Ornithologists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology have unveiled the most comprehensive evolutionary tree of birds to date. This groundbreaking research reveals unexpected relationships and serves as a fascinating illustration for bird enthusiasts. Explore the World Bird Lineage Explorer, where you can track lineage and evolutionary milestones.
European bee-eater (Merops apiaster). Image credit: Rashuli / CC BY 2.0.
Understanding the phylogeny of birds is crucial for advancing bird research.
With over 11,000 bird species worldwide, consolidating phylogenetic trees into a singular, updated resource has posed significant challenges for ornithologists.
The Birds of the World Phylogeny Explorer directly addresses these challenges, remaining current with the latest scientific discoveries.
“This tool combines centuries of avian research with advanced computational tools, creating a captivating interactive resource that narrates the story of bird evolution,” stated Dr. Elliott Miller, a researcher with the American Bird Conservancy.
“New evolutionary relationships are constantly being discovered. We release annual updates to our phylogenetic tools, ensuring our datasets align with the latest taxonomy,” he added.
“This tool holds immense value for the scientific community,” remarked Dr. Pam Rasmussen from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“The complete tree of bird life, built on cutting-edge phylogenetic research, is now a downloadable, interactive dataset from Birds of the World, encouraging further inquiry and exploration.”
“This evolutionary tree provides crucial insights into how evolutionary history has shaped traits such as beak shape, wing length, foraging behaviors, and habitat preferences in birds.”
“Bird lovers will appreciate the personalized features of the Birds of the World Phylogeny Explorer,” Dr. Marshall Iliff noted, also from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“By logging into the platform, birders can visualize the diversity of their eBird species list, diving deep into bird history across orders, families, and genera, thus revealing noteworthy evolutionary patterns.”
“For birdwatchers, their lifetime list transforms into a personal journey through evolutionary history, highlighting how each species fits into the broader narrative of avian evolution.”
“Users are sure to encounter surprising revelations. For instance, why does the North American woodpecker closely resemble other woodpeckers yet belong to a different lineage?”
“Or why are peregrine falcons fierce hunters like hawks and eagles, even though they originate from a separate branch of the family tree?”
“Solving these taxonomic enigmas can become a lifelong pursuit for anyone deeply passionate about birds.”
Research on Zebra Finches’ Eyes Reveals Unique Mechanisms
Ger Bosma/Alamy
The anatomy of zebra finches’ eyes is distinct from known vertebrate tissues. Their retinas, responsible for light detection, utilize an unusual energy source by absorbing glucose instead of the typical oxygen.
This groundbreaking discovery addresses a 400-year-old question regarding avian eye physiology. Christian Damsgaard from Aarhus University in Denmark notes, “This is compelling evidence that certain neurons can operate without oxygen, notably in common garden birds.”
The retina sends light signals to the brain, demanding considerable energy supplied by oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels. However, the thick avascular retina in zebra finches raises the question of how these essential nerve cells sustain life.
Damsgaard and his research team investigated zebra finches, or Teniopygia guttata, in the lab. By attaching oxygen sensors to their eyes, they discovered that the inner retinal layer does not receive oxygen.
“Oxygen enters through the back of the eye, but it cannot permeate the retina,” explains Damsgaard.
Analyzing metabolic gene activity in various retinal layers revealed frequent reliance on glycolysis in areas devoid of oxygen. Although this process is less efficient, it serves the retina’s energy needs.
“This method requires 15 times more glucose for equivalent energy output,” states Damsgaard. So, where does all this sugar come from?
The answer lies in the pecten, a structure of rake-shaped blood vessels found in avian eyes. Previously thought to transport oxygen, recent findings show that the pecten instead inundates the retina with glucose—four times what brain cells absorb—fueling its high-energy requirements.
According to Luke Tyrrell, researchers at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh are astonished that birds have evolved to depend on such a less efficient method for vision. “The avian retina is among the most energy-intensive tissues in the animal kingdom,” he adds.
This specialized, blood vessel-free retina may provide superior vision in birds, with the pecten sugar supply being a crucial evolutionary adaptation. An oxygen-independent retina could also contribute to their capabilities for high-altitude migratory flights.
For Pavel Niemec, findings from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, illustrate that evolution can yield counterintuitive solutions to physical challenges.
Damsgaard and his colleagues believe there may be future applications for modifying human cells to allow greater resilience under low-oxygen conditions, such as after a stroke.
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Ornithologists have utilized camera traps to document a newly identified species of jewel bubbler in the lush karst forests of Papua New Guinea’s Southern Fold Mountains.
Camera trap images showcasing the holotype and two paratypes of Ptilorrhoa urrissia taken during a detailed 3-month sampling in a high-density array over 0.5 ha. The holotype (ac, marked ‘h’ in image a) and a paratype (a and d, marked ‘p’ in image a), an adult female and juvenile with female-type plumage, were photographed together on January 1, 2020. The shown image is from a sequence of 20 photos captured within 87 seconds. A putative adult male paratype (e) was photographed on March 8, 2020, from under 40 meters. Image credit: Woxvold et al., doi: 10.1111/ibi.70016.
The newly identified species falls under the genus Ptilorrhoa, known for small birds in the family Cinclosomatidae.
Commonly referred to as jewel bubblers, these unique birds are endemic to New Guinea.
According to Ian Wachsvold, an ornithologist with the Australian Museum Research Institute, “Jewel bubblers are a group of ground-dwelling, insectivorous passerines found exclusively in New Guinea and nearby land-bridge islands.”
“These birds are characterized by their plump bodies, short wings, black masks, and white throat or cheek patches, with many species having soft feathers adorned with blue or maroon markings.”
“Typically vocal but shy, they dwell deep within the forests, making them more often heard than seen.”
“Currently, there are four recognized species, with three found across much of New Guinea, differentiated mainly by their altitude – Ptilorrhoa caerulescens lives in lowland areas, while Ptilorrhoa castanonota resides in hills and low mountains; Ptilorrhoa leucosticta prefers dense forests.”
“The fourth species, the brown-headed jewel bubbler (Ptilorrhoa geislerorum), has been recorded in two geographically separated regions: the hills and lowlands of northeastern Papua New Guinea, and a recently discovered population presumed to be this species located far west of Yapen Island.”
In 2017, Dr. Wachsvold and Leo Regula from Lihir Gold Ltd. initiated a biennial camera trap monitoring program for ground-dwelling birds and mammals on the Igif Ridge (Uri [mount] Uricia in the local Fasu language), a limestone forested anticline situated on the southeastern fringe of the Agogo Mountains in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea.
Throughout this research, distinctive, undescribed jewel bubblers were captured on camera.
“During over 1,800 camera days, we recorded 10 images of the bird across three sequences (trigger events) using two cameras set approximately 600 meters apart,” the researchers noted.
“In November 2018, we attempted to set up mist nets to capture these birds but were unsuccessful.”
“Camera trap surveillance was repeated in 2019, 2021, and 2024, accumulating a total of 94 photographs (22 sequences) and seven 30-second videos (4 sequences) featuring at least three to six birds, with 11 cameras monitoring an area of 16 hectares.”
Analysis of museum specimens alongside field photographic evidence confirms that the bird in question distinctly differs from other known Ptilorrhoa species.
Pyroroa urrissia),” they stated.
Pyroroa urrissia appears to be a resident species in the Yagif Ridge area, with birds photographed consistently over a span of ten consecutive months (June through March) across seven years.
The total number of newly detected species during the sampling period probably comprises fewer than ten birds.
“This species tends to be observed alone, in pairs, or in small family groups of three to four,” the researchers highlighted.
“Data indicates a similar social organization to other jewel bubblers worldwide. The Pyroroa urrissia duo is frequently photographed together, with most records (all but 3 sequences of one male) gathered from a 7 ha area; most likely indicating two breeding events involving a resident pair and their offspring.”
“We hypothesize that the Igif Ridge supports a fragmented population occupying an isolated low mountain lacking higher altitude support for Ptilorrhoa leucosticta,” they add.
“Potentially suitable habitats may be restricted to regions between Mt Bosabi and Mt Karimui in southern Papua New Guinea.”
To date, no songs have been distinctly attributed to any Ptilorrhoa species aside from Ptilorrhoa castanonota, although the team did encounter vocalizations on the Igif Ridge.
The new species appears to produce softer calls compared to other species such as Ptilorrhoa caerulescens and Ptilorrhoa castanonota, while showing behavioral similarities to Ptilorrhoa leucosticta.
“Jewel bubblers on the Igif Ridge are threatened by multiple factors,” scientists warn.
“Known native predators include at least three marsupials, such as the New Guinea quoll (Dasyrus albopuntatus), the woolly three-striped dasher (Myoichthys leucula), and certain Murexia species. Furthermore, the Papuan eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguineae), goshawk (Accipiter poliocephalus), and the great owl (Tito tenebricosa) prey on the ground, possibly targeting adult birds or their young.”
“Invasive predators represent an additional significant risk, especially for ground-nesting species like the jewel bubbler.”
“Domestic cats (Felis catus) have been photographed on Igif Ridge thrice in 2021 and 2024.”
“Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are frequently spotted in the area, often accompanying hunters or loitering opportunistically.”
“Lastly, climate change poses a severe threat to tropical montane birds, particularly those like Pyroroa urrissia that have limited dispersal capabilities and no access to high-altitude environments on Igif Ridge.”
The findings of this significant discovery were published in a study in the journal Toki on November 26, 2025.
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Ian A. Wachsvold et al. A newly identified species of jewel bubbler (Cinclosomatidae: Ptilorrhoa) from Papua New Guinea’s Southern Fold Mountains. Toki, published online November 26, 2025. doi: 10.1111/ibi.70016
If you’ve been active on TikTok lately, you might be familiar with the concept of bird inspection. In this test, one partner casually mentions something, like observing a bird outside, to gauge if the other is engaged. An enthusiastic response signals a positive connection; lack of interest might indicate underlying issues. It’s amusing, relatable, and resonates with many. This viral phenomenon reflects something intrinsic to relationships, as psychologists recognize the significance behind it.
For years, relationship scholars have maintained that love is found in these small interactions. We refer to these daily connections as “bids”: sharing a laugh, narrating a story, or simply saying, “Look at that!” Psychologist John Gottman conducted classic studies with newlyweds, revealing that partners strive for the low bid for connection. Other longitudinal research indicates that couples with more assertive responses during disagreements are more likely to remain stable and satisfied in the long term.
Additional studies highlight that responses in everyday moments significantly affect relationship health. For instance, research on newlyweds has shown that couples exhibit heightened playfulness and enthusiasm during brief dinner interactions, showcasing more humor and affection during discussions of conflicts. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that partners perceived as sensitive and affirming tend to become more physically affectionate over time, fostering intimacy through minor everyday gestures.
Ultimately, these small expressions of gratitude function as the adhesive in relationships. The bird test cleverly encapsulates a fundamental truth: small gestures of acknowledgment are significant. While each may feel inconsequential in isolation, their cumulative effect builds positive momentum, sustaining satisfaction and resilience in relationships.
However, isolating specific moments, especially those showcased on social media, can oversimplify relationship evaluations. The bird test transforms intricate dynamics into simple pass/fail moments, potentially leading to unnecessary worries and misplaced confidence. Partners might miss bids for reasons unrelated to commitment—perhaps they are fatigued, under stress, or simply disengaged. Misinterpreting fleeting moments as definitive judgments can lead to harmful conclusions: “They ignored the bird! Do they even love me?” Even worse, it can become a manipulation tool: “You didn’t respond. You aren’t attentive to me.” One-off reactions on an arbitrary day should not define the essence of a relationship.
The pressing question is why such “testing” has gained traction. In addition to bird inspections, we’ve witnessed a rise in activities like the orange peel theory—”Will your partner peel an orange without prompting?”—and the moon phase test, which claims to measure romantic compatibility based on birthdays and lunar cycles.
One reason for this trend may stem from the fluctuating landscape of dating. Dating apps provide an overwhelming array of potential partners, but research indicates that excessive options can make commitment feel riskier and less secure. This uncertainty impacts the formation of relationships, introducing ambiguity in expectations and leaving partners guessing about their feelings. A quick bird test offers immediate feedback—a fleeting visual cue followed by a simple answer.
Another factor is that, despite relationship science gaining popularity, its complexity has been lost. Nuanced insights from extensive observational studies are reduced to simple TikTok phrases: “Did they notice the bird?” At the same time, social media prioritizes highly emotional content, whether heartwarming or heart-wrenching snippets caught on camera. This attention economy encourages individuals to transform genuine relationships into public trials. In this context, viral tests flourish, providing dramatic, recordable moments of validation that can be shared and scrutinized.
So, what should couples take away from this trend? Bird testing, while playful, underscores the importance of responsiveness when a partner reaches out, even in minor ways, as the backbone of a healthy relationship. If this phenomenon inspires more curiosity, attention, and appreciation, then it can be viewed as a positive development. However, instead of asking, “Did my partner succeed in this test?” a more beneficial inquiry would be, “What patterns have emerged in our relationship? Are they consistently present? Do they feel acknowledged and valued?” Love is not defined by one solitary act, bird, or orange, but by the countless small moments when partners choose to be there for each other behind the scenes.
Despite everything, I must admit that for the sake of research, I may just have my husband partake in the bird test tonight. Wishing him the best of luck!
Emily Impett is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and director of the Institute for Human Relations and Happiness at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her research explores sacrifice, sexuality in long-term relationships, and changes within relationships.
The summer was notably calm regarding bird flu. There was a slight decrease in egg prices, a reduction in the number of poultry flocks being culled, and authorities remained hopeful.
“It was remarkable,” mentioned Shauna Voss, the deputy director of the Minnesota Animal Health Commission.
However, this tranquility didn’t continue.
As wild waterfowl, including geese, ducks, and cranes, commenced their seasonal migration, avian influenza has begun to spread once more. The migrating birds interact in lakes and ponds, facilitating the exchange of viruses.
In the poultry sector, avian influenza cases are rising more rapidly than anticipated. In states like Minnesota and Iowa, over 4 million birds have been culled in the past month after tests confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus within their flocks. This increase coincides with a notable rise in infections observed in wild birds in northern regions.
State officials are preparing for a challenging fall, a season known for escalating case numbers.
“We confirmed our first positive case last week,” stated Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. This incident originated from a turkey farm in Calhoun County. “The real concern is how widespread this will become and what the fall season holds for us.”
Naig noted it’s still early to determine the outbreak’s impact on egg prices.
