Pang Pha, the Asian elephant, taught herself how to peel a banana
The elephant only peels yellow-brown bananas when alone, and can do so faster than humans. An elephant named Pang Pha learned how to peel a banana with her trunk—but only yellow-brown bananas. Credit: Kaufmann et al., 2023/Current.....»»
Bottlenecks and beehives: How an invasive bee colony defied genetic expectations
For more than a decade, invasive Asian honeybees have defied evolutionary expectations and established a thriving population in North Queensland, much to the annoyance of the honey industry and biosecurity officials......»»
RNA-sequencing analysis reveals key genes behind eggplant peel variation
Anthocyanins give fruits and vegetables their red, purple, and blue colors, offering health benefits. Their biosynthesis involves specific enzymes and is regulated by the MBW complex of transcription factors. Research has linked color variations in p.....»»
ChatGPT freaked out, generating gibberish for many users
OpenAI's ChatGPT experienced a bug in which outputs were strangely flowery and loaded with obscure language. ChatGPT hallucinates. We all know this already. But on Tuesday it seemed like someone slipped on a banana peel at OpenAI headquarters a.....»»
Electrons become fractions of themselves in graphene, study finds
The electron is the basic unit of electricity, as it carries a single negative charge. This is what we're taught in high school physics, and it is overwhelmingly the case in most materials in nature......»»
Rightsholders Brand Vietnam an Online Piracy Haven & Demand Action
The IIPA, which represents the MPA, RIAA, and other entertainment industry groups, views Vietnam as a haven for online piracy. The Southeast Asian country is considered the leading global exporter of piracy services, 'home' to popular brands such as.....»»
"It needs to be talked about earlier": Some children get periods at 8, years before menstruation is taught at school
Managing menstruation in public can be challenging at the best of times, but imagine being eight years old and having to deal with your period at school. You might need to change your pad during class and explain to your friends why you are not going.....»»
Deciphering the ethylene biosynthesis puzzle in banana fruit ripening
Ethylene, a key phytohormone, plays a vital role in the ripening of climacteric fruits like bananas, with its biosynthesis being a focal point of agricultural research due to its impact on fruit quality and shelf life. Transcription factors(TFs), suc.....»»
Asian fishing cats caught snacking on chicks from tree-top nests
South Asian fishing cats were observed raiding bird nests in tall trees for the first time. This rare and highly unusual behavior was caught on motion cameras set up in tree canopies across northeast Bangladesh to survey bird colonies. Scientists hop.....»»
Report finds persistent lower voter turnout among people of color
While the U.S. has become more racially and ethnically diverse over the last decade, the pace of voter turnout among Latinos, Asian Americans and Blacks continues to lag behind that of white non-Latinos, creating a substantial voter participation gap.....»»
The botanical imperialism of weeds and crops: How alien plant species on the First Fleet changed Australia
Locally grown produce fills Australian shops, but almost all of these species were imported, as native as cane toads. Icons of Australian agriculture, like the Big Banana and Big Pineapple, proudly display the regions' crops, but these are newcomers.....»»
Apple Music Classical now available for users in China, Japan and other Asian countries
Apple this week launched the Apple Musical Classical app in some Asian countries, including China and Japan. Although the app was launched last year in dozens of countries, it wasn’t available to users located in Asia until now. more….....»»
Why are tweens so obsessed with Sephora? We asked them to find out.
TikTokkers say Sephora is overrun with tweens buying Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe. To find out why, we went straight to the source. My first trip to Sephora was made possible by a popular girl in my grade who had a 13 Going On 30-themed birth.....»»
How to watch the AFC Asian Cup online for free
How to watch the 2023 AFC Asian Cup for free from anywhere in the world. TL;DR: Stream AFC Asian Cup matches live and free on 10Play. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.2024 has kicked off with absolut.....»»
How winter storms stress San Luis Obispo County elephant seals in the midst of birthing season
The late December morning rain left droplets on Christine Heinrichs' glasses as she stood among a throng of tourists and watched dozens of elephant seals tussle and sleep on a beach just south of the Piedras Blancas Light Station......»»
Lack of snow sparks worry for drought-hit Afghanistan
Afghanistan saw almost no snow as of mid-January, a new sign of the heavy toll of global warming on the Central Asian country which is usually accustomed to harsh winters, experts say......»»
Were California"s grizzlies really ravenous meat eaters? Not so much, new report shows
Forget what you were taught in elementary school about the supposed ravenous meat-eating grizzly bear: New research has found that California's extinct bear was actually more of a vegetarian......»»
Using an iPhone 15 showed me something Android phones get wrong
My time with the iPhone 15 has taught me that I love smaller flagship phones. But it seems only Apple offers what I now want: a top-tier smaller smartphone......»»
Orbitally induced strong monsoons facilitated early human dispersal to East Asia, finds study
In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have shown that orbitally induced strengthening of the Asian summer monsoon played a key role in the dispersal of Homo sapiens from Africa to East Asia during the la.....»»
Study finds protected areas for elephants work best if they are connected
Conservation measures have successfully stopped declines in the African savanna elephant population across southern Africa, but the pattern varies locally, according to a new study......»»
Male southern elephant seals are picky eaters, study suggests
As one of the top predators roaming Antarctica, the sizeable southern elephant seal has its fair selection of the menu. But it turns out they don't just want to eat anything and everything......»»