species

Now, we’re not the only species that does comically odd things. I’ve seen my cat make countless hilarious faces and sounds, and his behavior is not always predictable. But we humans are unique in the way that we have free will and an extremely complex communication system. As long as the technology exists, anything that we can imagine, we can turn into a reality.Robert Roy Britt wrote a piece for Live Science discussing why human beings are arguably the strangest species, and he brings attention to a variety of the…

Birdlike dinosaur Eoneophron infernalis was about the size of an adult human. Credit: Zubin Erik DuttaNew findings, including the discovery of Eoneophron infernalis, suggest that dinosaurs, particularly caenagnathids, were not declining in diversity before the asteroid impact, contradicting earlier theories of their vulnerability.Were dinosaurs already on their way out when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago, ending the Cretaceous, the geologic period that started about 145 million years ago? It’s a question that…

The Ayeyarwady pit viper, a new species discovered in Myanmar by Dr. Chan Kin Onn, illustrates the complexities of species differentiation in pit vipers. This species, which displays traits of both the redtail and mangrove pit vipers, was initially thought to be a hybrid but was confirmed as distinct through genomic analysis. Credit: Wolfgang WüsterFinding and describing new species can be a tricky endeavor. Scientists typically look for distinctive characters that can differentiate one species from another. However,…

A new report by the U.S. branch of the non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency says that investment interest and government tax incentives are fuelling intense mining exploration in remote northern B.C. — raising concerns about the environmental impacts of the work and its financial implications.The report focuses on the transboundary region, which falls along the border between the Alaska panhandle and the province of B.C. Much of this exploration is focused on the so-called Golden Triangle, which in many areas is…

John Slapcinsky, manager of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s invertebrate zoology collection, named nine new species of carnivorous land snails found in Papua New Guinea. Credit: Florida Museum photo by Jeff GageNine recently discovered species of meat-eating land snails have been identified in the secluded forests of Papua New Guinea, known for its rich variety of species. A recent research paper details these tiny creatures, each so small that all nine could collectively rest on a U.S. nickel. These snails offer…

An invasive species of crayfish that reproduces by cloning itself was discovered last summer in a Burlington, Ont., park — the first time the marbled crayfish has been identified in the wild in North America.Since then, a group of experts has been working to stop the species from spreading. The crayfish are in City View park, on Burlington's southwest border with Hamilton.Brook Schryer, a member of the working group responding to the detection, told CBC Hamilton that it seems the population was contained after the pond…

Canada's forestry sector is responsible for far more greenhouse gas emissions than show up in official tallies, potentially leading to policies that aren't in line with the country's climate goals, a new study suggests.The peer-reviewed study, published in the academic journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, found that annual greenhouse gas emissions attributable to forestry between 2005 and 2021 were, on average, nearly 91 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent — which would put the sector on par with…

An Aspergillus mold under a microscope.Image: M-Production (Shutterstock)The global burden and death toll of fungi has substantially climbed over the past decade, new research finds. The study estimates that fungal infections help kill nearly 4 million people annually—almost double the amount estimated by similar research in 2012. Co-infections like HIV and tuberculosis, a lack of speedy and reliable diagnostic testing, and growing antifungal resistance are thought to be major contributors to these deaths. - Ed Cara Read…

Scientists found four new octopus species, unveiling new insights into deep-sea biodiversity and emphasizing the need for international collaboration in marine conservation. On Tuesday (January 16), the Schmidt Ocean Institute said that a team of scientists had made a groundbreaking discovery in the waters off Costa Rica.So far, only one of the new species of deep-sea octopus has been named, CBS News reported.Nevertheless, all four new species, found in a 100-square-mile-sized area near Costa Rica, are currently in the…

A recent study reveals that strong neural connections in the brain, crucial to its functionality, are likely formed by universal self-organizing principles, not species-specific mechanisms. This finding, based on advanced imaging and a Hebbian plasticity model, could reshape our understanding of brain structure in various species. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new study suggests different species may rely on a shared principle for neural network formation.In all species, brain function relies on an intricate network of…