“The most honest answer is that we will have to wait and see. I wish I could provide more clarity,” Naig added.
This marks the fourth consecutive fall with rising bird flu infections, suggesting the virus is becoming endemic among wild birds and could continually threaten poultry.
“It’s not disappearing. It appears to be quite established,” Voss remarked.
The further the virus spreads, the higher the risk of it mutating to infect humans effectively. Some experts are concerned that budget cuts by the Trump administration on mRNA research could hinder scientists’ rapid development of new vaccines. Nevertheless, the current public health risk remains minimal.
As autumn progresses, authorities, wildlife specialists, and virologists are adopting a vigilant but patient stance.
“These times are intriguing,” noted Declan Schroeder, an associate professor of virology at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. “Everyone is watching closely to see the outcome.”
Avian influenza was initially spotted in U.S. commercial flocks in February 2022, following earlier outbreaks among wild birds. Nearly all infected poultry succumb, with over 175 million birds culled or killed by this summer. Two years ago, it was unexpectedly found that avian influenza had moved to dairy cows and was detected in unpasteurized raw milk, leading to significant changes in agricultural practices and milk testing.
At least 70 people have been infected, primarily farm workers who have close contact with birds and livestock. One fatality has occurred.
Researchers believe that wild birds spread the disease to poultry farms through multiple channels: direct contact, feed contamination, and workers inadvertently carrying the virus into barns. This makes the migration period a significant risk factor for outbreaks.
“If an infected bird migrates through a region and spreads the disease to others, our estimates indicate that the infection can spread rapidly,” explained Michael Ward, a professor focused on migration studies at the University of Illinois.
Ward added that the reduction of natural habitats is forcing birds to gather more closely, increasing the potential for the virus’s spread. In Illinois, wetland areas are declining due to drought conditions.
“This scenario is ideal for the virus to thrive,” Ward noted.
In response to inquiries regarding the uptick in avian influenza detections and the federal government’s course of action, the U.S. Department of Agriculture highlighted a five-pillar strategy announced in February, which allocates $100 million towards new biosecurity measures and vaccine development for poultry.
Countries like France are already vaccinating their poultry, but the Agriculture Department is still deliberating on whether the U.S. should follow suit. No vaccines have been approved yet, and their implementation could affect U.S. exports.
“While we believe an effective vaccination strategy would greatly help egg and turkey producers, we recognize the need for careful implementation to avoid negative impacts on other markets,” Naig explained. “The USDA is currently focused on this, and we are waiting to see what the vaccination strategy entails.”
Scientists have long expressed concerns that avian influenza viruses may eventually adapt to spread efficiently among humans. Although the risk remains low at present, Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, specializing in infectious diseases, recommends that people take precautionary measures to prevent H5N1 and seasonal influenza infections.
“Get vaccinated against the flu. Avoid raw milk or unpasteurized cheese, especially during outbreaks. Don’t feed your cat outdoors during bird migration season,” Chin-Hong urges.
A scenario where humans contract both H5N1 and seasonal influenza simultaneously could pose challenges, as the avian influenza virus might easily mutate its genetic structure to adapt to humans.
The CDC halted H5N1 coordination meetings with healthcare providers earlier this spring. Chin-Hong is critical of this move, advocating for the agency to resume communications and opposing the administration’s decision to reduce funding for mRNA vaccine research. Biotechnology firm Moderna was in the process of creating an avian influenza vaccine utilizing an mRNA platform, but the Health and Human Services Department withdrew its grant.
The CDC has not responded to inquiries for comment.
A splendid fairy (left) attempts to evade the cuckoo
David Ongley
More than 20 bird species globally utilize similar “whining” alarm calls to alert others about the presence of cuckoos. These calls seem to resonate across species, shedding light on their evolutionary significance.
Cuckoos are among the numerous 100 species recognized as brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds and relying on them to raise their young as if they were their own.
Will Feeney and his team at biological stations in Spain and Doñana identified 21 species that last shared a common ancestor around 53 million years ago. These species exhibit structurally similar “whimper” calls when they detect a breeding parasite.
Examples include the splendid fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) in Australia, the yellow-brown prinia (Prinia subflava) in Africa, Hume’s leaf warbler (Phylloscopus humei) in Asia, and the green warbler (Phylloscopus trochiloides) in Europe.
“It seems these diverse bird species worldwide have converged on the same vocalization to alert against their respective brood parasites,” observes Feeney.
Researchers often observe that species producing this alarm call tend to inhabit areas rich in brood parasites, which exploit various host species. When a potential host detects the whining, they often resort to aggressive defense behaviors.
“Brood parasites present a unique threat. They pose significant risks to offspring while largely being non-threatening to adult birds,” says Feeney. “Our findings suggest that [the call] plays a crucial role in promptly alerting fellow birds and potentially securing their protection.”
“In the case of the splendid fairy-wren, they are cooperative breeders, which likely means that the mobbing call is intended to attract additional individuals for support,” explains Rose Thorogood from the University of Helsinki, Finland.
To deepen their investigation, Feeney and colleagues recorded calls from brood-parasite hosts across continents and played them to potential host birds in Australia and China. They discovered that hearing foreign alarm calls prompted just as quick a response as calls from their own species.
“This indicates that the function of this vocalization is geared towards fostering interspecies communication rather than merely internal signaling,” highlights Feeney.
Thorogood cautions: “The ancestral alarm calls shared by our forebears may not have solely targeted brood parasites. Instead, they likely feature specific acoustic properties that are effective in repelling these threats.”
The research team also conducted similar experiments with yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia) in North America, which serve as egg hosts for brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) yet do not produce the distinctive whining alarm call. When exposed to the splendid fairy-wren’s alarm, warblers responded promptly by returning to their nests, demonstrating distress through various calls in addition to mobbing.
Feeney suggests that numerous bird species respond to innate components in alarm calls, while local birds in areas where brood parasites are prevalent adapt their calls and responses to convey information about local dangers.
“These birds have adapted distress calls for new contexts related to offspring threats,” he explains. “This provides insights into why birds across the globe utilize similar sounds.”
Charles Darwin proposed in his 1871 work, The Descent of Man, that spoken language’s origins could be traced back to imitation and adaptation of instinctual sounds made by humans and other animals. These instances may not only involve cries of fear but can also reflect pain. “A bird adapting these instinctual calls for different purposes might represent a foundational step towards language,” concludes Feeney.
Rob Magrath of the Australian National University notes, “Calls often convey specific meanings, sometimes referring to external objects or incidents, rather than merely indicating internal states like fear or traits such as gender or species.”
“This referential quality suggests that such vocalizations bear resemblance to human language, frequently referencing the external world,” he adds. “Thus, animal communication and human language may exist on a continuum rather than being distinct attributes of humans.”
Capturing birds in photographs can be quite challenging. Their speed, grace, and unpredictable nature can pose difficulties for photographers. Yet, their vibrant colors and iridescent feathers have long captivated those behind the camera. Today, a stunning array of images, showcasing the talent of over 50 photographers from across the globe, takes center stage in the Bird Center.
Birds: Modern Photographic Birds is a remarkable 200-page journey through the enchanting world of birds. Unlike typical bird books that categorize by species or habitat, Aviary adopts a fresh perspective. It presents six thematic chapters that explore the bond between humans and birds through imaginative performances such as “sanctuary” and “meetings.” The collection blends several disciplines, including art, fashion, documentary filmmaking, and ornithology.
Mario CEA, The Blue Trail, 2015.
Mario CEA
Some photographs astound with their simplicity, while others impress with their dynamic capture of movement and intricate details. For example, a striking image freezes a Kingfisher mid-dive, its vibrant blue stripes contrasting with the calm waters (as shown above), masterfully captured by Mariocia.
Red-crowned Crane Courtship.
Alan Walker
In Alan Walker’s image (above), two of the rarest and largest birds, the red-crowned cranes, engage in a courtship display, their heads elegantly arched as soft snow falls around them. Meanwhile, the radiant flamingos captured by Robert Clark appear to rest peacefully, their heads tucked into their feathers, evoking the essence of a traditional oil painting.
Aviary by Danáe Panchaud and William A. Ewing will be available September 11th, with official release on October 14th.
From 1950 to 2020, intense heatwaves led to a 25-38% decrease in bird populations inhabiting these biodiverse tropical regions, as reported by Maximilian Cotts and his team from Barcelona’s Super Computing Center.
The researchers have yet to utilize these findings to forecast future bird population trends as global temperatures continue to rise, but early indicators are concerning. “The situation looks grim,” Cotts remarks.
He and his team have initiated a comprehensive analysis of global bird populations using the Living Planet Database. This dataset, however, does not include seabirds. Additional data on habitat destruction was sourced from the Hyde database for global environments, along with historical weather and climate data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
The researchers compared this information to identify correlations that could shed light on the observed changes in bird populations. Their findings suggest that habitat loss is a significant driver of decline, corroborating earlier studies, particularly in regions with latitudes between 21° and 43° north or south.
In contrast, extreme heat is the predominant factor affecting bird survival in tropical areas, where many species often exist at the edge of their heat tolerance limits. If these limits are exceeded, they risk mortality , explains Kotz. Even if they manage to survive an intense heat episode, their health is typically compromised, diminishing their reproductive success.
The team is also analyzing how the exacerbation of extreme heat is attributable to anthropogenic climate change, and how bird populations would behave in a scenario without warming. This approach enables researchers to gauge the impact of climate change on bird abundance.
Although such attribution studies have been traditionally employed to assess extreme weather events related to climate change, Kotz notes that this is the first instance of applying this methodology to evaluate ecological repercussions.
There remains a significant lack of data regarding bird population trends, particularly in tropical regions. Kotz acknowledges this deficiency but believes there is enough evidence to draw meaningful conclusions. He cautions that insufficient data in these areas may lead to an underestimation of the impacts.
Insects and Ecosystem Expedition Safari: Sri Lanka
A unique journey into Sri Lanka’s diverse ecosystems, focusing on entomology and rich biodiversity.
A group of paleontologists from Yale University and Stony Brook University made a significant discovery while studying dinosaur fossils, including two bird species found in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
This scene illustrates the oviraptorid dinosaur Citipati appearing astonished as it rests on sand dunes. The creature raises its arms in a threat display, exposing its wrists and emphasizing the small, relocated, closed carpal bones (highlighted in blue x-ray). Image credit: Henry S. Sharp.
For years, the identity of a particular carpal bone in the bird’s wrist was a scientific enigma, until researchers determined it functioned as a trap.
This bone, originally resembling a kneecap-like sesame bone, shifted from its original position in the wrist, replacing another carpal bone known as Urna.
Positions in modern birds indicate a link that enables the bird to automatically fold its wings when it bends.
The bone’s large V-shaped notch allows for the alignment of hand bones to prevent dislocation during flight.
Consequently, this bone plays a crucial role in the bird’s forelimb and is integral for flight.
“The carpal bone in modern birds is a rare wrist bone that initially forms within muscle tendons, resembling knee-like bones, but eventually takes the place of the ‘normal’ wrist bones known as Urna,” commented one researcher.
“It is closely associated with the muscle tissue of the arm, linking flying muscle movement to wrist articulation when integrated into the wrist.”
“This integration is particularly vital for wing stabilization during flight.”
In their recent study, Dr. Bhullar and his team analyzed two Late Cretaceous fossils: Troodontid (birds of prey, related to Velociraptor) and citipati cf. osmorusca (an oviraptorid with a long neck and beakless jaw).
“We were fortunate to have two rigorously preserved theropod wrists for this analysis,” said Alex Rubenstal, a paleontologist from Yale University.
“The wrist bones are small and well-preserved, but they tend to shift during decay and preservation, complicating their position for interpretation.”
“Observing this small bone in its correct position enabled me to thoroughly interpret the fossil wrists we had on hand, as well as those from previous studies.”
“James Napoli, a vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at Stony Brook University, noted:
“While it’s unclear how many times dinosaurs learned to fly, it’s fascinating that experiments with flight appear only after they adapted to the wrist joint.”
“This adaptation may have established an automated mechanism found in present-day birds, although further research on dinosaur wrist bones is necessary to validate this hypothesis.”
Placing their findings within an evolutionary framework, the authors concluded that it was not merely birds but rather theropod dinosaurs that underwent the confinement of this adaptation by the origin of Penalaptra, a group of theropods that includes Dromaeosaurids and Oviraptorosaurs like Velociraptor.
Overall, this group of dinosaurs exhibited bird-like features, including the emergence of feathered wings, indicating that flight evolved at least twice, if not up to five times.
“The evolutionary replacement of Urna was a gradual process occurring much deeper in history than previously understood,” stated the researchers.
“In recent decades, our understanding of theropod dinosaur anatomy and evolution has expanded significantly, revealing many classical ‘bird-like’ traits such as thin-walled bones, larger brains, and feathers.
“Our findings suggest that avian construction is consistent with a topological pattern traced back to the origin of Penalaptra.”
The team’s paper was published in the journal Nature on July 9, 2025.
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JG Napoli et al. Theropod wrist reorganization preceded the origins of bird flight. Nature, Published online on July 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09232-3
Prevalent strains of avian flu affecting US livestock
Mediamedium/Alamy
Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s administration in January, key US public health organizations have reduced their pandemic preparedness efforts regarding potential avian flu outbreaks. However, in contrast, another government agency has ramped up its activities.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) previously conducted regular updates on measures to prevent a broader transmission of the deadly avian influenza virus known as H5N1 among humans, but these efforts were largely suspended after Trump took office. Funding for vaccines targeting the virus was also cancelled. Meanwhile, the USDA intensified its fight against the spread of H5N1 in poultry and dairy populations.
This particular strain of avian flu, named H5N1, poses a significant risk to human health, with about half of the nearly 1,000 individuals who tested positive globally since 2003. While the virus spreads quickly among birds, it remains poorly adapted to infect humans and is not known to transmit between individuals. However, mutations might enhance its ability to spread among mammals, presenting an escalating risk with increasing infections in mammals.
The likelihood of H5N1 evolving into a more human-threatening variant has significantly amplified since March 2024, when it transitioned from migratory birds in Texas to dairy cattle. More than 1,070 flocks across 17 states have since been affected.
H5N1 also impacts poultry, making it more human-compatible. Since 2022, nearly 175 million domestic birds in the US have been culled due to H5N1, with 71 people testing positive after direct contact with infected livestock.
“We must take [H5N1] seriously. Its spread continues, and it frequently spills over into humans,” says Sheema Calkdawara from Emory University in Georgia. The virus has already claimed lives in the US, including children in Mexico this year.
