the spotlight on one of the ocean’s top predators since spring, spawning internet memes and wondering if the whale is just playing around or planning revenge. It’s fueling debate about what’s going on.
But for scientists, the recent orca antics are more fascinating than horrifying, with some saying they show how much there is still to learn about these highly intelligent marine animals.
Perhaps the biggest orca news of the year was a series of mysterious incidents in which killer whales appeared to ram boats off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. In May, three killer whales collided with the rudder and side of a sailing yacht in the area, causing the yacht to sink.
This “attack” comes amid an observed increase in encounters between killer whales and boats since 2020. Monica Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute, a nonprofit research institute in Washington, said hundreds of incidents have been reported during this time.
At least four ships have sunk in the past two years due to the damage, she said.
No injuries or deaths were reported, and in most cases the whales did not sink boats. However, the incident became so famous that it sparked a meme that heralded the beginning of the “Orca Rebellion” and the “Orca Wars.” Many social media users supported “Team Killer Whales” and claimed that whales had finally fought back against humans.
But Shields said the sinking evoked real fear as well as light-hearted fun.
“So many people have come to my state of Washington this year and asked, ‘Is it safe to see whales here? How big is our boat? Is it possible that a whale will attack this ship?” she said. “I’m worried that instead of people leaving with a sense of respect and fascination with whales, they’re leaving with a fear of whales that’s probably not warranted.”
Among experts, the incident off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula is puzzling and has sparked debate about the whale’s intentions.
Many scientists believe that killer whales do not attack at all.
“They’re not afraid of boats, and there’s nothing to eat there,” said Robert Pittman, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Research Institute. “They are intelligent, social animals, but they probably live in environments that are less stimulating for their mental abilities.”
So whales sometimes stumble upon something they find interesting and repeat the behavior for a while, he said.
Shields said videos of some of the incidents do not appear to show the killer whale intentionally aiming at the boat’s rudder or hull. Rather, she thought, the animals were likely acting out of curiosity and playfulness.
Josh McInnes, a behavioral ecologist at the University of British Columbia, agreed, noting that killer whales are known to engage in social learning by spreading and picking up behaviors within their pods. That could explain the series of boat encounters, he said.
Mr McInnes compared the behavior to roughhousing.
“Orcas are very athletic. They can grow up to 25 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 pounds, so when they come into physical contact with objects, they can get a little bit forceful,” he said.
Mr Shields said given the whale’s size, it would likely cause much more damage to ships and yachts if it carried out a coordinated attack.
Additionally, the idea that whales are standing up and fighting back doesn’t fit with what scientists know about killer whales.
“Orcas just want to have fun,” Pittman said. “Revenge is not inherently beneficial. Unless you are human, you have no adaptive capacity at all.”
But encounters between killer whales and boats weren’t the only stories making headlines this year. The whale also attracted attention for its ruthless hunting techniques.
In October, the carcass of a great white shark with its liver ripped out washed up on a beach near Portland, Australia. Researchers determined that killer whales were the culprit.
McInnes said killer whales do not normally prey on sharks, but they are capable of preying on sharks and have been previously observed preying on them in waters of Australia, Africa and even the Pacific Northwest. It is said that there is.
And why were sharks missing certain organs? Experts say this was purely practical.
“Sharks generally aren’t very nutritious for killer whales because they’re made of cartilage,” McInnes said. “But the liver is rich in fats and lipids, so it’s a very nutritious part to eat.”
In the past, killer whales have been known to target the liver when preying on sharks. Since 2017, scientists have been tracking the hunts of two killer whales, Port and Starboard, who killed at least eight great white sharks off the coast of South Africa and washed their liverless carcasses ashore.
In a video taken by a whale watching expedition off the coast of San Diego, a killer whale teaches its baby how to hunt by headbutting a dolphin. Erika Sacrison / Gone Whale Watching
However, orca behavior recorded in different parts of the world is generally unrelated. McInnes said different populations of killer whales are genetically distinct and do not normally socialize or interact.
But by studying all the observed events, scientists can gain broader insight into what killer whales are capable of and how they live.
