Articles for category: News

Humpback whale jump and splash

The Hidden Role of Whale Urine in Marine Ecosystems

April Joy Jovita

Recent research has uncovered an overlooked but vital contributor to ocean health—whale urine. While whale feces have long been recognized for their role in nutrient cycles, new findings reveal that urine plays an equally significant part in sustaining marine ecosystems. By transporting essential nutrients across vast regions, whales act as ecosystem engineers, influencing biodiversity and ...

person in white long sleeve shirt holding blue ceramic plate with brown soup

Did You Know Nanoplastics Are Rewiring Bacteria? Here’s Why We Should Worry

Jan Otte

Nanoplastics are little plastic bits smaller than a speck of dust abound in our food, water, even our bodies. Scientists are now, however, finding something far more disturbing. These microscopic toxins might be rewiring dangerous bacteria, transforming them into more lethal forms than they are mere passive contaminants. According to a ground-breaking University of Illinois ...

Close-up of an echidna exploring a grassy field in Manly, Australia.

What’s Hiding Inside an Echidna’s ‘Pseudo-Pouch’? Scientists Just Found Out

Jan Otte

The distinctive spiky, egg-laying mammals called Echidnas can be found in the wild. They feed their babies without nipples, and then carry their babies in a slender “pseudo-pouch” that is created by muscle contractions. The mysteries of the microbial life that reside within this bizarre pocket of life are being revealed by cutting-edge research carried ...

Detailed macro shot of a mosquito on human skin, highlighting nature and insect life.

Is the UK Ready for Tropical Diseases? West Nile Virus Discovery Raises Concerns

Jan Otte

Tropical diseases like dengue and West Nile virus were far-off hazards for decades, limited to warmer climates far from Britain’s temperate coastlines. But this week a startling revelation by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has disproved that presumption: fragments of West Nile virus (WNV) have been found in UK mosquitoes for the first time. ...

megalodon

What Did Megalodon Really Eat? Its Real Prey Will Surprise You

Jan Otte

For decades, the megalodon, a terrible shark that ate only whales has been portrayed as the ultimate oceanic horror, its enormous jaws able to crush a car with a single bite. But shockingly more surprising new studies show Otodus megalodon was not the picky whale specialist we thought of. Rather, it was an opportunistic apex ...