However, the number of incidents has minimized since Trump took office, with the last recorded human case in February and a significant reduction in affected poultry herds by 95% from then through June. Outbreaks within dairy cattle herds are also being managed effectively.
The cause of this decline remains unclear. Some speculate it may be due to a decrease in bird migration, limiting the opportunities for the virus to jump from wild birds to livestock. It may also reflect the USDA’s proactive containment strategies on farms. In February, USDA detailed a $1 billion investment plan to combat H5N1, which includes free biosecurity evaluations to help farmers enhance their defenses against the virus. Only one workplace among the 150 reviewed reported an outbreak.
Under Trump’s administration, the USDA also maintained its national milk testing initiative, requiring farms to submit raw milk samples for influenza testing. Should a farm test positive for H5N1, the USDA can monitor livestock and take preventative measures. The USDA initiated a comprehensive program in December, further enhancing their engagement in 45 states.
“The National Milk Test Strategy is a robust approach,” states Erin Sorrell from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Coupled with improvements in on-farm biosecurity, milk testing is crucial for containing outbreaks, Sorrell believes.
Despite the USDA’s heightened efforts concerning H5N1, HHS doesn’t seem to be keeping pace. According to Sorrell, the decrease in human cases may also be due to diminished surveillance resulting from staff cuts. In April, HHS announced 10,000 job cuts, impacting 90% of the workforce at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which monitors H5N1 incidence among farm workers.
“As the saying goes, you can’t detect something unless you test for it,” Sorrell comments. Nevertheless, a spokesperson from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that their guidance and surveillance initiatives remain unchanged. “State and local health departments are still tracking illnesses in individuals exposed to sick animals,” they expressed to New Scientist. “The CDC is dedicated to promptly sharing information regarding H5N1 as necessary.”
Vaccination strategies are another area of contention between USDA and HHS. USDA has allocated $100 million towards the development of vaccines and additional strategies to mitigate H5N1’s spread among livestock, while HHS has halted $776 million in contracts aimed at developing influenza vaccines. This contract, which ended on May 28, was with Moderna for a vaccine targeting various influenza subtypes, including H5N1, potentially leading to future pandemics. This announcement coincided with Moderna revealing that nearly 98% of around 300 participants who received two H5 vaccines in clinical trials exhibited antibody levels considered protective against the virus.
The US currently possesses approximately 5 million doses of the H5N1 vaccine, produced via egg-based and cultured cell methods, which is more time-consuming compared to mRNA vaccines such as Moderna’s. Sorrell observes that Moderna’s mRNA vaccine platform enables rapid government response and production capabilities during a pandemic, providing a solid foundation should a general public vaccine be required.
HHS’s cancellation of its contract stemmed from concerns regarding the mRNA vaccine technology, an issue previously flagged by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading public health figure in the nation. “The reality is that mRNA technology remains inadequately tested, and we will not waste taxpayer dollars repeating past errors,” stated HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon, as reported by New Scientist.
However, mRNA technology is far from novel and has been in development for over 50 years, with various clinical trials confirming its safety. Like all treatments, there can be mild side effects, but these are typical of most medical interventions. In a recent announcement, Moderna indicated its intention to seek alternative funding avenues for the project.
“I firmly believe we shouldn’t dismiss any option, including various vaccine strategies,” asserts Calkdawara.
“Vaccinations are the most effective defense against infectious diseases,” emphasizes Sorrell. “Having them available as a contingency provides a wider range of options.”
Polar ecosystems are bolstered and enriched by birds that nest there seasonally, serving as keystone members of these ecosystems. Despite the significant ecological role of polar birds, the origins of high-center nests remain unclear due to limited fossil evidence. A recent study conducted by paleontologists explored an extensive collection of bird fossils from the late Cretaceous Purine Cream Formation in Alaska.
Illustration of Cretaceous birds alongside other dinosaurs from the same period. Image credit: Gabriel Ugueto.
“Birds have existed for 150 million years,” stated Lauren Wilson, a doctoral candidate at Princeton University.
“For a significant portion of that time, they constructed nests in the Arctic.”
In their research, Wilson and colleagues studied the bones and teeth of fossilized birds from the Alaska Prune Creek Formation, dating back 73 million years.
They identified various bird types, including land birds, seagull-like birds, and diving birds that bear similarities to some modern ducks and geese, all of which were nesting in the Arctic while dinosaurs roamed the same territory.
Before this research, the earliest known evidence of breeding birds in the Arctic or Antarctic was approximately 47 million years ago, following the asteroid impact that wiped out 75% of Earth’s species.
“This will extend the timeline by 25-30 million years for records of birds breeding in the polar regions,” remarked Dr. Pat Druckenmiller, director of the University of Alaska Museum.
“The Arctic is recognized as a modern nursery for birds.”
“Finding bird bones from the Cretaceous period is exceptionally rare,” Wilson noted.
“Discovering baby bird bones is almost unheard of, making these fossils particularly significant.”
“We conducted extensive mapping of Alaska for fossil birds—it wasn’t on anyone’s radar,” added Dr. Druckenmiller.
“Now, we are one of the premier locations in the country for bird fossils from the dinosaur age.”
“Given the richness of this information, these small bones and teeth offer exceptional insights into the fauna from that era.”
It remains uncertain whether these newly discovered specimens are the earliest recognized members of Neornithes, a category that encompasses all modern birds.
Some of the newly unearthed bones exhibit skeletal characteristics exclusive to this group. Additionally, like contemporary birds, some did not possess true teeth.
“If they belong to a modern bird lineage, they would represent the oldest fossils ever found,” explained Dr. Druckenmiller.
“Currently, the oldest such fossils are about 69 million years old.”
“However, establishing that requires the discovery of a partial or complete skeleton.”
Survey results I will be featured this week in the journal Science.
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Lauren N. Wilson et al. 2025. Evidence of bird nesting in the Arctic dates back to the Cretaceous period. Science 388 (6750): 974-978; doi: 10.1126/science.adt5189
A mysterious new species of Honey Eater myzomela It is explained by an international team of ornithologists from Malaysia, India, the UK and the US.
Babar Mizomera (Myzomela babarensis). Image credit: James A. Eaton.
myzomela It is the largest and most geographically extensive genus of the Honey Eater family. Merifagidae.
It currently contains more than 40 scientifically recognized species, first described in 1827 by naturalists Nicholas Vigers and Thomas Horsefield.
myzomela From Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands, from Micronesia and Samoa.
The genus is a colorful, nectar-eating bird. They are important elements of the island’s ecosystem and often constitute some of the most abundant canopy birds in eastern Indonesia.
In the new study, Birdlife international ornithologist Alex Berryman and colleagues made a taxonomic revision of three populations called The Species. Banda Mizomera (Myzomela boiei)).
“We investigated the taxonomy Myzomela boiei“A colorful, sexually dimorphic honey eater distributed in two subspecies in three island groups in the Banda Sea in southern Marc,” the researchers explained.
“Myzomela Boiei Boiei Occurs in the Banda Islands Myzomela boiei Annabella occurs in Babar (and possibly its satellites) and in Taninbaru Islands (at least Yamdena and Serral, and perhaps the whole). ”
“With the addition of Damard, Leti Islands, Kisar and other small islands, these islands form the “Banda Sea Island,” a region with relatively low bird diversity but high endemic as expected. ”
The author examined 28 museum specimens and 21 sound recordings Myzomela boieiand 152 regeneration experiments were also performed.
The specimens were provided by the New York State Museum of Natural History and the Natural History Museum of Tring.
Sound recordings have been verified xeno-canto.org and Macaulay Libraryand by contacting sound recorders who visited the relevant island.
“compared to Myzomela Boiei Annabellae, Myzomela Boiei Boiei C. There are 10% longer wings, bills and Tulsas, a wider black chest band, lower duskier rear, and a very diverse song. In the regeneration experiment, Myzomela Boiei Boiei It has been proven to not respond to recordings of Myzomela Boiei AnnabellaeThe scientist said.
“But the song Myzomela boiei The Annabella of Taninbar and Babar are also very diverse, with the population of both islands not responding to songs from other islands. ”
“Babar birds are also slightly larger Myzomela Boiei Annabellae With Taninbar (has a 10% longer tail), there may be more scar colour on the back. ”
It has been named Myzomela babarensis (The generic name is Babar Mizomera), the newly described species is probably endemic to Babar, which contains five small satellites on the island.
“Myzomela boiei Currently listed as At least concern On the IUCN Red List,” the researcher said.
“Proposed department Myzomela boiei It may be superficially suggest that each of the three range-limited species may increase the risk of extinction. All populations are highly adaptable to habitat degradation and are common within their respective ranges. ”
“Myzomela babarensis As it occurs in all types of wooded habitats, including “degraded farmland,” its population is likely to be little affected by the ongoing forest degradation of Babar. ”
“We propose that Myzomela boiei, Myzomela annabellae and Myzomela babarensis It's best to consider At least concern. ”
Team's paper It was published in Brief news from the British Ornithologists' Club.
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Alex J. Berryman et al. 2025. Taxonomic revision of Banda Mizomera Myzomela boiei (S. Muller 1843) includes an explanation of a new species of Babar Island, Indonesia. Brief news from the British Ornithologists' Club 145(1):35-48; doi:10.25226/bboc.v145i1.2025.a4
Antarctic adelie penguins are under threat from bird flu
Steve Bloom Images/Aramie Stock Photos
H5N1 bird flu was first discovered in a dead bird in Antarctica. Fatal tensions in avian flu are currently spreading south along the Antarctic Peninsula, with devastating consequences for wildlife such as penguins and could spread across the continent.
“It’s scary. Luckily, it only affects a few. [birds]”I say Juliana Viana at the Pope Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. “I hope it stays that way, but the bird flu in Chile and Peru was a disaster. It killed thousands of seabirds and sea lions.”
Between November 2024 and January 2025, Vianna’s team investigated 16 nesting sites for seabirds along the Antarctic Peninsula. Researchers found 35 dead Skuas with no signs of injury. Samples from 11 bodies were found to be positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus that has spread around the world in recent years.
Skuas removes corpses and is ahead of other birds, so eating infected birds is particularly likely to cause infection. Skuas in this area are hybrids between the Antarctic (Stercorarius Maccormicki) and brown (Stercorarius Antarcticus)SKUAS.
So far, no other species of birds have been confirmed, but Vianna says she was also said to have been found dead on March 9th. “We spoke with the Chilean Antarctic Institute,” she says. “They saw the dead squau and the penguin.”
As penguins breed in dense colonies, there is a fear that H5N1 spreads rapidly between them, killing most of several groups. Some penguin species may be resistant, as birds’ susceptibility to H5N1 varies from species to species, Vianna said.
The highly pathogenic form of H5N1 avian influenza has been circulating in Europe, Asia and Africa since 2020, killing many wild birds and causing outbreaks on poultry farms. For example, in the UK, H5N1 was killed A quarter of Gannett 2023.
In 2021, it arrived in North America and was later found to infect dairy cows’ breasts and spread between them. By the end of 2022 it had spread to the southern tip of South America, killing thousands of marine mammals and many different species of birds along the way.
The sick brown squat and giant plaster on Bird Island, just off a large island in South Georgia, tested positive for the virus in 2023. South Georgia is approximately 1,500 km from the Antarctic Peninsula.
“Reported deaths of SKUAS are of concern,” he says. Thijs Kuiken At Rotterdam, the University of Erasmus, Netherlands. Some species in the area are only found on small islands and could be wiped out by avian flu, he says.
However, the tests described in Vianna’s study only show that SKUA has been infected with H5 influenza, and Kuiken does not know whether it is a highly pathogenic form.
Vianna says that’s correct, but samples were sent for additional tests not detailed in the paper. “So it’s been confirmed as a highly pathogenic avian flu,” she says.
On February 25th, another group of researchers reported Find H5N1 in the Closet and Kergellen archipelago In the Indian Ocean near Antarctica, where the virus killed elephant seals and several species of birds. That is, the virus moved towards Australia and New Zealand along the way in Antarctica. This is the only major country that is free from the virus.
Excavated in southeastern China, fossils of Jurassic birds are said to have a significant impact on the history of bird evolution, according to researchers.
The recently discovered Baminolis Zengensis, a bird the size of a quail, flew in the skies approximately 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period. A study about it was published on Wednesday in the Nature Journal. In essence, it is one of the oldest known birds to humanity, alongside the iconic Archeopteryx found in Germany in 1862 and of a similar age.
“For over 150 years, Archeopteryx has stood alone,” said Steve Bursatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. Further explanation on the research accompanied this statement.
“All this time, it has remained as the sole unsuspecting bird fossil from the Jurassic era,” he mentioned to NBC News via email.
While other bird-like Jurassic fossils were found, there was a “significant mystery and frustrating gap” in the fossil record, according to Bursatte. So, where were their fossils?
The 2023 discovery of Baminornis in Zhenghe County, Fujian Province, China, filled that gap and became one of the most important discoveries since Archeopteryx, labeling it as “the second unsuspecting bird from the Jurassic era.”
Unlike the half-bird, half-reptile that had a long, thin tail resembling a velociraptor, Baminonis had a short tail where some vertebrae fused into short, sturdy nubins pushing the body center towards the wings, similar to modern birds for better flying.
Until the discovery of Baminoris, short tails were only found in birds known to have lived around 20 million years later, such as Eoconfuciusornis and Protopteryx.
Brusatte expressed excitement that Baminoris was more advanced than Archeopteryx and could fly much better.
Baminornis was more anatomically complex than Archeopteryx, being a “primitive” bird with claws and sharp teeth resembling dinosaur ancestors.
The discovery of two similarly aged birds about 5,500 miles apart led the nature research team to believe that bird evolution took place millions of years earlier than previously thought.
In addition to dozens of fossils of aquatic or semi-aquatic animals, the Zhenghe Fauna collection included at least three Aviaran fossils, enriching the understanding of early diversification and filling important gaps in the evolutionary history of terrestrial ecosystems towards the end of the Jurassic era according to researchers.
Baminornis fossils preserved most of the skeleton, but the wings were not preserved, leaving questions about their size and wing structure. The lack of a skull also limits clues regarding their diet.
Nevertheless, Baminornis suggests that various birds lived during the Jurassic period and flew in different ways,” Brusatte said.
