Colombia orchid sanctuary collects and clones endangered species
Deep in Colombia's northwestern forests, an orchid enthusiast has gathered a colorful collection of nearly 25,000 specimens, some of which he is cloning to protect them from extinction......»»
What polar bear poop can tell us about the future of the vulnerable northern species
Before heading out to do their fieldwork, Dr. Stephanie Collins, Jing Lu and their team would scan the horizon, get tips from local residents and check a whiteboard at the research station in Churchill, Manitoba, where they had settled in to do their.....»»
Using DNA to identify seabird bycatch
Australian Antarctic Program scientists have used DNA technology to help identify threatened albatross, petrel and shearwater species caught unintentionally (as 'bycatch') during longline fishing operations in Australian waters......»»
Scientists gather to decode puzzle of the world"s rarest whale in "extraordinary" New Zealand study
It is the world's rarest whale, with only seven of its kind ever spotted. Almost nothing is known about the enigmatic species. But on Monday a small group of scientists and cultural experts in New Zealand clustered around a near-perfectly preserved s.....»»
Philippine Eagle hatchling dies in conservation setback
A Philippine Eagle chick hatched via artificial insemination has died, an avian conservation foundation has announced, in a fresh setback for one of the world's largest and most critically endangered raptors......»»
Muddy footprints suggest 2 species of early humans were neighbors in Kenya 1.5 million years ago
Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbors some 1.5 million years ago......»»
How our public spaces can be safer and more welcoming for children
A Georgia mother was recently arrested for reckless endangerment after her 10-year-old son was seen walking outside alone. The warrant for her arrest claimed she "willingly and knowingly" endangered her son's safety......»»
How a species of ground squirrel manages to go without food and water over the winter months
A team of molecular and physiology specialists at the Yale University School of Medicine has uncovered some of the hibernating secrets of thirteen-lined ground squirrels, and have partly explained how it manages to avoid thirst during its long winter.....»»
3D fossil scans investigate the origins of bipedal locomotion in human evolution
One of the most fascinating periods in the evolution of the human lineage is the appearance of the first ancestors capable of bipedalism. Knowing the type of locomotion used by many fossil species—walking upright on the ground or climbing from bran.....»»
Genetic factors in woodland strawberries promote cold tolerance
Climate change is shifting the seasons, pushing crop plants to their limits. For example, sudden frost episodes in late spring can be detrimental to strawberries in the bed. Wild species, on the other hand, are often more resilient......»»
Fossilized footprints reveal two extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago
Human footprints stir the imagination. They invite you to follow, to guess what someone was doing and where they were going. Fossilized footprints preserved in rock do the same—they record instances in the lives of many different extinct organisms,.....»»
A fossil first: Scientists find 1.5-million-year-old footprints of two different species of human ancestors at same spot
More than a million years ago, on a hot savanna teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food......»»
COP16 biodiversity talks to restart in February: UN
Crunch United Nations talks to find funding to curb the destruction of nature will resume in Rome in February, the UN said on Thursday, after negotiations this month in Colombia ended without a deal......»»
Biologists identify traits correlating with all bird extinctions since 1500
Looking to inform the conservation of critically endangered bird species, University of Utah biologists have completed an analysis identifying traits that correlate with all 216 bird extinctions since 1500......»»
Scientists use acoustic data to track blue and fin whale occurrences in the Arctic
The long-term analysis of blue whale and fin whale vocalizations in the eastern Fram Strait offers valuable insights into seasonal and annual patterns regarding these species' occurrence in the region. For example, blue whales can primarily be heard.....»»
Brains grew faster as humans evolved, study finds
Modern humans, Neanderthals, and other recent relatives on our human family tree evolved bigger brains much more rapidly than earlier species, a new study of human brain evolution has found......»»
Thailand to return nearly 1,000 trafficked lemurs, tortoises to Madagascar
Thailand is sending almost 1,000 highly endangered lemurs and tortoises back to their home in Madagascar, in what both countries called their biggest ever operation against wildlife trafficking......»»
X-ray measurements reveal an unexpected role for copper in photocatalysts
Copper is a promising catalyst for sustainably converting carbon dioxide into substances with more electrons (called reduced species). This is an important step in converting carbon dioxide into fuels. This reaction is often initiated by electrical e.....»»
First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year
Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England said encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding......»»
Study detects methane emissions in the palm oil industry in Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia
A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), belonging to the LARS-IIAMA group, has used satellite technology to detect methane emissions in the palm oil industry in Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia. Their study, publis.....»»
Study discovers formation of Criegee intermediates from photochemical oxidation of alkenes
Organic peroxy radicals (RO2) and Criegee intermediates (CI, carbonyl oxides) are key reactive species in atmospheric chemistry and play crucial roles in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA)......»»