nature

Stars in a country sky

"Spin, Spin, Spinning Around": A New Method On How We Measure Stars

Medicine & Technology Stars litter our skies with celestial light, continually cementing the fact that our planet, no matter how large it may seem, is just a grain of sand on the beach that is our shared universe. And, for years, astronomers have gauged a star's age by how brightly it shined. While this is moderately effective, another method has been tested-and-proven to be more accurate. Published in the newest issue of the journal Nature, astronomer's note that how quickly a star spins is the ideal metric to determining its age.
Quasar

Light Signals Discovered by NASA Reveal The Merging of Two Black Holes

For the first time ever, scientists have seen an unusual light signal that appears to be repeating itself from a distant quasar. And no, before the thought crosses your mind, this is not a sign of extraterrestrial life, but rather a signal from two black holes. These signals are an indication of two supermassive black holes that are in the last stages of merging together.
Sandhill Cranes

Unusual Sightings in the Annual Bird Count

The annual Audubon Bird Watch is a 115-year-old tradition that unites bird watchers from all corners of North America, to catalog their sightings. And this year lead to some usual avian leads.
Polar Bear in Arctic

Polar Bears May Be Solving Their Own Problems—But Not For Long

While researchers and diplomats all over the world are attempting to deal with the issues of climate change, the United Nations in particular who are trying to unite all nations in a collective effort, it's the animal species at the Earth's poles that are facing this change on the front line. And though the valiant efforts made in recent summits have yet to amount to much change, it appears that animals in the Arctic are finding a solution of their own- well, a temporary one at least.
Brazilian Rainforests

NASA—How Tropical Rainforests May Help End the Climate Change Issue

If 2014 made anything evident on the global stage, it’s that climate change is a serious issue and one that must be dealt with urgently. Many hope that the United Nations Summit in 2015 will bring some sort of international change, but with new research from the US space agency NASA, researchers are now saying that we may have some added help on our side—tropical rainforests.
Cassin's auklet

Scientists Baffled by Mysterious Sea Bird Deaths

Scientists have been trying to discover the cause of death of many sea birds up and down the shores of the Pacific Coast. These mysterious deaths have been increasing in number since October 2014 and researchers are, thus far, baffled by the cause -- although they continue to investigate.
Newborn Tadpole

What One Discovery May Mean For Conservation Efforts in Southeast Asia

Now, while conservation efforts have sought out to stop this practice that ruins tropical ecosystems, many have failed as national and international agencies refuse to step in unless something else causes a pressing concern. And in that hope, the forests of Indonesian island Sulawesi may soon find their deforestation coming to a close; all thanks to strange-breeding frog species.
Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterflies Could Soon Be Deemed “Endangered”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced earlier this week that it is considering placing the monarch butterfly under the federal protection of the Endangered Species Act. And now, for the next sixty days, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hear comments from the public on the idea of listing the butterfly.
Rothschild's giraffe

Endangered Subspecies of Giraffe Born in Chester Zoo, Raising Hope For The Future of The Species

The tallest terrestrial animal on the planet, giraffes, occupy the scorching plains of Sub-Saharan Africa. And, despite popular knowledge, "giraffe" is what scientists like to call an umbrella common name, consisting of, at least 9 different subspecies. And while some subspecies are more abundant than the rest, one particular subspecies that is quite endangered has new hope on the horizon. On December 29th, a Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti) calf, named Zahra, was born at the Chester Zoo in England, added some new genetic variation into the small population left in captivity of Rothschild's giraffes.
Lake Huron

Great Lakes' Water Levels Cause Erosion Concern

The Great Lakes have been rising over the last two years, putting an end to a decade of lower than average water levels, and creating favorable conditions for both boating and commercial shipping. In fact, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say water levels in lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario are all above seasonal averages for the first time in 16 years.
Coconut Crab

Illegal Import May Be the Death of a Few Species, Including Humans—Coconut Crab in Hawaii

In a strange sequence of events, officials with Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture reported that an illegally transported Coconut Crab was found roaming down Honolulu’s Salt Lake Boulevard early this past weekend. And while the species may sound like a small an unassuming small beach crab, with claws strong enough to pierce through coconuts, the discovery of one on the island has researchers and department officials on edge from the possibilities of what may come.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  
Most Popular

Recommended Stories

Real Time Analytics