Paleontologists have excavated fossilized remains of two Jurassic bird species in the area of Zenge County, Fujian Province, southeastern China. These 149 million-year-old fossils exhibit early appearances of highly derived bird characteristics, and together with fossils of another bird from the same region, they have the early origins of the birds and the early Jurassic. It suggests bird radiation.
“Birds are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates,” says Professor Min Wang. Paleontology and Paleontology of Vertebrates The Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues said in a statement.
“Specific macroevolutionary studies suggest that their early diversification dates back to the Jurassic period.”
“However, the earliest evolutionary history of birds has long been obscure by highly fragmented fossil records. Archeopteryx Being the only widely accepted Jurassic bird. ”
“nevertheless Archeopteryx It was closely similar, especially due to its distinctive long reptile tail, as it had feathered wings. This is in stark contrast to the short-tailed morphology of modern and Cretaceous birds. ”
“Recent research questions about Aviaran's status. Archeopteryx classifies it as a deinonychosaurian dinosaur, a sister group of birds. ”
“This raises the question of whether there is a clear record of Jurassic birds.”
In their new study, Professor Wang and co-authors discovered and investigated two early bird fossils that were part of the so-called Zhenghe Biota.
One of these birds named Baminornis Zhenghensis the earliest known short-tailed bird.
“Baminornis Zhenghensis The end of the short tail in a complex bone called Pygostyle is a characteristic that can also be observed in living birds,” the paleontologist said.
“Previously, the oldest record of short-tailed birds was from the early Cretaceous period.”
“Baminornis Zhenghensis It is the only Jurassic and the oldest short-tailed bird ever discovered, pushing back the appearance of this derivative bird's distinctive features for nearly 20 million years. ”
According to the team, Baminornis Zhenghensis It also represents one of the oldest known birds.
“A step back and reconsidering the uncertainty of the phylogenetics Archeopteryx we don’t doubt it Baminornis Zhenghensis said Dr. Zhonghe Zhou of the Institute for Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleontology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The second unnamed bird is represented by a single fossilized fullcula (wishbone).
“Our results support this introduction to Furcula ornithuromorpha a diverse group of Cretaceous birds,” the researchers said.
Team's work It was published in the journal today Nature.
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R. Chen et al. 2025. The first short-tailed bird from the late late Jurassic period in China. Nature 638, 441-448; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08410-z
Paradise birds are families of small to medium-sized forest birds found in the New Guinea region. With its elaborate and colorful feathers, these birds are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. A new study found that ornithologists at the American Museum of Natural History and ornithologists at the University of Nebraska Lincoln University were biological fluorescents out of 45 currently recognized paradise. They suggest that this special “brightness” is important among male birds due to hierarchy and mating displays.
The bigger bird bird (Paradisaea apoda). Image credit: Andrea Lawardi.
With colorful feathers and intricate courtship displays, the paradise bird has a special place in natural history.
They serve as examples of school books for sexual choice. This is the result of the selection of male female peers with attractive features.
The results show unparalleled radiation of species in which men exhibit extreme morphological features and behaviors, and behaviours that have no evolutionary meaning other than attracting women due to coalescence.
“The unique mating rituals and exhibitions of paradise birds fascinated scientists and promoted countless research focusing on the evolution of traits and sexual choice,” said Rene Martin, PhD, University of Nebraska, Dr. Lincoln. The doctor said.
“It seems appropriate that these flashy birds are likely signaling each other in an additional flashy way.”
Biofluorescence is a phenomenon that occurs when an organism absorbs light, converts it, and releases it as a different color.
“More than 10,000 people recorded birds and despite numerous studies that included bright feathers, elaborate mating displays and excellent vision, we surprisingly investigated the presence of biological fluorescence. There are very few people.”
“Bowerbirds and Fairy Wrens were unable to shine, but bright green yellow fluorescent light was found among the bird birds.”
Biological fluorescence is found in Emperor's birds (Paradisaea guilielmi). Image credit: Rene Martin.
Researchers discovered that when exposed to not only bird light, but also purple light, the birds also fluorescently, and that the birds emitted fluorescence.
This phenomenon is particularly prominent in men, focusing on the bright feathers and skin of the area highlighted during the exhibition: the mouth and bills of the head, neck, and belly.
In women, biological fluorescence is usually restricted to feathers in the chest and belly.
“These birds live near the equator, where bright sunlight is abundant all year round, and in forests where light complexity is heavily affected by different canopy differences, enhancing bioflaorent signals. It could be,” Emily said. Kerr, PhD student at the American Museum of Natural History.
“Studies based on closely related species found that bird eye pigments align with fluorescent peaks measured by researchers.”
“Based on this, we speculate that avian paradises can see these biological fluorescent patterns, which enhance the contrast with dark feathers and possibly play an important role in courtship and hierarchy. there is.”
study It will be published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
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Rene Martin et al. Royal Society Open Sciencein press; doi: 10.1098/rsos.241905
The number of cats increasing that have died or become ill after consuming raw pet food and raw milk contaminated with the H5n1 virus has prompted health authorities to take special precautionary measures to protect pet food companies from bird flu. They are advising pet food makers to follow food safety plans such as sourcing ingredients from healthy flocks and applying heat treatments to inactivate viruses, as suggested in recent guidance from the Food and Drug Administration.
Since the H5n1 virus started spreading in 2022, there have been bird outbreaks under all conditions. Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with many household cats and wild cats becoming infected since its emergence in 2022. Some farm cats have fallen ill after consuming raw milk, while others have died after consuming contaminated raw pet food.
Despite the FDA guidance, some experts like Dr. Jane Cycks from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have raised concerns about the lack of detailed instructions on guaranteeing the absence of H5N1 in food. The FDA has advised pet owners to cook raw pet food to eliminate risks and follow USDA guidelines for safe food handling.
In response to the situation, some raw pet food companies have implemented safety measures such as sourcing quality ingredients and using processes like high-pressure pasteurization. However, experts emphasize that cooking is the only certain way to eliminate the risk of H5N1 in pet food.
While high-pressure pasteurization is advertised as a method to kill pathogens, experts caution that cooking to internal temperature is the most reliable way to ensure food safety. Consumers are advised to cook raw pet food thoroughly before feeding it to their pets to reduce the risk of transmission of bird flu.
For those who prefer raw pet food brands, experts suggest cooking the food before feeding it to ensure the safety of pets.
A new genus and species of enantiornithine bird in the family Bohaiornithidae has been identified from a nearly complete, articulated skeleton preserved with feather marks found in northeastern China.
holotype of Neobohyornis ramadongensis. Image credit: Shen others., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82869-8.
Enantiornis, or “opposite bird”, is named for the feature of the shoulder joint that is “opposite” to that seen in modern birds.
These birds had toothed and clawed wings and occupied a variety of ecological niches comparable to neonis.
Once the most diverse group of birds, they became extinct 66 million years ago due to a meteorite impact that wiped out most of the dinosaurs.
The newly identified enantiornithine species lived during the Cretaceous period, about 119 million years ago.
with scientific name Neobohyornis ramadongensisthis bird belonged to an early enantiornithine family called . Bohiornithidae.
“The most diverse bird group of the Mesozoic Era was the enantiornithids,” said field museum paleontologist Dr. Jinmai O'Connor and colleagues.
“More than 100 named genera have been described to date, and fossils referable to this group of primarily arboreal birds have been described from nearly every continent, making it the largest known Mesozoic bird species. It accounts for half of the animals.
“Although restricted to smaller body sizes during the Early Cretaceous, by the Late Cretaceous Enantiornis had achieved a considerable size range and occupied diverse ecological niches.”
“The most abundant enantiornithine fossils come from deposits recording the Early Cretaceous Jehol biota in northeastern China, and the known Mesozoic bird diversity (130 to 100 million years) 20 million years ago).
“Bohaiornithids are characterized by a unique robust tooth morphology,” the researchers added.
“The tooth is apically pinched, gently curved apically, and mesiodistally robust near the base.”
“The most rostral teeth are typically smaller in size compared to the rest of the dentition.”
“Like most enantiornithids, Bohaiornithids are arboreal, based on the morphology of the foot, with the toe phalanges extending distally within each digit, ending in a highly recurved ungulate. It is highly likely that
“But compared to other species, their claws were proportionately larger and more curved.”
“The largest member of the clade (bohaiornis) may have approached a similar size to the small extant ascites (200 g). ”
“The largest known bohaiornithid is 167% the size of the smallest specimen yet reported, an unnamed juvenile.”
fossilized skeleton Neobohyornis ramadongensis It was discovered in the Jiufutang Formation near Ramadong, Liaoning Province, China.
“The fossil preserves a ring of feather traces from the caudal margin of the nostril to the underside of the neck, the shoulder and pelvic area, the lower leg feathers, the remige, and a pair of rachis-dominated tail feathers. “,” the paleontologists said.
According to the researchers, Neobohyornis ramadongensis It is estimated to weigh around 50g.
“in contrast, Neobohyornis ramadongensisand all other Bohaiornithids are estimated to have weighed more than 100 g,” they said.
The discovery of Neobohyornis ramadongensis Therefore, the body size range and diversity of Bohaiornithidae increases significantly. ”
“This suggests greater ecological diversity, but no direct evidence exists for the diet or ecological niche of this clade at this time.”
Neobohyornis ramadongensis It also preserves new information about the plumage of Bohaiornithidae birds.
This fossil, along with another specimen, shows that the primary feathers of Bohyornithids were about twice as long as the humerus, had rounded wing edges, and, like most other Early Cretaceous enantiornithids, had broad wings. It shows that he had.
“The new specimen represents a new species that contributes to the considerable recognized diversity of enantiornithines in the Bohaiornithidae of the Jiufudang Formation, especially with regard to body size,” the scientists said.
“This specimen reflects the reduced pinky and big fingers that evolved within this lineage as it evolved more sophisticated flight abilities in parallel with other enantiornithid lineages such as Myrididae. It highlights skeletal adaptations such as the possibility of increased sacral vertebrae.”
“The new specimen preserves the most well-known feathers of the Bohaiornithids, and it is possible that this clade had widespread rachis-centered tail feathers, as well as lower leg feathers. It shows that it has a high sex and there were no feathers on the podium.”
C. Shen others. 2024. A new small species of enantiornithine (Birds: Ornithorax) from the Jehor Formation of the Early Cretaceous period in northern China. science officer 14, 31363; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82869-8
This year, the bird flu outbreak has led to several alarming developments, with at least 64 human infections.
Experts outlined several indicators that the spread of the virus is moving in the wrong direction.
These include the recent detection of the virus in wastewater and signs of dangerous mutations.
The lingering threat of bird flu appears to be escalating.
This year has witnessed a series of troubling events related to the virus spread. Since April, at least 64 individuals have tested positive for the virus, marking the first U.S. case in 2022 apart from one. Dairy herds in 16 states were affected this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the nation’s first severe case of avian influenza in a critically ill patient in Louisiana. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency this week due to the growing outbreak in cattle and poultry.
“The warning signs are transitioning from green to yellow,” stated Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco specializing in infectious diseases. “Numerous indications are pointing in an unfavorable direction.”
While no human-to-human transmission of avian influenza has been recorded, the CDC asserts that the immediate public health risk remains low. However, concerns are escalating based on four key indicators.
For instance, the avian influenza virus known as H5N1 is rapidly spreading among animals, including cattle, that frequently interact with humans. Moreover, detections in wastewater suggest that the virus has not only impacted livestock but also various other areas.
Additionally, there are instances of human cases where the source of infection is unidentified, along with studies on the virus’s evolution indicating that it has adapted to human receptors required for inter-human transmission. Fewer mutations have been observed.
Experts warn that when considering these indicators together, the virus is on track to potentially become the next pandemic.
“We are currently in a very precarious situation,” remarked Scott Hensley, a microbiology professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Extensive circulation creates new pathways to humans
Since the onset of the avian influenza outbreak in 2022, the virus has spread to wild birds, domestic poultry, and wild mammals like sea lions, foxes, and black bears. Over 125 million poultry have perished from infectious diseases or been culled in the United States, as per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Approximately 125 million poultry have died from the virus or been culled since 2022.Ulises Riuz/AFP from Getty Images File
In March, an unexpected occurrence unfolded when dairy cows fell ill, experienced reduced feed intake, and produced discolored milk.
Research indicates that the virus likely spread swiftly and effectively among cows through raw milk, as infected cows excreted significant virus amounts from their mammary glands. Raccoons and domestic cats are also susceptible if they consume raw milk.
The more animals infected, the higher the risk of transmission to humans who come in contact with them.
“The more individuals infected, the higher the likelihood of variant emergence,” mentioned Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiology professor and head of the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health. “I don’t want to give the virus the opportunity to trigger a pandemic.”
Prior to this year, influenza prevention efforts did not focus on cows.
“We hadn’t considered dairy cows to be influenza hosts, at least not significant ones,” mentioned Andrew Bowman, a veterinary preventive medicine professor at Ohio State University in an interview with NBC News this past summer.
However, the virus has been detected in at least 865 herds in 16 states and in raw (unpasteurized) milk sold in California. For domestic cats that consume raw milk.
A lab manager prepares milk samples for testing at Cornell University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center on Dec. 10.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
“Currently, raw milk and related products pose a direct risk to communities and consumers,” stated Chin-Hong. “A year ago, or even just months ago, the risk was significantly lower.”
Cases with unknown exposure sources
Most human H5N1 infections occur among poultry and dairy farm workers. However, in some mysterious instances, the source of infection remains unidentified.
One such case was reported in Hospital in Missouri in August, with subsequent recovery. Another instance involved children in California who tested positive in November.
Furthermore, Delaware health authorities reported a case of H5N1 infection this week in an individual with no known exposure to poultry or cattle. Although CDC testing did not confirm avian influenza as the virus, the case is considered “probable.”
In British Columbia, Canada, a teenager was hospitalized in early November after contracting H5N1 despite no apparent contact with farm animals or wildlife. The genetic makeup of the virus suggested similarity to strains found in waterfowl and poultry.
Such unexplained cases are causing concern among experts.
“This implies that the virus has a wider reach, and more individuals may have encountered it than previously thought,” mentioned Nuzzo.
Increased concentration of avian influenza in wastewater
Scientists are actively monitoring wastewater for virus fragments to better comprehend the geographical spread of the avian influenza epidemic.
Amy Lockwood, CDC’s director of public health partnerships and Verily, a company offering CDC wastewater testing services, stated that in recent months, “detections are increasing in frequency across a broader geographic spectrum.” A program known as Wastewater SCAN is in place.
