SCIENCE ALERT - It remains a sad fact of this world that we will never know for certain what the long-lost megalodon truly looked like – but a new study gives us what may be the most accurate reconstruction yet. An international team led by paleontologist Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University in the US has...
POPULAR SCIENCE - If you picture a megalodon, chances are you envision what amounts to a gigantic great white shark. The image is understandable, given almost every depiction of the ancient apex predators across research and pop culture. But last year, an international team put forth a new anatomical design based on their analysis of...
LAIST.COM - California wildflower blooms aren’t expected to be as big this year, but there’s an easy action you could take to help other native plants grow around you. A new study from researchers at UC Riverside found that raking away thatch — a tan layer of dead plant debris produced by invasive plants like...
THE NEW YORK TIMES - In 2020, the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King” introduced the world to America’s large population of captive tigers. Estimates by experts suggest there may be as many as 7,000 of the big cats in the United States today, while only around 5,500 tigers survive in the wild in other countries...
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) — the nation’s largest organization of professional ecologists— held their annual meeting on August 4-9, 2024 where thousands of ecological scientists, educators, students, and practitioners gathered from around the world to share new research findings and discuss solutions to today’s ecological and environmental challenges. Dedicated to advancing the science...
ScienceAlert - A new mouse study challenges conventional wisdom that cutting down on calories can lead to a drop in exercise performance. Even when dieting, it seems mammalian bodies are able and willing to keep up previous activity levels. Researchers looked at mice that spent time on a treadmill as their diets were cut down...
HOUSE DIGEST - Have you ever noticed that many hummingbird feeders are bright red? Have you ever wondered why? Well, science indicates that the vibrant color attracts hummingbirds, which is also likely why nectars have long been colored red. Although the little birds have a penchant for red, it has been less obvious whether or...
STUDYFINDS - For scientists, mice often serve as stand-ins for humans. So, what happens when these tiny test subjects are bred to be Olympic-level athletes? Researchers from the University of California-Riverside are shedding light on how exceptionally active animals respond to food and calorie restrictions, with surprising implications for our understanding of diet, exercise, and...
POPULAR SCIENCE - A giant spike in ocean temperatures about 93 million years ago may have helped sharks grow from stubby bottom dwellers into bigger predators. This surge in ocean heat in the Cretaceous period came from a gush of volcanic lava that sent carbon dioxide levels skyrocketing. This created a greenhouse effect that raised...
THE NEW YORK TIMES - It sounds like something out of a Hollywood film script, but it really happened: Shark-evolution researchers say that increased ocean temperatures more than 100 million years ago may have caused sharks to grow bigger, swim faster and become the powerful predators we know today. In a paper published last month...
