A two-month-old epaulette shark pup, born through apparent parthenogenesis, is now on display at Brookfield Zoo’s Living Coast exhibit.Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo A female epaulette shark at Brookfield Zoo in Illinois produced a pup in 2023 despite having no contact with a male for years, in a rare example of parthenogenesis among sharks. The female, which…
PC: Study : Assessment of process variability and colour in synthesised and ancient Egyptian blue pigments A vivid blue pigment used in ancient Egypt has revealed a far more complicated story than its striking colour suggests. Known as Egyptian blue, the material dates back around 5,000 years and is regarded as the world’s oldest synthetic…
Daniel ZhangPhoto: Tumor Tactics/ Instagram In a San Diego high school classroom, a deck of 72 cards sits on a desk, each one representing a different cancer treatment option, side effect or patient factor. The game built from these cards was designed to help young patients and their families visualise complex treatment decisions, turning abstract…
Swiftiephylus taylorae (Image Credit: Sarah Schroeder/UCR) Taylor Swift has inspired songs, fashion and fan culture around the world, but her latest namesake comes from an unexpected corner of science: a newly described genus of Australian plant-feeding insects. According to the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside), entomology doctoral student Sarah Schroeder, a lifelong Swift fan,…
On the edge of farm fields in British Columbia, where cultivated land meets forest and mountain, farmers have long struggled with deer that slip in at dusk to feed on crops. In search of non-lethal ways to protect their harvest, scientists tested a simple idea. They broadcast recordings of human shouts, wolf howls and cougar…
The upgraded bridge reconnects habitat between Heathcote National Park, Garrawarra State Conservation Area and Royal National Park (Image Credit: Greg Bigello/ ABC News) An idea proposed by an Australian park ranger more than five decades ago has finally become a wildlife crossing. In 1974, Royal National Park ranger Bob Crombie suggested using Cawleys Bridge to…
Villagers separate and collect the heads of Sal Borer insects after catching them in the forest. (Photo: Down to Earth and Instagram) In the forests of Madhya Pradesh, a rather unusual “mala” is being used in the fight to save thousands of Sal trees. But this is no ordinary garland. Made from the severed heads…
An 18-acre stretch of Arizona desert that was once heavily disturbed and overrun by invasive buffelgrass has been transformed through 16 years of sustained restoration work by volunteers and conservation partners. The Waterman Restoration Project, located on Bureau of Land Management land within Ironwood Forest National Monument near Marana, began in 2010 after earlier attempts…
During its first decade, the partnership installed approximately 90 acres of artificial habitat, improving about 875 acres of cove complexes. Lake Havasu is famous for striped bass, redear sunfish, world-class fishing tournaments and unforgettable days on the water. But beneath that success is a decades-long conservation effort that many visitors never see. For more than…
Lead contamination in water is being studied through different approaches, including the use of waste materials that can help remove metal ions from water. Apple pomace, the residue left after juice production, was among the waste materials researchers examined for its ability to remove lead ions from water in laboratory experiments.Researchers compared untreated raw apple…