Earlier in the month, approximately 19% of facilities monitored within the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System across at least 10 states reported positive detections.
It is uncertain whether the detected virus fragments originated from animals or humans. For instance, some may stem from wild bird droppings entering storm drains.
“At this stage, we do not believe these signify human-to-human transmission, but there are numerous H5 viruses present,” revealed Peggy, CDC’s Director of Infectious Disease Control and Innovation.
Lockwood and Peggy mentioned that wastewater detections are concentrated near dairy processing facilities and poultry farms. However, puzzling hotspots have emerged in regions devoid of such agricultural operations in recent months.
“We are observing infections in areas where we do not automatically identify the source,” Lockwood noted, adding, “It’s a game of large numbers.”
Another mutation?
Until recently, virologists believed that multiple mutations were necessary for H5N1 to transition easily among humans.
However, a study published in Science magazine this month revealed that a cattle-circulating strain of the virus could bind to human receptors following a single mutation (Note: The study focuses solely on viral proteins, not the entire infectious virus).
Fatina Albies, a researcher in Sabeti's lab at the Broad Institute, tests milk samples for avian influenza in Boston.Boston Globe/Getty Images
“We are not implying that a pandemic is more imminent due to this finding. We simply want to highlight that the risk has elevated as a result,” explained Jim Paulson, co-author of the study and the director of molecular medicine at Scripps Research.
Separately, scientists have detected concerning elements in another virus variant found in a Canadian teen who fell severely ill in recent months. Virus samples indicated mutations that could enhance human-to-human transmissibility.
A CDC spokesperson stated that these mutations were unlikely present in the virus when the boy was infected.
“These mixed changes in the virus probably occurred following prolonged infection in the patient,” the spokesperson explained.
The strain of the virus in the first severe bird flu case in the U.S., announced on Wednesday, matched the one that infected the Canadian teenager.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, revealed that the CDC is analyzing patient samples to identify potential concerning variants.
Meanwhile, Hensley expressed concerns that the flu season could expedite virus evolution. If an individual is co-infected with seasonal influenza and avian influenza, genetic code segments can be exchanged between the two.
“Mutations are unnecessary; it’s simply a genetic code exchange,” Hensley asserted, emphasizing the importance of farmworkers receiving flu shots to reduce such opportunities.
Upcoming trials and vaccines
Experts highlighted various measures that can be taken to track bird flu spread more effectively and prepare for a possible pandemic, some of which are already in progress.
Nuzzo emphasized that efforts need to be intensified swiftly.
“We have delayed comprehensive bulk milk testing for too long, as it is a common method for detecting outbreaks on farms,” she stated.
Simultaneously, Andrew Trister, Verily’s chief medical and scientific officer, mentioned that the company is enhancing wastewater analysis to identify concerning mutations.
Highly contagious avian influenza has been circulating around the world since 2020.
Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images
The H5N1 avian influenza virus that is circulating around the world is already more contagious than earlier strains. In addition, the single mutation allows it to infect cells lining the nose and throat, making it more likely to be transmitted through the air.
This change alone is not enough for the virus to cause a pandemic. But if a virus with this mutation swapped genes with a human influenza virus, it could acquire pandemic potential almost immediately.
“The more people are infected, the more likely this is to happen,” he says. Ian Wilson At the Scripps Research Institute in California. Despite this, Wilson believes the risk remains low.
A particularly virulent strain of avian influenza, H5N1, originated in the 1990s, probably in domestic birds in China, and spread around the world. Around 2020, a new variant of the virus emerged and spread even more widely, reaching as far as the Americas and Antarctica. In the United States, poultry is infected in large numbers, dairy cattle are also infected, and occasionally humans are infected.
team led by Debbie Van Riel Researchers at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands infected cells in human noses and throats with the 2005 and 2022 H5N1 variants. They showed for the first time that the 2022 mutant is better at binding to these cells and replicating within them. . “Bad news,” van Riel says.
“I don’t think it’s extremely likely that the virus will become a pandemic,” she says. However, the fact that this virus is better at infecting humans gives it more opportunity to acquire further mutations, increasing the likelihood of a pandemic.
Meanwhile, Wilson and his colleagues have been studying the key hemagglutinin protein of the influenza virus. This protein binds to receptors on the outside of cells and determines which cells the virus can infect. Because it sticks out from the virus, it is also the main target of the immune system.
Currently, H5N1 hemagglutinin primarily binds to receptors located deep in the lungs in humans. This means that although it can cause serious illness, it is unlikely to leave the body and infect others. For that to happen, the virus needs to infect the cells inside your nose and throat. This means that coughing and sneezing can expel the virus and infect others.
Van Riel's research suggests that the virus can do this to some extent, but it is not clear whether the virus binds to the main receptors on these cells. It was thought that multiple mutations were required for H5N1 to bind strongly to these receptors, but Wilson's team now shows that a single mutation is sufficient for the current H5N1 variants. Showed.
Team members say this change alone won’t prevent the virus from causing a pandemic. Jim Paulsonalso at the Scripps Research Institute. “We think this property is necessary, but importantly not sufficient, for pandemic virus transmission,” he says.
Paulson said other changes are also necessary for the virus to begin replicating and spreading from person to person, but they are not well understood. “There's a lot of biology we don’t know,” he says.
However, if H5N1 viruses that infect humans acquire receptor switching mutations, they may evolve these other changes as well.
Furthermore, it is possible, in theory, to acquire all the necessary abilities at once by exchanging genes with a human virus that infects the same individual. Several previous influenza pandemics have been caused by genetic swapping between animal and human influenza viruses, Paulson said.
“This is very worrying,” he says alice katsurakis from the University of Oxford was not involved in either study. “Every time it spreads to humans, it gives the virus a roll of the dice.”
What is the mortality rate of the H5N1 pandemic?
If H5N1 avian influenza begins to spread from person to person, the big question is how deadly it will be. Half of the people confirmed to have contracted the virus since 2003 have died. However, the actual infection fatality rate is likely to be even lower, as many cases likely go undetected and mild cases are likely to be missed.
Of the roughly 60 people infected in the U.S. since the dairy outbreak began, nearly all have had only mild symptoms. why not understoodbut one explanation is that many were infected through the eyes. “It’s known to have much more benign results,” Katzorakis says.
It is also thought to become less dangerous when the virus switches from binding to receptors deep in the lungs to binding to receptors in the upper airways. But puzzling aspects of the U.S. cases left Paulson unsure whether this also applied to H5N1. “To be honest, I don’t know what to think right now,” he says.
“I don’t think there’s any reason to be satisfied with this and expect that even if this virus were to be easily transmitted from person to person, it would be ‘mild,'” Katzourakis said.
Because Wilson’s team studied the hemagglutinin protein alone, there was no chance that the mutated protein could leak into the lab. “No viruses were used here at all,” he says.
Robots that can take off like birds could eliminate the need for runways for small fixed-wing drones.
Birds use the powerful explosive force generated by their legs to jump into the sky and begin flight, but it has proven difficult to build robots that can withstand the strong accelerations and forces exerted during this process.
now, Won Dong Shin Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a flying propeller robot called RAVEN. The robot has legs that move like a bird and can walk, hop, jump into the air and start flying.
“Fixed-wing aircraft like airplanes always need a runway or a launcher, but that's not available everywhere. You really need a designated infrastructure to get the plane off the ground,” Singh said. Masu. “But when they spot a bird, they just walk around, jump, take off. It's very easy for them. They don't need any outside help.”
A real bird's legs have joints at the hip, knee, and ankle, but RAVEN's legs have only two joints, the hip and knee, and are driven by a motor. Each leg also has a spring that can store and release elastic energy. By using fewer parts, Singh and his team were able to keep RAVEN's weight to about 600 grams, the same as a crow.
In indoor tests, RAVEN was able to jump approximately 0.5 meters into the air at a speed of 2.4 meters per second. This is a similar speed to birds of the same size. At this point the propeller takes over. Because it can be launched upwards from anywhere, RAVEN could be useful for disaster relief missions where regular fixed-wing drones cannot take off or land, Singh said. But first, he says, the team needs to develop RAVEN's ability to land safely.
“We've seen a lot of work on flying robots that land on perches, but not many focused on taking off with their feet,” he says. Rafael ZafriEPFL was also not involved in this work. “I think the two disciplines of landing, or perching, and takeoff will be integrated into one platform that will allow robots to fly, detect branches, land, recover, and perform missions.” Take off. ”
A pigeon-inspired robot has uncovered the mystery of bird flight without vertical tails found in human-designed aircraft. The prototype has the potential to lead to passenger planes that can reduce drag and fuel consumption.
The vertical stabilizer, or tail fin, in aircraft allows for side-to-side turns and prevents unintentional changes in direction. Some military aircraft, like the Northrop B-2 Spirit, are designed without tails to reduce radar visibility. Instead, they use inefficient methods like flaps creating extra resistance on one side.
Research by David Lentink at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands led to the development of the PigeonBot II to study how birds maintain control without vertical stabilizers.
PigeonBot II, a robot designed to imitate bird flight techniques
Eric Chan
The previous model, built in 2020, mimicked bird flight by flapping wings but had a traditional tail. The new design, featuring 52 real pigeon feathers, incorporates a bird-like tail, and successful test flights confirm its functionality.
Lentink explains that PigeonBot II’s success lies in its programmed, reflexive tail movements resembling those of birds. The intricate tail movements contribute to stability, proven by the robotic replica’s flight.
The team controlled PigeonBot II’s nine servo motors, utilizing propellers on each wing for steering and tail adjustments in response to the autopilot’s commands. Lentink notes that the complexity of these reflex movements prevents direct human control of PigeonBot II.
After numerous unsuccessful tests, the control system was refined, enabling safe takeoff, cruising, and landing. Lentink envisions a future where vertical stabilizers are unnecessary, reducing weight and drag in aircraft designs.
Skeleton of Nabaornis Hestia, an 80-million-year-old bird fossil
S. Abramowitz/Dinosaur Institute/Los Angeles County Natural History Museum
An 80-million-year-old fossil bird skull is so well preserved that scientists were able to study the detailed structure of its brain.
In both age and evolutionary development, new species Nabaornis Hestiae, It falls about halfway between the earliest known bird-like dinosaurs. ArcheopteryxBirds that lived 150 million years ago and modern birds. They lived along with dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period. tyrannosaurus and triceratops.
The fossil, which superficially resembles a pigeon, was discovered in 2016 near Presidente Prudente, Brazil, and quickly became important because of the rarity of complete bird skeletons, especially those from the same period. recognized as something.
but daniel field It wasn't until 2022 that Cambridge University professors realized that the skull was so intact that it could be scanned to create a 3D model of the brain.
High-resolution CT scans allow paleontologists to see inside fossils. “This involves careful 'digital dissection' – separating the individual components of the skull and reassembling them to create a complete, undistorted three-dimensional reconstruction,” Field said. says Mr.
“This new fossil provides unprecedented insight into the patterns and timing of the evolution of specialized brain functions in living birds.”
Professor Field said that based on the brains his team reconstructed, human cognitive and flight abilities: nabaornis It was probably inferior to most living birds.
Artist's impression of Nabaornis Hestia
J. D'Oliveira
The parts of the brain responsible for complex cognition and spatial awareness are not as enlarged as they are in modern birds, he says.
“It’s cerebral, but nabaornis greatly expanded compared to more archaic bird conditions such as . Archeopteryx, It is not as expanded as we see in living birds. ”
Professor Field said the enlarged brains of modern birds support a wide range of complex behaviors, but there is a lack of sufficiently complete and well-preserved fossil bird skulls from early bird relatives. This makes it difficult to understand how their brains evolved.
“nabaornis This fills an approximately 70 million-year gap in our understanding of how the distinctive brains of modern birds evolved. ”
Paleontologists have unearthed and examined the fossilized foot bones of a Phorsulaceae bird that lived in South America 12 million years ago.
model of parafisolnis At the Vienna Natural History Museum. Image credit: Armin Reindl / CC BY-SA 4.0.
Terrorbird is a member of Forsulaceae a family of large carnivorous flightless birds in the order Calliamales.
These extinct birds were very large, weighing up to 70 kg and measuring 0.9 to 2 m (3 to 6.6 ft) in height.
They had slender bodies and unique motor adaptations for moving around.
Their huge beaks and mechanical adaptations of the skull suggest that they were efficient predators.
They lived in South America during the Cenozoic era, but are also known from the Pliocene-Pleistocene of North America and the Eocene of Africa.
Phorsuracidae includes nearly 20 species in 14 genera and 5 subfamilies (Brontornithidae, Mesembriornithidae, Patagornithidae, Phorsuracidae, and Psilopterinidae).
The closest living relative is believed to be Selimas, the only survivor of the family. Cariamydae.
Dr. Siobhan Cooke, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said: “Fearbirds lived on the ground, had limbs adapted for running, and fed primarily on other animals.”
The end of the left tibiotarsus of a fear bird found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert. Image credit: Degrange others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601.
In the 2000s, fossilized leg bones of the feared bird were discovered in the fossil-rich area. Tatacoa desert In Colombia.
The fossil dates back to the Miocene epoch, about 12 million years ago, and is thought to be the northernmost evidence of a fear bird in South America to date.
“The size of the bones indicates that this fearsome bird may be the largest species identified to date, approximately 5-20% larger than any known Phorsulaceae.” said Dr. Cook.
“Previously discovered fossils indicate that the size of the feared bird species ranged from 0.9 to 2.7 meters (3 to 9 feet) tall.”
The fossil probably has tooth marks, such as: Purusaurusan extinct species of caiman thought to have been up to 9 meters (30 feet) long.
“Given the size of the crocodile 12 million years ago, we believe this fearsome bird may have died from its injuries,” Dr Cook said.
This fearsome bird also coexisted with primates, ungulate mammals, giant sloths, and glyptodonts, car-sized relatives of armadillos.
“This is a different kind of ecosystem than what we see today and what we saw in other parts of the world in the era before South and North America connected,” Dr. Cook said.
team's paper be published in a magazine paleontology papers.
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Federico Javier Desgrange others. 2024. A new species of gigantic fear bird (Caryamiformes, Phorsulaceae) from the mid-Miocene tropical environment of La Venta, northern South America. paleontology papers 10 (6): e1601;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601
These forest-dwelling birds live in pairs or small groups, feed on fruits and arthropods, and regularly feed on swarms of army ants.
These are common in the Atlantic Forest and are bold, conspicuous, and easy to observe. However, it is less conspicuous in the Andes Mountains, since its main habitat is drier forests than in the Atlantic region.