Shields said she had “mixed feelings” about the attention that killer whales will receive in 2023. If anything, she said she hopes the headline will inspire people to get more involved in conservation efforts.
“I really hope that people take away from these stories a certain fascination and appreciation for killer whales,” Shields said. “They are found in every ocean and are present all over the planet. The ocean body closest to where you live is probably home to killer whales. So there’s a lot to learn. there is.”
A strange phenomenon called visual masking can reveal the time scale of perception, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood.
Colored plots show neural activity recorded in mouse visual cortex (V1). Each row of tick marks represents the spikes of a different neuron. Although researchers can predict the target side from neural activity with near-perfect accuracy, animal subjects often get incorrect masked trials due to how brain regions downstream of V1 process this information. I am.Image credit: Gail other.
Have you ever wanted to make something invisible? It turns out your brain can do it.
Unfortunately, this is a limited superpower. In visual masking, we do not consciously recognize another image when it appears in rapid succession.
But the timing of those images is important. For masking to work, the first image must flash very quickly, and the second image must follow rapidly (on the order of 50 milliseconds).
Don't get me wrong, the first image doesn't stay in view very long, but it's definitely long enough to be recognizable without the second image or mask.
Scientists discovered this phenomenon in the 19th century, but why and how the human brain does this remains a mystery.
“This is an interesting observation, that your perception doesn't accurately reflect what exists in the world,” said Dr. Sean Olsen, a researcher at the Allen Institute.
“Like other optical illusions, we think this tells us something about how the visual system works and, ultimately, the neural circuits underlying visual perception.”
In a new study, Dr. Olsen and colleagues take a closer look at the science behind this bizarre illusion and show for the first time that it also occurs in mice.
When the mice were trained to report what they saw, they were also able to pinpoint the specific areas of the brain needed for the visual masking illusion to work.
Dr. Christoph Koch, also from the Allen Institute, said, “Our research has narrowed down the region of the brain responsible for perceiving the world around us.''
“What are the steps from the time the photons rain down on your retina to when you actually become consciously aware of what you’re seeing?”
When a rain of photons hits our retina, the information follows a predetermined path from the eyeball through several different areas of the brain and into the highly-processed areas of the cortex, the wrinkled outermost shell of the brain. It ends with
Previous research on visual masking has led scientists to believe that neurons in the early part of the brain in the retina and its pathways are activated even when a person is unaware that they are looking at an image. I know. In other words, your brain sees things without your knowledge.
To explore where unconscious sensations turn into conscious perceptions and actions, scientists first asked 16 mice to move a small mouse in the direction of rapidly flashing images in exchange for a reward if they chose the correct direction. I trained him to spin a Lego wheel.
I then added different masking images on either side of the screen, immediately after the target image.
Adding a mask prevented the animal from performing the task correctly. This means that the animal can no longer recognize the original target image.
Because visual masking had never been tested in mice before, the authors had to create a task for mice, in which the images and the way they were presented were different from those used in previous human studies. I meant that.
To confirm that the optical illusion they showed to rodents was also relevant to us, they tested it on 16 people.
It turns out that human perception (or lack thereof) and mouse perception of this particular visual masking illusion are very similar.
The researchers then used a special technique known as optogenetics, which allowed them to quickly suppress activity in cells or areas throughout the brain with flashes of light.
They targeted this inhibition to the mouse's primary visual cortex, known as the first part of the cortex where visual information from the eyes enters higher cortical areas of the brain.
By turning off the primary visual cortex the moment the masking image appeared, they were able to completely block visual masking after the target image. Even though the masking image was visible, the mouse reverted to accurately locating the first image. the current.
This result implies that conscious perception is occurring in the visual cortex or in higher regions of the cortex downstream.
“This is consistent with the general idea in the field that the cortex is the seat of conscious cognition in mammals, including ourselves,” Dr. Koch said.
Although this study narrowed down the region responsible for conscious perception to the cortex, there are still many regions of the cortex that may be involved.
Further studies will need to silence these other areas to test their effects on visual masking tasks.
“We're starting to put some limits on where masking is occurring,” Dr. Olsen said.
