Articles for tag: archaeology, Discover Wildlife, Fossil Discoveries, Homo Erectus, human evolution, Seabed Excavation

Did Homo Erectus Copy Mainland Hunters? New Fossils Spark Controversial Questions

Jan Otte

Deep under the waters of the Madura Strait, off Java’s coast, archaeologists have made a prehistoric discovery that would turn our knowledge of ancient human migration and survival upside down. Fossilized human remains of Homo erectus, along with bones from elephants, hippos, and even river sharks, tell the picture of a lost world: Sundaland, a ...

orange and white tabby cat

Turns Out Orange Cats Have a Genetic Superpower Here’s What That Means

Jan Otte

Orange cats have been mesmerizing humans for generations with their vibrant, fiery coats and huge, friendly personalities. From Garfield’s laid-back shenanigans to the suaveness of Morris, these orange kitties have made themselves a niche in popular culture. But have you ever wondered what makes them so unique? Scientists have finally cracked the mystery. It turns ...

Dramatic wave crashing in Yangyang, South Korea. Perfect for nature and seascape themes.

115-Million-Year-Old Tsunami Revealed in Glowing Amber from Japan

Jan Otte

First, scientists have found the record of an enormous tsunami that hit Japan when dinosaurs roamed the Earth stored not in rock but in amber. A new research shows that twisted pieces of ancient tree resin, 115 million years old, have the characteristic marks of a deadly oceanic wave. In a study published in Scientific ...

brown monkey on tree branch during daytime

Talking Like Us? Orangutans Found to Use Recursive Communication Structures

Jan Otte

For decades, scientists have assumed that recursion, the capacity to nest meaningful structures in other structures, like a set of Russian dolls, was a characteristic specific to humans. This intellectual tool enables us to build infinitely complicated sentences from a finite number of rules, which is the core of human language. However, a new study ...

Colorful underwater view of seaweeds and marine life in a tropical ocean.

Krill Crisis? The Ocean’s Smallest Warriors Under Threat from Warming Seas

Jan Otte

Below the frozen waters of Antarctica, there is a silent crisis brewing one that has the potential to radiate throughout the entire marine food chain. Antarctic krill, small shrimp-like animals no larger than a human finger, are the uncelebrated champions of the Southern Ocean. Antarctic krill supply food to whales, penguins, and seals, sustain entire ...

Dramatic scene of a volcanic eruption with glowing lava at twilight.

Volcano Turned La Palma into Ashes But What Happened After That No One Expected

Jan Otte

When the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted in September 2021, it released a horror of molten lava and poisonous gases, devouring houses, farms, and highways in its wake. Satellite photographs recorded the apocalyptic view, a sea of fire cutting through the Canary Island’s terrain before falling into the Atlantic. But the next development surprised even scientists. ...

A female scientist in protective gear examines samples through a microscope in a laboratory setting.

NASA Newly Discovered Cleanroom Microbes Could Survive Space and Revolutionize Earth

Jan Otte

Far in NASA’s super-sterile cleanrooms where spacecraft are assembled carefully to not infect other planets, researchers have made a staggering discovery: 26 new, undiscovered species of bacteria flourishing where nearly everything should perish. The microbes, impervious to extreme forms of sterilization, hold genetic information that might re-engineer biotechnology, medicine, and even our definition of life ...

Helium Hotspot? Why Scientists Are Swarming to the Yellowstone Region

Jan Otte

Yellowstone National Park is famous for its geysers, bison, and breathtaking landscapes but scientists now believe it could hold the key to solving a modern resource crisis. Hidden beneath the park’s bubbling hot springs and volcanic activity may lie vast reserves of helium, an element critical for everything from MRI machines to quantum computing. What ...

Three African elephants interacting playfully in their natural habitat on a sunny day.

What Is Allomothering? Discover the Surprising Social Life of Elephants

Jan Otte

When an elephant mother requires support, she does not have to look far. In the close-knit society of elephant herds, aunties, sisters, and even teenage “nannies” come to babysit, educate, and guard calves, a phenomenon that scientists refer to as allomothering. This co-operative system of childcare isn’t a one-in-a-million display of compassion, it’s the foundation ...

A serene close-up of a common loon swimming on a calm lake. Ideal for nature and wildlife themes.

World’s Oldest Loon Touches Down in Michigan, Is a Reunion in the Air?

Jan Otte

The world’s oldest recorded common loon, a record-breaking matriarch known as Fe, has arrived back in Michigan’s Seney National Wildlife Refuge and with her return are the latest chapters in one of the animal kingdom’s most intriguing love stories. At 39, Fe is not just an age wonder but the most prolific loon mother ever ...