“Trichotraupis is a single-species genus found in two separate populations, one in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil (from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul), northeastern Argentina, and eastern Paraguay, at an altitude of 1,200 m above sea level. In the range of up to meters. ” Dr. Wagner Cavalzel from Paulista University and its colleagues.
“It is usually associated with the Atlantic Forest, but some isolated populations also exist in the Gallery Forest of the southern Pantanal and eastern Chaco.”
“The second population is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes from northern Peru to extreme northwestern Argentina, primarily at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,700 meters.”
recent research proven The people of the Atlantic Ocean and the Andes Trichotraupis melanops Because they are genetically isolated, their current classification as monotypic species should be reconsidered.
In the new study, Cavalzere and his co-authors evaluated the morphology, plumage, and vocalizations of Atlantic and Andean populations.
The researchers examined a total of 581 skin specimens housed in museums around the world.
“Our feather studies revealed full diagnostic potential between the two populations. Trichotraupis” they said.
“Both populations are also differentiated by tarsal length, with the Atlantic population having longer tarsals on average.”
“Furthermore, the taxa live in different types of vegetation (Atlantic Forest and Tucumano-Boliviano Forest and Yungas Mountain Forest).”
named Trichotraupis griseonota (common name: Andean black swan), this new species is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina, at altitudes ranging from 400 meters to 1,700 meters.
“Trichotraupis griseonota “It is restricted to the eastern slopes of the Andes in south-central Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina,” the scientists said.
“It inhabits the seasonally dry Tucumano-Boliviano forest, which is restricted to the Andean forests of northwestern Argentina and the foothills of north-central Bolivia.”
“This species also occurs in the narrow Yungas woodlands at the foothills of the Andes in northern Bolivia and Peru.”
“These montane forests exhibit higher moisture levels compared to the Tucumano-Boliviano forests.”
According to the research team, the fact that these different lineages were previously unrecognized is somewhat interesting, given that: Trichotraupis It is a common species and is abundant in collections.
“Given that museum specimens have played the most important role since their birth several centuries ago, in addition to being a very important and relatively new paradigm in describing new species discovered in museum cabinets. “We emphasize that it is particularly important in the era of genomes and supercomputers; it is fundamental to avian taxonomy,” the authors concluded.
“By documenting and organizing variations and enabling these insights, Trichotraupis griseonota This should serve as a reminder for ornithologists to never underestimate the potential for exciting new discoveries in a seemingly common set of bird skin specimens. ”
Wagner Cavalzere others. 2024. A new species of golden butterfly (species: Traupidae) that lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. zoo animals 5468 (3): 541-556;doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.3.7
About 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous period, a 10 km-wide asteroid struck Earth near what is now the town of Chicxulub in Mexico. The impact wiped out about 75% of Earth's animal and plant species, including groups such as non-avian dinosaurs and ammonites. A new study identifies key changes in bird genomes caused by the end-Cretaceous mass extinction that ultimately contributed to the remarkable diversity of modern birds.
This painting depicts an asteroid impact in the shallow tropical ocean of the sulfur-rich Yucatan Peninsula in what is now southeastern Mexico. The impact of this massive asteroid, which occurred about 65 million years ago, is believed to have wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species on Earth. The painting shows a Pterodactylus, a flying reptile with a wingspan of up to 50 feet, gliding above low tropical clouds. Image by Donald E. Davis/NASA.
“By studying the DNA of modern birds, we can detect patterns in gene sequences that changed shortly after one of the most significant events in Earth's history,” said Dr Jake Barb, from the University of Michigan.
“The signatures of these events appear to be imprinted in the genomes of survivors in ways that are detectable tens of millions of years later.”
An organism's genome is made up of four nucleotide molecules designated by the letters A, T, G, and C. The order of these nucleotides in the genome defines the blueprint of life.
The DNA code can evolve in ways that change the overall composition of DNA nucleotides across the genome.
These changes in composition are important in determining what genetic variations are possible and contribute to an organism's evolutionary potential, or ability to evolve.
Dr. Belf and his colleagues found that the mass extinction caused a change in nucleotide composition.
The researchers also found that these changes appear to be related to the birds' development as young birds, their adult size, and their metabolism.
For example, in the approximately 3 to 5 million years following the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, surviving bird lineages tended to decrease in body size.
The development of hatchlings has also changed, with more species becoming 'altricial'.
“This means that when they hatch they are still in a fetal state and need to be fed by their parents, and it may take several weeks for them to fledge,” Dr Barb said.
“Birds that are ready to fend for themselves immediately after hatching, like chickens and turkeys, are called 'precocious.'”
“We found that adult body size and pre-hatching developmental patterns are two important traits of bird biology that we can link to the genetic changes we are detecting.”
“One of the most important challenges in evolutionary biology and ornithology is unraveling the relationships between the major bird groups. The structure of the extant bird phylogenetic tree is difficult to determine.”
Over the past 15 years, researchers have been trying to solve this problem by applying increasingly large genomic datasets.
So far, they have used genomic data to study the evolution of bird genomes using statistical models based on strong assumptions.
These traditional models allow researchers to reconstruct the history of genetic change, but they typically assume that the makeup of DNA, i.e. the proportions of A, T, G and C nucleotides, remains constant throughout evolutionary history.
The study authors developed software tools to more closely track DNA composition over time and across different branches of the tree of life.
This tool allowed us to relax the assumption that DNA's composition is constant.
“This allows us to vary our models of DNA evolution across the evolutionary tree and identify places where there may have been changes in DNA makeup,” said Professor Steven Smith, from the University of Michigan.
“In this new study, these changes were clustered within about five million years of the end-Cretaceous mass extinction,” Dr Belff added.
This approach also allowed the team to estimate which bird traits are most closely associated with changes in DNA composition.
“This is an important type of genetic change that we think is associated with mass extinctions,” Dr Barb said.
“To our knowledge, changes in DNA composition have never before been so clearly linked to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.”
“We know that mass extinctions can have dramatic effects on biodiversity, ecosystems and the forms of life,” said Professor Daniel Field, from the University of Cambridge.
“Our study highlights that these extinction events can have even larger effects on organismal biology by altering key aspects of genome evolution.”
“This study improves our understanding of the dramatic biological impact of mass extinction events and highlights that the mass extinction that wiped out the giant dinosaurs was one of the most biologically consequential events in the entire history of the Earth.”
By relaxing typical assumptions used in evolutionary biology, the researchers are developing more nuanced insights into the sequence of events in birds' early history.
“We haven't typically thought of changes in DNA configurations and models across the tree of life as changes that indicate something interesting happened at a particular time and place,” Prof Smith said.
“This study shows that we've probably missed something.”
of study Published in the journal Scientific advances.
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Jacob S. Belf others2024. Genomic and life-history evolution link bird diversification and the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. Scientific advances 10(31); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adp0114
This article is a version of a press release provided by the University of Michigan.
Jutting out into the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand is the curved, crescent-shaped volcanic remnant of Lord Howe Island. Measuring 10 kilometres in length and 2 kilometres at its widest point, the rocky island is covered in lush, unspoiled forest and boasts a sandy, coral-rich lagoon.
“This is paradise.” Neil HadawayA photographer who went there to document the activities of the marine research group. drifting“There are birdsongs all around, beautiful coral reefs and golden sand beaches.” Among the bird calls is the shearwater (Aldena CarneipesOf the total, approximately 22,000 breed on the island.
Petrel chick (Ardenna carneipes)
Neil Hadaway
But life there is not ideal, and newly hatched petrel chicks, like the one pictured above, are under threat from increasing marine plastic pollution. Adult petrels mistake plastic debris in the sea for food and end up feeding it to their young. In fact, Adrift researchers have found that the amount of plastic ingested by chicks is increasing every year. One of the team, pictured below, sifts through chunks of plastic in the stomach of just one bird.
As a result, these chicks become increasingly underdeveloped, with dozens dying each year from starvation and plastic-related diseases.
“This island may be magical,” Hadaway said, “but it's also full of frustration and sadness.”
He says stricter laws against plastic pollution are needed to protect populations of petrels, which locals affectionately call “muttonbirds” (see above) after their taste.
IIt’s not often that I get excited about the announcement of a new podcast, but in the past few weeks, that’s happened not once but twice. The first was the podcast debut of Gracie Nuttall, sister of the late cancer activist Laura Nuttall. Dead Siblings Association
She’s teamed up with the founder of Sibling Support Charity to take an intimate look at what it’s like to lose a brother or sister. Room to grieve
The show was created by two mothers who met after losing their children to cancer to help others cope with grief, and what it lacks in production value it more than makes up for with its altruism, courage, and honesty in its treatment of themes like getting through difficult anniversaries and how the experience of loss changes over time.
This week we also have a less inspiring historical analysis of toilets, which, alongside a quirky topical satire from the makers of Have I Got News for You and an immersive attempt to bring birdwatching to hipsters, is one of those films that’s more likely to leave you snorting with laughter than dampening your handkerchief.
Alexi Duggins Deputy TV Editor
This week’s picks
Sissy Spacek co-stars with Owen Wilson and Schuyler Fisk in the film Tom Slick: Mystery Hunter. Photo: Rebecca Cabbage/InVision/AP
Starring Owen Wilson, Sissy Spacek, and Schuyler Fisk, the story is about “the most interesting man you’ve never heard of.” Wilson relishes playing Slick, a legendary scientist, intrepid explorer, and sometime spy who recounts his many adventures. His granddaughter Liv (Fisk) and her mother Claire (Spacek) hunt for the Yeti and find hidden tapes detailing Slick’s exploits facing off against notorious bank robber Machine Gun Kelly. Hannah Verdier
A sponge on a stick, thunderbolts in the bum and a devil in the toilet bowl: delving deep into history’s U-curves can reveal fascinating facts. Dr. David Musgrove teams up with a team of historians to explore Roman, Medieval, Tudor, and Victorian toilet habits in a four-part series that reveals a lot about the past. HV
Is Donald Trump’s running mate interesting? And that Is there ever a photo more destined for history than Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich? Created by the team behind Have I Got News for You to fill the gap between the TV series, this show is predictably stimulating and full of jokes. Alexi Duggins
In this immersive birdwatching series, hipster amateur ornithologist Matt Spracklen goes on weekly walks with bird experts. The first episode of Season 2 is a relaxed and fun listen as he visits Sherwood Forest with Springwatch wildlife experts. The bottom line? A common way to identify a bird is by its “sem” (the overall impression you get of the bird’s shape, movement, etc.). advertisement
Elizabeth Day knows a thing or two about writing a bestselling novel, but in this insightful how-to series she takes a backseat and hands the reins over to literary powerhouses novelist Sarah Collins, agent Nell Andrew, and publisher Charmaine Lovegrove. First, how to know if your idea is worth pursuing. Holly Richardson
There is a podcast
Poseidon is one of the gods featured in “Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!” Photo: Cristiano Fronteddu/Alamy
this week, Charlie Lindler 5 best podcasts Ancient HistoryFrom comedic takes on the stories they don’t teach you in school from the star of Horrible Histories, to timeless, myth-busting adventures.
Be prepared. A neglected bird's nest still remains in the mouth of a large ancient stone sculpture of a human face, hanging high on the wall at the northern end of the outdoor garden known as the “Michelangelo's Corridor” at the National Roman Museum in Rome, reports a professor at University College London (UCL). The professor discovered the nest during a visit to the museum in April this year and reported it to a colleague who is the director of a natural history museum in the Netherlands. The colleague visited the National Roman Museum the next day and asked if he could take the nest back to the museum in Rotterdam to add it to his biological curiosities collection, rather than having the staff remove it and destroy or dispose of it. The request was greeted with enthusiastic gratitude from two staff members at the Roman Museum, but a third staff member who happened to come across the scene with a ladder when the first two climbed the ladder to remove the previously unnoticed nest from the sculpture's mouth, and warned that no twig or pebble should ever leave his museum.
Photos of the nest in question can be seen in the May 8th feedback.
In early June, the UCL professor quietly revisited the National Museum of Rome and shortly thereafter sent out a “it's still there” report to Feedback.
Feedback: We are more than happy to receive reports from future visitors to Michelangelo's Cloister observing whether the empty nest (one might call it an “amuse-bouche”) is still nestled in the statue's mouth.
Not Your Way
Reader Ashok Khushalani contributes to Feedback's collection of inspiring and admirable organizational slogans that have been replaced, supplanted, or clearly abandoned, though not always obvious to the general public (May 18). Classic examples include IBM's “THINK” and Google's “Don't be evil.”
Khushalani laments the disappearance of Burger King's slogan, “Make it your way,” from everyday life, and he suggests that its absence has meaning.
If you know of a hot slogan that was highly promoted and is now in storage, please don’t say it with any ill intent and keep it to yourself.
Instead, please send it along with the documentation as feedback to “Mourning dead slogans”.
A weak theory
North Americans' fascination with rod-shaped objects and the human habit of proposing and then rejecting theories are two factors that have led to theDoes size matter? Penis dissatisfaction and gun ownership in America” “.
Reader Matthew Hall sent a copy to Feedback.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to formally examine the association between penis size and individual gun ownership in the United States,” Terence D. Hill and colleagues from Texas and Florida wrote. “Our findings do not support the psychosexual theory of gun ownership.”
The same team will be joined by two other researchers in 2021.Sexual Dysfunction and Gun Ownership in the United States: When hard data meets unfounded theory”.
They poured cold water on the often heated public debate, saying: “Our key finding is that [sexual dysfunction] They are no more likely to own a gun than men without SD.”
BustaOr so they apparently said in their previous paper, but that didn't stop them from continuing to write about it. Busta”Ultimately, these arguments are counterproductive to society because they distract us from tangible realities like penis dissatisfaction and gun ownership.”
Smell
The June 12 article about a famous pathologist's inability to smell led reader John Adams to reflect on his own journey as a medical professional.
“As for Sir Bernard Spilsbury's anosmia, I was told as a medical student that this was common because pathologists are exposed to large amounts of formaldehyde fumes which destroy the olfactory nerves. One of the reasons I avoided this specialty is because I want my patients to have answers.”
Feedback suggests that a similar (but milder) preference for conversation leads people to choose dentistry.
Telltale Title
Ideally, the title of a scientific report clearly summarizes its entire content. To encourage this habit, Feedback has compiled a collection called “The Title Tells You Everything You Need to Know.”
