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Sunday, February 9, 2025

Searching for a female partner for the world’s “loneliest” plant

Enlarge / Map from drone mission search for the Encephalartos Woodii in the Ngoye Forest in South Africa. “Surely this is the most solitary organism in the world,” wrote paleontologist Richard Fortey in his book about the evolution of life. He was talking about Encephalartos woodii (E. woodii), a plant from South Africa. E. woodii…
41,000 Years Ago Earth’s Shield Went Down

41,000 Years Ago Earth’s Shield Went Down

Earth is naked without its protective barrier. The planet’s magnetic shield surrounds Earth and shelters it from the natural onslaught of cosmic rays. But sometimes, the shield weakens and wavers, allowing cosmic rays to strike the atmosphere, creating a shower of particles that scientists think could wreak havoc on the biosphere. This has happened many…
Does the Rise of AI Explain the Great Silence in the Universe?

Does the Rise of AI Explain the Great Silence in the...

Artificial Intelligence is making its presence felt in thousands of different ways. It helps scientists make sense of vast troves of data; it helps detect financial fraud; it drives our cars; it feeds us music suggestions; its chatbots drive us crazy. And it’s only getting started. Are we capable of understanding how quickly AI will…
Researchers resurrect long-extinct fossil creature as a robot

Researchers resurrect long-extinct fossil creature as a robot

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Until now, when scientists and engineers have developed soft robots inspired by organisms, they’ve focused on modern-day living examples. For instance, we previously reported on soft robot applications that mimicked squid, grasshoppers, and cheetahs. For the first time, however, a team of researchers has now combined the principles of soft robotics and paleontology to build…
Half of migratory species face extinction due to human activities

Half of migratory species face extinction due to human activities

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Enlarge / In the case of Great Barrier Reef green turtles, rising temperatures have been linked to changing sex-determination, with an increasing number of new hatchlings born female.Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket via Getty Images Humans are driving migratory animals—sea turtles, chimpanzees, lions and penguins, among dozens of other species—towards extinction, according to the most comprehensive assessment of…
Dinosaur-killing impact did its dirty work with dust

Dinosaur-killing impact did its dirty work with dust

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Classic whodunit mysteries work because just about every character ends up being a murder suspect. The demise of non-avian dinosaurs is a lot like that. The Chicxulub impact and its aftereffects created a huge range of potentially lethal suspects. Whodunit? A giant fireball and massive tsunamis? Wild swings in the climate? Global wildfires? A blackened…
Dust of death—did it do in the dinosaurs?

Dust of death—did it do in the dinosaurs?

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Classic whodunit mysteries work because just about every character ends up being a murder suspect. The demise of non-avian dinosaurs is a lot like that. The Chicxulub impact and its aftereffects created a huge range of potentially lethal suspects. Whodunit? A giant fireball and massive tsunamis? Wild swings in the climate? Global wildfires? A blackened…
Cavendish bananas face extinction and not all experts agree on how to save it

Cavendish bananas face extinction and not all experts agree on how...

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Cavendish, the most commonly available banana variety, is facing the risk of extinction. A fungus that ravages roots is gradually eradicating Cavendish from banana farms all over the world. Experts we spoke to have multiple ideas for a solution but don't agree on what's best. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your…
The Apocalyptic Events You Should Actually Worry About

The Apocalyptic Events You Should Actually Worry About

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If you are a normal person who even occasionally reads or listens to the news, you’ve probably wondered when, and not if, the world is going to end. With the global pandemic still fresh in everyone’s mind, this isn’t as crazy as it might have seemed a few years ago—and make no mistake, the world…
These 14 ocean species have already gone extinct. A dozen others will probably disappear in our lifetime.

These 14 ocean species have already gone extinct. A dozen others...

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app The planet is in the midst of a sixth mass…

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