A growing number of “cryptic species” hiding in plain sight have been unmasked in the past year, driven in part by the rise of DNA barcoding, a technique that can identify and differentiate between animal and plant species using their genetic divergence. From a report: The discovery of new species of aloe, African leaf-nosed bats and chameleons that appear similar to…
Tag: habitat
Nearly all land animal species could lose part of habitat by 2050
If current agriculture growth continues, nearly 90 per cent of land animal species could lose some habitat by 2050. However, steps such as changing our eating habits could prevent almost all of the projected loss Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2263544-nearly-all-land-animal-species-could-lose-part-of-habitat-by-2050/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
World’s largest iceberg still barreling toward penguin habitat, new footage confirms
Iceberg A-68a is just a few hundred miles from crashing into South Georgia island, new photos from the Royal Air Force reveal. Source: https://www.livescience.com/worlds-largest-iceberg-aerial-photos.html
New marine protection zone will help endangered penguins and more
Plans are in place to create the world’s 4th-largest fully protected marine reserve at the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/new-marine-protection-zone-tristan-da-cunha-penguin…
Image: Rad dishes in space
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins poses next to a thriving radish crop growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat in the International Space Station. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-image-rad-dishes-space.html…
Clues to Mars life in Earth’s Atacama Desert
Researchers in the U.S. and Spain have discovered a plethora of previously unknown microbes living in wet clay layers below Chile’s arid Atacama Desert. The finding will help future rovers search for life on Mars. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/microbes-clay-atacama-desert-life-on-mars…
The International Space Station is 20 and going strong
20 years ago, three astronauts stepped aboard the ISS. It’s since hosted residents from many countries, creating humanity’s first history of living in space. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/20-years-iss-what-its-future-holds-nov-2-2020…
The spread of rice farms threatens key wetlands in southeast Asia
Rice farming near Cambodia’s largest lake has spread and reduced flooded forests and grasslands by about a third over the past 15 years, taking over the habitat of threatened species Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2259193-the-spread-of-rice-farms-threatens-key-wetlands-in-southeast-asia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
The spread of rice farms threatens key wetlands in South-East Asia
Rice farming near Cambodia’s largest lake has spread and reduced flooded forests and grasslands by about a third over the past 15 years, taking over the habitat of threatened species Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2259193-the-spread-of-rice-farms-threatens-key-wetlands-in-south-east-asia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
These Drones Will Plant 40,000 Trees in a Month. By 2028, They’ll Have Planted 1 Billion
Earlier this month, on land north of Toronto that previously burned in a wildfire, drones hovered over fields and fired seed pods into the ground, planting native pine and spruce trees to help restore habitat for birds. From a report: Flash Forest, the Canadian startup behind the project, plans to use its technology to plant 40,000 trees in the area this…