Let's look at two examples.The man's fractured sternum was likely caused by the weight of the snake during the fall.” appears British Medical Journal 1997.Experimental replication reveals knife made from frozen human feces doesn't work” was decorated Journal of Archaeological Sciences: Reports 2019.
If you find similarly impressive examples, please submit them as feedback to “Telltale titles,” along with details of the citation.
Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founder of the journal Annals of Improbable Research. He previously worked on unusual uses of computers. His website is Impossible
Do you have a story for feedback?
You can submit articles for Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. This week's and past Feedback can be found on our website.
A team of scientists from the Swedish Museum of Natural History has described a new species of nightjar that lives in the tropical forests of Timor Island and Wetar in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago.
Male Caprimargus ritae in Wetar, October 13, 2014. Image courtesy of James Eaton.
These birds are found all over the world, except Antarctica and certain island groups such as the Seychelles.
Nightjars have long wings, short legs and a very short beak and usually catch flying insects at night. During the day they sleep on the ground or usually perched upright on a branch.
“Nightjars are one of the most difficult birds to study because of their discreet nocturnal behaviour and inconspicuous plumage,” said lead author Dr George Sangster and his colleagues.
This species complex is found from Pakistan to Australia and consists of six morphologically similar species with distinct calls.
“Field surveys on Timor Island and on Wetar Island in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago have revealed a seventh species in the complex, which we call a new species,” the researchers said.
“This species has Caprimargus maculus, Caprimargus selebensis and Caprimargus manilensis However, this species differs from these and all other species in this complex in at least 13 vocal traits.”
Named Caprimargus ritae Like the Timor nightjar or the Timor nightjar, this new species is not found in any other part of its range. Caprimargus maculus Complex.
This bird is a forest specialist and has been recorded in a wide range of tropical forests, from tall evergreen forests to dry deciduous forests, mainly at altitudes below 1,000 metres, with one record from 1,500 metres above sea level.
“Caprimargus ritae “This is the fourth bird species known to be endemic to both Timor and Wetar islands,” the scientists said.
“Other species include the Timorese giant pigeon (Ducula cineracea), Wetal ground pigeon (Pumps Sana Gallicorumba Howety) and Rainbow lorikeet (Saudareos Iris)
“Six species found on Timor and Wetar are only found on Atauro, Roti and Semau islands. Caprimargus ritae This is also true for several other bird species.”
“Wetar is closer to Timor (51km) than Alor (76km). The exclave of Atauro island is just 23km from Timor and 21km from Wetar.”
” Cyt b The Timor and Wetar sequence shows the colonization of Timor to Wetar, or vice versa probably quite recently.”
Ben F. King others A new species of nightjar (Capri Margos) from Timor and Wetar, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and Wallacea. Ibis Published online June 24, 2024, doi: 10.1111/ibi.13340
An illustration Sacesphoroides niedegidonaeImage courtesy of Eduardo Brettas.
A newly discovered species, the northern stingray (Sacesphoroides niedegidonae)teeth, CaatingaA natural area located in the interior of northeastern Brazil.
“Caatinga is the largest seasonally dry tropical forest in the Neotropics, located in northeastern Brazil, and is characterized by a predominantly deciduous forest and extreme seasonality of rainfall,” Dr. Pablo Cerqueira Emilio Goeldi from the Paraense Museum of the Federal University of Pará and his colleagues.
“Historically, this area has been treated as a biologically impoverished region, but recent studies have uncovered new diversification patterns and several new species of frogs, mammals, insects and fish.”
“The region's topography has played an important role in its biogeographical history, with altitudes ranging from sea level in the north to an average of 400-700 metres in the central states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, to over 1,000 metres on the slopes of the Sierra de Espinhaço mountain range.”
Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is the second known species in the genus. SacesphoroidesThis also includes Sacesphoroides cristatus.
“Until recently, Sacesphoroides cristatus Classified into the genus SacesphorusHowever, new genetic and morphological data have revealed that the genus is non-monophyletic, prompting its transfer to a separate genus. Sacesphoroides” the researchers said.
In this study, a total of 1,079 Sacesphoroides cristatus Sample size (818 males, 261 females).
To investigate song variation, the researchers analyzed a total of 115 different audio recordings.
They also sequenced 58 tissue samples from across the country. Sacesphoroides cristatus The range is wide, with 39 of them belonging to the left bank of the San Francisco River and 19 on the right bank.
Of the 1,079 individuals analysed (skins and photographs), no diagnostic plumage differences could be identified among males, but two main plumage patterns were diagnosed in females, mainly across the river.
“Men Sacesphoroides niedegidonae The feathers are similar Sacesphoroides cristatus“The males are males, but the females have different colouring on the top of their heads, backs and tails than the males,” the scientists said.
“Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is generally lighter in color (amber) rather than chestnut brown. Sacesphoroides cristatus. “
The back is olive brown Sacesphoroides niedegidonae,on the other hand, Sacesphoroides cristatus It's cinnamon brown.”
“The overall color of the tail is Sacesphoroides niedegidonae Darker than Sacesphoroides cristatusThe most noticeable difference is the black and white stripes. Sacesphoroides cristatus It has a modest dull brown and reddish stripes, and no white stripes at all.”
“Sing out loud Sacesphoroides niedegidonae The general pattern is: Sacesphoroides cristatus“However, the shape of the first note is noticeably different,” they added.
“The new species is almost exclusively restricted to the left/north bank of the São Francisco River, with one population occurring on the right bank in the “Raço da Catarina” region of Bahia.”
“This population, discovered on the right/south bank of the San Francisco River, may have 'migrated' across the river due to changes in paleotopography, as detailed in the Discussion section below.”
Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is a common species throughout most of its range and occurs in a variety of habitats in the Caatinga, including secondary growth vegetation.
“The range of the outbreak is estimated to be 630,000 km.2not approaching the threshold Vulnerable Status according to IUCN range criteria (<20,000 km2)2),” the authors state.
“Although population data is not available, the mature population is estimated at more than 10,000 individuals, and the species Least Concern. “
“But a new approach using niche modelling for future climate scenarios shows Sacesphoroides cristatus (include Sacesphoroides niedegidonae(same as treated prior to this study).
“When we apply the IUCN criteria to these estimated future range sizes, the threatened category is Near Threatened And more Vulnerable It depends on future global change scenarios.”
Discovery Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It has been reported paper In the journal Zoological scriptor.
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Pablo Cerqueira othersA new ant shrike (Aves: Shrikeidae) endemic to Caatinga and the role of climate variability and drainage change in shaping the potential diversity of a Neotropical seasonally dry forest. Zoological scriptorpublished online June 17, 2024. Source: 10.1111/zsc.12672
Australian paleontologists Genyornis neutoni A species of giant flightless Mihirn that became extinct approximately 45,000 years ago.
This illustration is, Genyornis neutoni Waterside in a wetland or marsh-like environment. The scene itself was inspired by places that exist in southern South Australia today, such as the Coorong and the Narrindjeri region of the Lower Murray River. Genyornis neutoni If this type of environment were widespread across the country, many Genyornis The fossils were found in Lake Carabonna, more than a day’s drive north, which is now a dry salt lake. It was probably much wetter in the past. Image by Jacob C. Blokland.
Genyornis neutoni Belongs to Dromornithidae The Mihirung is a species of flightless bird from Australia that became extinct during the Oligocene and Pleistocene epochs.
Also known as Newton’s Mihirn, this species lived in Australia between 48,000 and 45,000 years ago.
The bird was over two metres tall, weighed 220-240 kilograms, had tiny wings and huge hind legs, and laid a melon-sized egg weighing around 1.5 kilograms.
The only previous known skull of this species was reported in 1913, and it was so badly damaged that very little of the original bone remained, meaning not much could be inferred about the skull.
The well-preserved new specimen was discovered in the dry, salty lake bed of Lake Carabonna, in a remote area of inland South Australia.
As would be expected from such a large bird, its skull was far from ordinary, with an enormous cranium, large upper and lower jaws, and an unusual skull crown.
The upper beak in particular displays a remarkable morphology that distinguishes this bird even from its closest relatives, which are otherwise quite similar.
“Genyornis neutoni “It had a high, mobile upper jaw like a parrot, but was shaped more like a goose, with a wide mouth opening, powerful biting force and the roof of its mouth capable of crushing soft plants and fruit,” says American zoologist Dr Phoebe McInerney. Flinders University.
“Skull features also showed undeniable and complex affinities with early-diverging waterfowl lineages, the South American screamer and, more recently, the Australian magpie goose.”
” Genyornis “The mysteries within this group have been difficult to unravel, but with this new skull we begin to piece together the puzzle that shows this species is a giant goose.”
“we, Genyornis“For the first time we’ve been able to work out the face of this bird – it’s quite different to other birds but does resemble a goose,” said Dr Trevor Worthy, also from Flinders University.
skull Genyornis neutoniImage courtesy of McInerney others., doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212.
By assessing the morphology of the skull, the researchers were able to evaluate the muscles and movements of each joint, building a detailed picture of how the head functioned.
“Bone shape and bone structure are in part related to the soft tissues that interact with them, such as muscles and ligaments and their attachment sites and pathways,” said Flinders University researcher Jacob Blokland.
“By using modern birds as a comparison, we can put flesh on fossils and bring them back to life.”
Moreover, paleontologists Genyornis neutoni It has several unusual adaptations to adapt to its aquatic habitat, allowing it to protect its ears and throat from the influx of water when its head is submerged underwater.
These adaptations provide further support that the species was nothing more than a giant prehistoric goose, and may be linked to its extinction as the freshwater bodies of northern South Australia are now mainly salt lakes.
“Thanks to this skull, we Genyornis neutoni “We now have a much better understanding of these birds, which once roamed widely across the Australian outback, and the reasons for their eventual extinction,” the researchers concluded.
their paper Published in the journal Historical Biology.
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Phoebe L. McInerney othersMysterious skull shape Genyornis neutoni Stirling & Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology and evolution in the Gallopodidae. Historical BiologyPublished online June 3, 2024; doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212
A strain of avian influenza, known as H5N1 or highly pathogenic avian influenza, has sparked concerns in cattle herds across the United States in recent weeks. This development has raised significant alarm among health experts. The Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the high mortality rate associated with the virus in humans.
As of now, the virus has affected more than 20 clusters in eight states of the U.S since a surge was initially reported last month.
The states that have been impacted so far include Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and South Dakota.
Moreover, on April 1st, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the virus had spread further in Texas and had infected individuals who were exposed to dairy cows.
Experts are emphasizing the need for extreme vigilance, investigation, and situational assessment due to the rapidly changing individual risk scenarios.
Infection of cattle is unprecedented.
This virus is not new – H5N1 was initially detected in 1996 in waterfowl in southern China. A new version of the H5N1 virus became widespread in 2021 and has continued to infect both wild and domestic bird populations globally.
Spread to other animals has occurred occasionally as the virus has crossed into various mammalian populations, including foxes, seals, sea lions, and humans, according to the CDC.
While the spread to mammals is a concern and can be fatal, past cases have shown that avian influenza typically stops spreading when it reaches mammalian populations, particularly humans.
However, in October 2022, a significant shift occurred when the virus spread from mink to mink at a mink farm in Spain, deviating from the usual transmission from birds to mammals. The USDA has confirmed that cows have been infected for the first time, and cow-to-cow transmission has contributed to the recent spread of avian influenza in dairy farms.
There is still uncertainty about how the disease spreads through cattle populations, with reports suggesting that the virus may be transmitted through milk due to high concentrations of the virus being shed in milk.
Is it safe to drink milk?
Most dairy products are pasteurized, which effectively eliminates the virus, making milk consumption safe for the majority of individuals. Drinking unpasteurized milk poses some risk, but experts suggest that even unpasteurized milk may be safe if not consumed immediately after milking.
Experts recommend avoiding unpasteurized milk after high concentrations of the avian influenza virus are detected. – Image credit: Getty
The presence of the virus in milk raises questions about its transmission and impact on human health, as the virus is typically a respiratory disease.
How worried should I be?
The situation is under close monitoring by authorities, with several states implementing restrictions on dairy cow imports from affected regions. Scientists are analyzing virus sequences to identify genetic changes that could impact transmission and treatment effectiveness.
Concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of biosecurity measures on farms in controlling the spread of the virus. Experts emphasize the need for increased vigilance and monitoring to prevent further transmission.
Could H5N1 cause the next pandemic?
While there is uncertainty about the future, a widespread pandemic remains unlikely at this point. Authorities are prepared with stockpiles of vaccines and antiviral drugs effective against potential influenza strains.
There are two existing vaccine candidates against H5N1 available to manufacturers, along with several FDA-approved antiviral drugs. The focus remains on combating bird flu and preparing for any potential future outbreaks.
Experts continue to monitor the situation closely and emphasize the importance of staying informed and prepared for any developments.
About our experts
Jeremy Rothman is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology at the University of Kent. His research focuses on infectious diseases’ pathogenesis and has been published in various scientific journals.
Matthew Hayek is an assistant professor at New York University, specializing in the impact of food production on climate change, ecological processes, and the spread of zoonotic diseases.
The latest genealogy is detailed in two supplementary papers published today. journal Nature And that Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have uncovered patterns in the evolutionary history of birds after the massive mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The authors observed rapid increases in effective population size, replacement rate, and relative brain size in early birds, and found that new adaptive mechanisms that drove bird diversification in the aftermath of this pivotal event. Shined a light. The researchers also took a closer look at one branch of the new family tree and found that flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown.
The latest bird family tree outlining 93 million years of evolutionary relationships among 363 bird species. Image credit: Jon Fjeldså / Josefin Stiller.
“Our goal is to reconstruct the entire evolutionary history of all birds,” said Professor Siavash Milarab, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego.
This work is part of that Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) ProjectThis is a multi-institutional effort led by the University of Copenhagen, Zhejiang University, and the University of California, San Diego, with the aim of producing draft genome sequences for approximately 10,500 extant bird species.
At the heart of these studies is a suite of algorithms known as ASTRAL, developed by Professor Miralove and colleagues to infer evolutionary relationships with unprecedented scalability, accuracy, and speed.
By harnessing the power of these algorithms, we integrated genomic data from over 60,000 genomic regions and provided a robust statistical foundation for our analysis.
The researchers then examined the evolutionary history of individual segments across the genome.
From there, they pieced together a mosaic of gene trees and compiled them into a comprehensive species tree.
This meticulous approach has allowed researchers to construct new and improved bird genealogies that depict complex divergence events with remarkable accuracy and detail, even in the face of historical uncertainty. I did.