“We think this is a good paradigm to track to track other areas that are listening to the primary visual cortex and essentially fusing the flow of target and mask information in the brain. Masu.”
of findings It was published in the magazine natural neuroscience.
_____
SD Gale other. Visual cortex is required for posterior masking in mice. nut neurosi, published online on November 13, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41593-023-01488-0
The first report of a gray shark resting under a reef shelf in the Seychelles changes our knowledge of how they breathe (they don’t need to keep swimming to stay alive), and the science of sleeping sharks. The basis for this has been clarified again.
A predator in perpetual motion. I can’t sleep in our ocean. If you have this impression of sharks, you’re not alone. There’s a good reason for that. Sharks have to swim to breathe (that’s what we were told). The science of shark sleep and breathing is related, and all sharks use gills for breathing, but he has two ways to move oxygen-rich seawater over the gills.
Some sharks, called obligatory rams, “ram” oxygen-rich seawater over their gills, which requires them to keep moving.other seedThey actively pump seawater over their gills while at rest, called buccal pumps.
Evidence of shark rest: A new perspective
Today’s science shows that sharks may be stationary, and there are also suggestions that sharks are asleep. However, there is no solid evidence regarding the sleep behavior of Ram ventilators. Scientists hypothesize that they may not be sleeping at all, sleeping using half their brains (like sperm whales and bottlenose dolphins), or sleeping against ocean currents. There is.
New paper “Just keep swimming? Observation of resting behavior of gray reef sharks Medicaginus Ambryrrhinchus (Bleeker, 1856),” published this month. Fish Biology Journal This overturns our knowledge of one mandatory ram ventilator. The gray shark is an endangered reef-dwelling shark of the family Ceridae, and was a typical representative of sharks that move for breathing.
“During a routine research dive around Daros, we discovered a gray shark resting under a reef shelf,” said the head of research at the Save Our Seas Daros Research Center (SOSF-DRC) in the Seychelles. Dr. Robert Block begins speaking. “This is not something we believed they were capable of. Gray sharks have been thought of as a ram-breathing species that cannot rest, so when we find these sharks resting, It turns our basic understanding of them upside down.”
Stationary sharks: a surprising discovery
Researchers encountered gray sharks resting alone or in groups at various locations around the Seychelles. And all the while, the sharks seemed oblivious to the observer’s presence. This is an important observation. Scientists believe that increased arousal threshold is a characteristic of sleep, not just rest.
The sharks remained stationary except for mandibular movements, suggesting that these ram-ventilating sharks switch to buccal pumping behavior. Since there is little current at the site and the shark rests facing on all sides, the idea that resting facing the current is the only way to do so is because there is little water for gray reef sharks.
Craig Foster, founder of the SeaChange project, is one of the divers and an author of the paper. “There’s something special about tiptoeing around 25 meters underwater, staring into the open eyes of a sleeping shark, and moving carefully so as not to wake the peaceful, beautiful shark.” he says.
Implications and future research
“I love anything that challenges our current thinking, and I’ve always thought the gray reef shark is a clear example of a species that needs to swim to breathe. Obviously with this discovery. Dr James Lea, CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation, is enthusiastic about the implications of this paper. “This raises all sorts of other questions,” he says. “How are they coping? For how long? How often? We still have a lot to learn, and that’s very exciting to me.”
If gray reef sharks can switch up their breathing and rest, we may be able to learn more about similar sharks. “It’s important to understand how they use their environment and how it changes in response to changing environmental conditions,” explains Dr. Lee. “How important is this rest, or even the possibility of sleep, for sharks? And how will they be affected if they are unable to rest if conditions change, such as rising or falling oxygen levels due to climate change? Will I receive it?”
remind us of our connection to nature
The authors all agree that this discovery also tells us a lot about ourselves and our relationship with the natural world. “I hope these discoveries remind us how much we still don’t know and how interesting that is. Science can get quite a lot wrong. That’s a lot, and that’s okay,” Dr. Block recalled. Foster believes what we know about the wild is critical to conservation. “Knowing how our shark family sleeps brings us closer to their fascinating world, and awakens us from our own slumber to remind us that we cannot live without these amazing marine creatures.” ,” he said.
