Earth Optimism

After his recovery, researchers noticed Bruce was using small pebbles to rid his plumage of mites and dirt—a practice that has never been observed before.

Bruce the Parrot Uses Tools to Survive Despite a Broken Beak

Missing his upper beak, an alpine parrot in New Zealand uses small pebbles for preening

When comparing the genomes, the team found that the birds of Stewart Island had less genetic diversity than the mainland birds and had half as many mutations as the birds that dwelled on the mainland.

Thousands of Years of Inbreeding May Have Saved This Flightless Parrot From Extinction

The Kākāpō had fewer mutations in its genome despite a small genetic pool and long history of isolation due to a previous near-extinction event

T. gainesi was enormous compared to other ocean creatures living during the Cambrian era, measuring almost 2 feet or half a meter long when most other species measured about the size of a pinky finger.

Ancient Predator With Massive Helmet-Like Shell Unearthed in Canada

The creature was one of the earliest known large predators on Earth

Musk ducks join an elite group of non-human animals that can mimic speech.

Listen to Ripper the Duck Say 'You Bloody Fool!'

New research highlights the rare trait of vocal learning among animals with examples of musk ducks imitating human speech and other noises

Orca will be able to capture the equivalent of the annual emissions made by 790 cars.

World's Largest Carbon Capture Plant Opens in Iceland

'Orca' will use geothermal energy to pull thousands of metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and pump it underground

Perseverance drilled into a briefcase-sized Martian boulder named Rochette. The rock is located in the Citadelle location within the Jezero Crater.

NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Obtains First Martian Rock Sample

The sample is stored inside an airtight titanium tube that will be sent back to Earth in a future mission in the early 2030s

Hammerhead sharks have are considered critically endangered.

More Than a Third of Shark Species Are Now Threatened With Extinction

Overfishing, habitat loss and climate change are behind the 'desperate' decline

Scientists suspect that the vultures have expanded into Indiana in the past few decades because of climate change and changes in land use.

Federally Protected Black Vultures May Be 'Eating Cows Alive' in the Midwest

Farmers are seeking permits to cull any raptors harming their livestock, but experts say reports of vicious attacks are exaggerated

The yet-to-be-named island was likely formed when ice bulldozed seabed mud up above the water's surface during a storm.

Scientists Discover What May Be the World's Northernmost Island

Researchers thought they had set foot on a known island, but island hunters pointed out that reported coordinates revealed a special find

Cane toad tadpoles are observed eating other tadpoles in South America, their native habitat. However, the cannibalistic behavior occurs more often in Australia.

Without Predators, Cannibalistic Cane Toads Eat Their Young—and It's Rapidly Accelerating the Species' Evolution

Hatchlings in Australia have halved their vulnerable growth stage to avoid becoming their pal's next meal

Leaded gasoline has been banned in the U.S. for decades but was still used in other parts of the world. Less than 20 years ago, 117 countries still used leaded gas.

Leaded Gasoline Use in Vehicles Has Now Officially Ended Worldwide

A refinery in Algeria used the world's last stockpile of the fuel

Officials located the nest after netting and tagging three hornets between August 11- 17. One of the hornets slipped out of the tracking device, another one was never found, but the third one led entomologists to the nest.

Entomologists Eradicated the First Asian Giant 'Murder' Hornet Nest of 2021

The hive was located just two miles from where officials found another nest in 2020

Asian paper wasp nests take on a new verdant glow under ultraviolet light.

Wasp Nest Glows Green Under UV Light

Silk fibers give the nest its radiant a neon hue

The trials will test the safety of the two experimental vaccines and how well it stimulates a broad range of antibodies against HIV in the body. Pictured: An HIV infected T-cell.

Moderna to Begin Human Trials for Two Experimental HIV Vaccines

The vaccines are mRNA based, like the biotech company's Covid-19 vaccine

NASA stitched together 129 individual images taken with the rover’s Mast Camera to create 360-degree panoramic vistas.

Explore Stunning 360-Degree Panoramic Views of Mars in New NASA Video

Captured by NASA's Curiosity rover, the footage takes viewers on a tour of the fourth planet from the sun's surface

The creation of clouds over forested areas shows that reforestation would likely be more effective at cooling Earth’s atmosphere than previously thought, a Princeton study says.

Planting Trees Encourages Cloud Formation—and Efficiently Cools the Planet

New study examines cooling effect of clouds produced by deciduous forests under pressures of climate change

To get the award-winning shot, Fabian J. Weston, used a microscope from the 1970s and went as far as creating a saline solution that would keep the micro-fauna alive while imaged.

The Secret World of a Termite's Gut Revealed in Award-Winning Video

The footage shows the symbiotic relationship between a termite and the protists that help digest their food

After the cells developed into mini-brains, the optic cups formed 30 days later and fully matured at 50 days.

Mini Brains Grown From Stem Cells Developed Light-Sensitive, Eye-Like Features

Understanding how eyes develop can help researchers pinpoint how to treat early retinal diseases

The shaded yellow phenotype produced by mutations on the ASIP gene are seen in a collie’s coat color.

Golden Fur in Dogs Evolved Two Million Years Ago, Long Before Domestication

Five coat color variations in domestic canines emerged from an ancient ancestor

Earlier this summer, to keep the invasive insect contained, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced that they would set up 1,200 giant hornet traps across the state.

The First Living Asian Giant 'Murder' Hornet of 2021 Has Been Found in Washington State

The sighting was reported two miles from where officials found a nest in October 2020

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