Bear hibernation: More than a winter’s nap
Scientists are watching to see how bears will tweak their habits as the climate warms. Enlarge / A brown bear with two cubs looks out of its den in the woods under a large rock in winter. (credit: Byrdyak | Getty) Every spring.....»»
Examining the intersection of thrush nightingales, territoriality and testosterone
Under the Tanzanian skies, some thrush nightingale males reside in close proximity to each other, a striking contrast to their territorial behavior during breeding season in temperate zones. With the end of winter, a dual transformation unfolds in th.....»»
Northern map turtles found to survive cold winter conditions by staying active under ice
Imagine it's winter, and you're standing on a frozen lake or pond, when suddenly below your feet you notice hundreds of turtles. What are they doing down there below the ice?.....»»
Indigenous rangers are burning the desert the right way—to stop the wrong kind of intense fires from raging
Even though it's still winter, the fire season has already started in Australia's arid center. About half of the Tjoritja West MacDonnell National Park west of Alice Springs has burnt this year......»»
Brazil experiencing winter heat wave
Brazil is enduring a heat wave in the middle of the southern hemisphere's winter, with the metropolis of Sao Paulo close to breaking records for August and for the year 2023......»»
Ultrasound can briefly induce a hibernation-like state in animals
Science fiction has long described sophisticated technology that can temporarily put humans into a suspended state, permitting characters to awaken far into the future, often after extended journeys through space. In reality, the basis for suspended.....»»
Sun bears appear so human-like they are mistaken for people in suits—experts explain
When Angela, a Malayan sun bear, stood up and waved to visitors to her enclosure at the Huangzhou Zoo in China on July 27, she became a social media sensation. Her build, posture and seemingly friendly gesture seemed so human that people speculated t.....»»
Surprisingly deadly summer for Lake Tahoe bears: 20 killed, 18 hurt in vehicle collisions
Twenty bears killed and almost 20 more injured—it's been a uniquely dangerous summer for Lake Tahoe's bear population, with more hit by vehicles from late July to mid-August "than we've ever had at that time," said Ann Bryant of the Bear League......»»
New paint gives extra insulation, saving on energy, costs, and carbon emissions
Stanford University scientists have invented a new kind of paint that can keep homes and other buildings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, significantly reducing energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions......»»
As we head toward summer, researchers suggest a rethink of Australia"s bushfire risk
Winter is the off-season when it comes to bushfires in southern Australia. But people could be forgiven for feeling anxious ahead of the Australian summer, with the Northern Hemisphere experiencing scorching heat waves, tourists fleeing fires in Gree.....»»
Bear–human coexistence reconsidered
The media uproar over wolf attacks on livestock in Switzerland and a bear attack in Italy show how charged the issue of large carnivores and humans coexisting in Europe is. ETH Zurich researcher Paula Mayer has now created a participatory model to he.....»»
Researchers characterize tardigrade species richness in Denmark
They're found on Mount Everest, in the deep seas, aboard the International Space Station and thousands of them have even crash landed and been spilled onto the moon. The microscopic water bear has a nearly unfathomable ability to survive in the most.....»»
Rye the right crop for "nabbing" nitrates, capturing carbon and generating bioenergy
Winter rye is prized for its versatility. It is a source of grain and also a forage and ground cover that protects the soil from erosion by wind and rain. But the benefits of winter rye don't stop there......»»
One of 2023"s most extreme heat waves is happening in the middle of winter
Temperatures in parts of Chile and northern Argentina have soared to 10°C–20°C above average over the last few days. Towns in the Andes mountains have reached 38°C or more, while Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, saw temperatures above 30°C—.....»»
About 1 in 3 vertebrate species is used, eaten or traded by humans, study finds
A cheetah pouncing on a gazelle. A bear snatching a fish out of the water with its claws. And the most dangerous predator of them all? A human and their pet bird dancing to Gangnam Style......»»
Crater lake sediments in Northeast China reveal 25-thousand-year-long record of dust activity in East Asia
Dust storms occur frequently throughout Central and East Asia today. Several driving factors, particularly related to the East Asian Summer Monsoon, the East Asian Winter Monsoon and the westerlies, can influence dust production and transport in thes.....»»
Aggression in restaurant kitchens makes for good TV but lousy working conditions, say researchers: Q&A
Emmy-nominated popular drama The Bear and Gordon Ramsey's reality show Hell's Kitchen may be television portrayals. But they underscore the harsh truth about what can really go down when working in a hot, cramped, chaotic environment—essentially a.....»»
Winter storms over Labrador Sea influence Gulf Stream system
The Gulf Stream, which brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to Europe and keeps the climate mild, is only part of a larger system of oceanic currents called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC for short. It runs through the.....»»
If the world were coming to an end, what would be the most ethical way to rebuild humanity off-planet?
Last week, scientists announced that for the first time on record, Antarctic ice has failed to "substantially recover" over winter, in a "once in 7.5-million-year event." Climate change is the most likely culprit......»»
Interesting facts about Southern right whales
During Australia's winter months, Southern right whales can be spotted off the coastline. These whales are traveling north to warmer waters to breed and calve, after spending the summer months feeding in sub-Antarctic waters......»»
South America sweats under high temps—in the middle of winter
Far away from the extreme summer temperatures of the northern hemisphere, Southern Cone countries such as Chile and Argentina are also experiencing record heat, but in the middle of what is supposed to be their winter......»»