Reference: “Just keep swimming? Observation of resting behavior of gray reef sharks Medicaginus Ambryrrhinchus (Bleeker, 1856)” by Robert W. Block, Craig Foster, and James S.E. Lee, November 20, 2023, Fish Biology Journal. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15623
Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
December 15, 2023
Scientists at Harvard University’s Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology have made an incredible discovery in the 312-million-year-old fossil of an insect. This discovery has pushed back the presumed origins of leaf mining behavior by 70 million years and provided new insights into the evolution of early insects. Their study shows that this behavior is linked to the evolution of early insects. The study was published on October 5, 2023, in New Phytologist.
The delicacy of prehistoric insects’ soft bodies makes them difficult to preserve as fossils. Due to this fragility, the bodies of these insects are often fragmented or incomplete, making scientific study difficult. As a result, paleontologists often rely on trace fossils to learn about these ancient insects, but they are almost exclusively found as traces of fossil plants. According to Dr. Richard J. Knecht, a candidate in the Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the excellent preservation of fossil plants provides valuable insights into insect evolution and behavior.
In their study, researchers discovered endoparasitic trace fossils from the leaves of 312-million-year-old Carboniferous seed ferns. These trace fossils show the earliest signs of internal feeding within leaves, known as leaf mining. This discovery pushes the age of leaf mining behavior about 70 million years earlier than once believed.
The study also sheds light on the process and importance of internal nutrition in early insects. Feeding on plants internally is common in holometamorphic insects such as Lepidoptera (moths), Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), and Hymenoptera (wasps and sawflies), as the larvae make holes in the leaves and feed on the internal tissue, leaving a distinct trail. This behavior, identified in the Rhode Island Formation of the Carboniferous Period, shows how the exceptional preservation of this site allows for valuable insights into the behavior of ancient insects.
The study, led by Knecht and his team, highlights the significance of this discovery in furthering our understanding of early insect evolution and behavior and provides new insights into the origins of leaf mining by linking it to the evolution of early insects.
A new study from Cornell University reveals that the visual system, not just chemoreceptors, has a major influence on the social behavior of male fruit flies. The study found that enhanced visual input can override normal social inhibition, and suggests similar mechanisms in the human brain, particularly related to conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. It has meaning in understanding.
Drosophila males typically exhibit antisocial behavior toward other males and prefer to identify females through chemoreceptors. However, recent research by Cornell University biologists shows that the fruit fly visual system plays an important role in social interactions.
The findings provide new insights into the potential roots of a variety of human social behaviors, including those associated with conditions such as bipolar disorder and autism.
This paper recently current biology.
Visual system and social behavior
many seed Many animals use vision to regulate social behavior, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In Drosophila, vision is thought to be used explicitly to detect and follow movement rather than to regulate social behavior, but researchers have found that this may not be the case. .
“In our study, hyperactivation of the visual system overcomes the inhibition produced by chemical signals emitted by male flies, telling other males, ‘Okay, I know, I’m another male, don’t interfere. ”’ said senior author Nirey Yapisi, assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior. “Surprisingly, visual enhancement in the brain somehow overrides chemosensory inhibition and attracts male flies to other males.”
Researchers found that changing GABARAP/GABA;a Receptor signaling in visual feedback neurons in the male brain influenced social inhibition in flies. When GABARAP is knocked down in the visual system, males unexpectedly exhibit increased courtship behavior towards other males.
Researchers discovered that genes similar to those in the human brain control visual neurons in fruit flies. Decreased GABA signaling in the human brain is associated with traits of social withdrawal in conditions such as autism and schizophrenia.
“Our results provide a promising avenue to investigate how these proteins regulate social behavior in the mammalian brain and their potential contribution to human mental state.” said lead author Dr. Yuta Mabuchi. ’23.
Reference: “Visual feedback neurons fine-tune Drosophila male courtship through GABA-mediated inhibition”, Yuta Mabuchi, Xinyue Cui, Lily Xie, Haein Kim, Tianxing Jiang, Nilay Yapici, September 2023 5 Day, current biology.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