“We found that our method, which adds tens of thousands of genes to the analysis, is indeed necessary to unravel the evolutionary relationships between bird species,” Professor Miralove said.
“We really need all the genomic data to reconstruct with a high degree of confidence what happened during this period of time, 65 to 67 million years ago.”
The scientists also looked at the impact of different genome sampling methods on the accuracy of the tree.
They showed that to reconstruct this evolutionary history, it is important to combine two strategies: sequence many genes in each species and sequence many species. Ta.
“Because we used both strategies in combination, we were able to test which approach has a stronger impact on phylogenetic reconstructions,” said Professor Josephine Stiller from the University of Copenhagen.
We found that it is more important to sample many gene sequences from each organism than to sample from a wider range of species, but the latter method does not allow us to determine when different groups evolved. It was helpful to know. ”
mira love other. They took a closer look at one branch of the updated bird family tree and found that groups including flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown. We attributed the results to an abnormal region on chromosome 4.Image credits: Ed Braun / Daniel J. Field / Siavash Miarab
With the help of advanced computational techniques, the researchers were also able to shed light on anomalies discovered in previous studies. The theory is that a particular part of a chromosome in the bird's genome remained unchanged and blank for millions of years. Description of expected genetic recombination patterns.
“Ten years ago, we put together a family tree. Neo Avesthe group that includes the vast majority of bird species,” said Professor Edward Brown of the University of Florida.
“Based on the genomes of 48 species, we divided neoabees into two broad categories: pigeons and flamingos in one group, and all the rest in the other.”
“This year, when we repeated the same analysis with 363 species, a different family tree emerged that divided pigeons and flamingos into two distinct groups.”
“Given two mutually exclusive family trees, I looked for an explanation that would allow me to determine which family tree was correct.”
“When we looked at individual genes and which trees they supported, it suddenly dawned on us that all the genes that support old trees were all in one place. That's how it all started. “It was,” he explained.
“When we investigated this site, we realized that it was a place where sexual reproduction had been occurring for millions of years, but it wasn't as mixed.”
“Just like humans, birds combine the genes of their father and mother to create the next generation.”
“But in birds and humans alike, when creating sperm and eggs, we first mix together genes inherited from both parents.”
“This process, called recombination, maximizes the genetic diversity of a species by ensuring that no two siblings are exactly alike.”
The authors found evidence that parts of bird chromosomes suppressed this recombination process for millions of years after the dinosaurs went extinct.
It is unclear whether extinction events and genomic abnormalities are related.
They found that flamingos and pigeons resemble each other in this frozen chunk of DNA.
However, when the complete genomes were considered, it became clear that the two groups were more distantly related.
“What is surprising is that this period of recombination suppression can mislead the analysis,” says Professor Brown.
“And because that can mislead the analysis, it was actually detectable more than 60 million years in the future. That's the cool thing about it.”
“Such mysteries may also be hidden in the genomes of other organisms.”
“We discovered this misleading region of birds because we put a lot of energy into deciphering their genomes.”
“I think there are similar cases in other species that are unknown at this time.”
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J. Stiller other. 2024. The complexity of bird evolution revealed by family-level genomes. Naturein press.
Dairy cows in several US states have reportedly contracted bird flu. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The virus has killed millions of birds around the world, but this is the first time it has been detected in cattle.
How many cows are affected by avian influenza?
As of March 25, milk samples from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas tested positive for the avian influenza subtype called H5N1. new york times. This strain is highly lethal to birds. A cow throat swab taken from a dairy farm in Texas also tested positive. So far, no cows have died from the virus.
On March 22, U.S. authorities announced a diagnosis of avian influenza in bovines after some dairy cows at farms in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico became ill and there were reports of dead wild birds on farm grounds. The inspection has started.
About 10% of the milking cows on the affected farms appear to be sick, most of them elderly. It is unclear whether avian influenza is the cause of all animal illness. U.S. authorities are moving quickly to conduct additional testing.
How did the cow become infected with the virus?
The Department of Agriculture announced that the cows appear to have contracted the virus from infected wild birds. However, it is unclear exactly how the virus was transmitted between species.
Most mammals that contract bird flu are carnivores, such as foxes and seals, who most likely contracted the virus by eating dead or infected birds.Because cows don’t eat birds, it’s difficult to explain the source of infection. Richard Webby at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee. Feces and saliva from wild birds may have contaminated the cows’ water and feed.
“The biggest question that I don’t fully understand is how do you account for transmission across the state with such geographic spread,” Webby said.
The worst-case scenario is that the virus spreads among cattle, but that’s probably unlikely, he said. This is because there is still no evidence that avian influenza can be transmitted between mammals.
Do sick cows increase the risk of avian influenza spreading to humans?
The risk of contracting bird flu remains low for most people. Initial testing of samples taken from infected cows has found no genetic changes that would suggest the virus is more transmissible to humans.
But each time a mammal gets avian influenza, Webby says, it gives the virus a chance to acquire the mutations it needs to spread between mammals. “But to put this into perspective, we still need some answers. Above all, how many cows are showing evidence of being infected with the virus?” If there are very few, the virus is likely to become a dead end again, as it did in foxes, bears, and other previously infected animals.
Is milk safe to drink?
Yes, milk is still safe to drink. The USDA already requires dairy farms to send only milk from healthy cows for processing. Milk from infected cows is also being discarded and kept out of the food supply.
Even if contaminated milk enters the supply chain, pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses, including influenza.
Great tits appear to flap their wings to signal their mates to enter the nest, suggesting that birds may use a variety of gestures to communicate.
Signals such as hand waving are common aspects of communication between humans and other great apes. To learn more about such behavior of birds, Toshitaka Suzuki Professors at the University of Tokyo installed hundreds of nest boxes in forests where great tits live (minor pulse) For the past few years, near the town of Karuizawa.
To mimic the tree cavities that great tits normally inhabit, each box had a 7.5-centimeter-wide hole, just large enough to fit one bird at a time.
During the breeding season, the researchers observed 321 nest visits by eight pairs, with great tits often carrying food to feed the hatchlings.
When the couple arrives at the nest together, each tit perches on a nearby branch before entering the nest. About 40 percent of the time, the female turned her chest toward the male and flap her wings for a few seconds. Immediately the male entered the nest first, followed by the female.
However, when neither bird was flapping, which accounted for 44 percent of nest visits, the female usually entered the nest first. Only one male was observed flapping its wings repeatedly, and then the female moved in first. No flapping of wings was observed when each bird arrived separately.
“We can conclude that this wing flapping conveys ‘after you’ and encourages the male to enter the nest first,” Suzuki says. “This study is the first to demonstrate that birds can use wing movements to convey specific meanings.”
The findings suggest that great tits, and perhaps other bird species, communicate in a much more complex way than previously thought.
“There is a hypothesis that language evolved from communication through gestures,” Suzuki says. “Thus, these studies help us understand the evolution of complex communication, including our language.”
Paleontologists have described a new species of enantiornithine bird with a toothless beak from the Chinese Jehor bird family. This discovery delayed the earliest appearance of edentulism (lack of teeth) in enantiornithines by about 48 million years.
fossil skeleton of Impalavis Attenborough and bird restoration. Image credit: Ville Sinkkkonen / Wang other., doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105867.
Impalavis Attenborough They lived in what is now northeastern China about 120 million years ago (early Cretaceous period).
This bird was a member of a group called. enantiornis, or “the opposite bird.” It is named for the feature of its shoulder joint that is “opposite” to that found in modern birds.
Enantiornithines were once the most diverse group of birds, but became extinct 66 million years ago following a meteorite impact that wiped out most dinosaurs.
Paleontologists are still working to understand why enantiornithids went extinct and the birds that gave rise to modern birds survived.
“The enantiornithines are very strange. Most of them had teeth and still had clawed fingers,” said Dr. Alex Clark. student at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum.
“If you were to travel back in time to northeast China 120 million years ago and walk around, you might have seen something that looked like a robin or a cardinal. But it had an open mouth and a bunch of teeth. . When you lift your wings, you’ll notice that you have little fingers.”
“Scientists previously thought that the first record of this group without teeth was from the late Cretaceous period, about 72 million years ago.”
“This little man is Impalavis Attenborough, pushing it back about 48 to 50 million years. Therefore, the lack of teeth, or edentulism, developed much earlier in this group than we thought. “
fossilized skeleton Impalavis Attenborough It was discovered by an amateur fossil collector near the village of Toudaoyingzi in northeastern China and donated to the Tianyu Natural Museum in Shandong Province.
“I think what attracted me to this specimen was the forelimbs, not the lack of teeth,” said Dr. Jingmai O’Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum.
“It had a huge bicrest, and a bony protrusion on top of the upper arm bone that had muscles attached to it.”
“I had seen such emblems on birds from the Late Cretaceous period, but never in the Early Cretaceous period like this one. That’s when I first suspected that it might be a new species. It was.”
rare wing bones Impalavis Attenborough Muscle attachments that allowed this bird to flap its wings with extra force may have been possible.
“We’re looking at potentially very strong wingbeats,” Clark said.
“Some of the bone features are similar to those of modern birds such as puffins and murres, which can flap their wings at crazy speeds, or of birds such as quail and pheasants. Although they are small birds, they generate enough force to instantly fly almost vertically when threatened.”
On the other hand, a toothless beak Impalavis Attenborough Modern toothless birds have a wide variety of diets, so researchers aren’t necessarily sure what they ate.
Like its fellow enantiornithines, and unlike modern birds, it does not appear to have a digestive system called a gizzard or gastric mill to help grind up its food.
“Although most enantiornithines appear to have been quite arboreal, differences in forelimb structure suggest that Impalavis Attenborough Although it probably still lived in trees, it probably went down to the ground to feed, and it had a unique diet compared to other enantiornithines. This suggests that there is a possibility, and that it may also explain why they lost their teeth.” said Dr. said Connor.
In their study, the scientists also reexamined previously known bird fossils. Chiapiavisand suggests that it was also an early toothless enantiornithine.
“This discovery… Impalavis Attenborough “We show that the lack of teeth may not have been as unique in early Cretaceous enantiornithines as previously thought,” the researchers said.
The specific name is Impalavis Attenborough Attenborough’s strange bird, after the naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
Sir David Attenborough said: “It is a great honor to have your name attached to a fossil, especially one as spectacular and important as this one.”
“It seems the history of birds is more complicated than we thought.”
“All birds are dinosaurs, but not all dinosaurs fall into the special type of dinosaur known as birds. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Is the same.”
“The newly explained Impalavis Attenborough Since it’s a bird, it’s also a dinosaur.”
a paper description Impalavis Attenborough Published in an online journal Cretaceous research.
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Wang Xiaoli other. 2024. The first edentulous enantiornithines from the Early Cretaceous Jehol ornithians (Birds: Ornithorax). Cretaceous research 159: 105867; doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105867
A rare bird with a spectacular yellow crown has been photographed for the first time in the tropical mountains of the Democratic Republic of Congo, almost 20 years after it was last seen.
Yellow-bellied shrike (Prionops alberti)Also known as the King Albert Shrike, it is a small bird that lives in the damp forests of the Albertine Rift Mountains in Central Africa. Adults are covered in glossy black feathers, with a magnificent crown of bright golden feathers on their heads. Their eyes are surrounded by distinctive orange tissue called wattles.
After not being seen for many years, the long-eared shrike was listed as an endangered species. Find a lost bird partnership.
michael harvey Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso finally encountered this phenomenon again during a six-week expedition into the Itobwe Mountains from December 2023 to January 2024.
As team members wandered through the cloud forest, they encountered a flock of elusive birds.
“It was a shocking experience to come across these birds. I knew it might be possible here, but I wasn't prepared for how spectacular and unique it would be in my life.” ,” Harvey said in a statement.
A total of 18 Long-tailed Shrikes were spotted at three locations during the expedition. This suggests that there may be healthy populations of birds currently considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The group also developed the red-bellied mushroom frog (Articular leptis hematogaster), last seen in the 1950s.
“Now is a great time to protect these tropical forests so we don't lose species like the long-eared shrike before they are known and studied,” Harvey said. Ta.
in press release Bird confirmed today that it has entered a “financial restructuring process aimed at strengthening its balance sheet” and that the company is continuing business as usual in pursuit of “long-term, sustainable growth.” Announced.
Founded in 2017 by former Lyft and Uber executive Travis VanderZanden, Bird is one of many startups deploying dockless micromobility platforms around the world, helping city dwellers take short-term access to electric scooters and e-bikes. You will be able to pay for access. The company went public in late 2021 through a SPAC merger, but its stock price plummeted permanently in a crowded market built on questionable economics, and its market capitalization was $2 billion at its New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) debut. It has fallen since then. Just up to $70 million 12 months later. The decline prompted the New York Stock Exchange to issue a warning that Bird’s stock price was too low.
Things didn’t improve, the stock price continued to fall, and CEO VanderZanden eventually stepped down in June. Delisted from NYSE During September.
Separately, Bird also announced a series of layoffs shortly after acquiring rival Spin for $19 million.
Bird lands on New York Stock Exchange image credits:Spencer Pratt/Getty Images
Chapter 11
The Chapter 11 bankruptcy will allow Byrd to restructure its finances without disrupting its day-to-day operations, with existing lenders MidCap Financial, a division of Apollo Global Management, providing $25 million in financing through the bankruptcy process. will be provided.
The ultimate goal is to sell Byrd’s assets, and so-called “horse racing” agreements begin a bidding process aimed at extracting as much value as possible from Byrd, with Byrd’s lenders being Set a baseline bid before starting a deal with a potential suitor. over the next four months.
Interim CEO Michael Wasinusi will continue in his role both before and after the reorganization, the statement said.
“This announcement represents an important milestone in Bird’s transformation, which began with the appointment of new leadership earlier this year,” Washinushi said. “We are making progress towards improving profitability and aim to accelerate that progress by right-sizing our capital structure through this restructuring. We remain focused on our mission to make cities more livable by reducing volume, traffic and carbon emissions.”
It’s also worth noting that Bird’s Canadian and European operations are not included in the bankruptcy filing, and the company says it will “continue to operate as usual.”
This latest news comes just one day after rival MicroMobility.com was delisted from the Nasdaq due to low stock prices, and three years after the company also went public through a SPAC merger. And in Europe, dockless scooter startup Tia recently laid off 22% of its workforce following bankruptcy proceedings for Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof.
Overall, it hasn’t been a great year for the micromobility space.
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