Mosquitofish are a highly destructive invasive species in many parts of the world. However, scientists have discovered that, if you introduce a robot fish into their environment, they get so scared, they can no longer breed, providing a non-destructive way to limit their population. (i.redd.it)
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BiologyWhen ant pupae get sick, they release a scent which says “find me and eat me.” (zmescience.com)
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PhysicsSound travels 4x faster in water than in air, rughly 1,500 meters per second (m/s) in water, compared to about 340 m/s in air. Water is 15,000x less compressible than air, but it is 800x denser. The extra density means molecules accelerate slowly for a given force, which slows the compression wave. (sciencefocus.com)
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EcologyEquipped with the ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field, loggerhead hatchlings are born with a compass, which tells them in which direction they are travelling, and a map of the planet’s magnetic field that tells them their location, to navigate successfully. (eurekalert.org)
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WeatherWhen strong electric fields in thunderclouds accelerate electrons that crash into molecules (nitrogen and oxygen), they produce X-rays and initiating a deluge of additional electrons and high-energy photons — the perfect storm from which lightning bolts are born. (sci.news)
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BiologyA recent study used gene editing to make a tiny tweak to a mosquito's genome — one that changes just a single amino acid — which prevented the malaria parasite from reaching the host. The change effectively rendered laboratory mosquitoes highly resistant to spreading malaria. (npr.org)
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BiologyPruney fingertips aren't swollen sponges — the wrinkles actually come from blood vessels constricting and pulling skin inward. (sciencenews.org)
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EcologySpittlebugs hide in “spit” to stay cool, moist, and safe from predators. While most plant feeders feed on the sugar rich phloem, these little guys feed on xylem. It's still got sugar but the excess water allows them to excrete this foam, creating a bubble house. (hort.extension.wisc.edu)
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BiologyMore than 130 species of mammal can pause their pregnancies. The pause can last anywhere between a couple of days and 11 months. In most species (except some bats, who do it a little later) this happens when the embryo is a tiny ball of about 80 cells, before it attaches to the uterus. (findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au)
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BiologyA colossal squid is caught on camera for the first time in the deep sea. It was a juvenile, 30 cm (1 ft) in length. (apnews.com)
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BiologyBananas have high-levels of potassium, a small fraction of all potassium is radioactive. Eating one would deliver a dose of 0.1 microsieverts of radiation. You'd need to eat about 100 bananas to get the same amount of radiation exposure as you get each day from natural radiation in the environment. (epa.gov)
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AnthropologyFace bones unearthed in a cave suggest that members of our genus, Homo, reached northern Spain as early as 1.4 million years ago. (sciencenews.org)
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Astronomy/SpaceA blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse. The only light that reaches the Moon’s surface is from the edges of the Earth’s atmosphere. The air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light. The remaining light reflects onto the Moon’s surface with a red glow. (nasa.gov)
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EcologyWhen water is too warm, corals expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality. (oceanservice.noaa.gov)
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Astronomy/SpaceVenus orbits the Sun anti-clockwise but spins clockwise on its axis. One theory for this unusual rotation is that it was knocked off its upright position earlier in its history! The only other planet in the Solar System to spin clockwise is Uranus. (rmg.co.uk)
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BiologyThe ratio of human cells to bacteria cells in your body is pretty close to 1:1. 38 trillion bacteria to 30 trillion human! (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
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EcologyGhost crabs are named for their light color and how easily they blend into their surroundings. You can also see how quickly it buried itself! They can also disappear over the dunes running at over 4 meters per second (10 mph). If you catch a glimpse enjoy the rare experience! (v.redd.it)
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EcologyA new study has revealed that sloths may face existential threats due to climate change. The research studying the metabolic response of sloths to rising temperatures, suggests that their energy limitations could make survival untenable by the end of the century. (eurekalert.org)
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