Categories
Evolution Animals Life on Earth

Are Today’s Monkeys Evolving into Humans? No, Here’s Why

A frequently asked question: are today’s monkeys evolving into humans? The answer is no, and here’s why.

Categories
Prehistoric Animals Life on Earth

The Visual History of Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs were a very unique group of reptiles that existed as early as 243 million years ago. This extinct group had incredible diversity and roamed the earth for over 165 million years. As the earth itself went through drastic changes, dinosaurs changed too. From the skies to the seas, these prehistoric reptiles adapted and were able to live in many different environments.

From 3 different extinctions, the rise of the first dinosaurs, to the origins of the T. rex, if you are curious about the story of the dinosaurs, keep reading…

Categories
Life on Earth Science Fiction

Life on Earth is the biggest fantasy, according to Terry Pratchett

A wonderful quote about Earth by the English humorist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels Terry Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015). Pratchett thinks life on Earth is the biggest fantasy and even he was a fantasy writer, he finds it hard to believe.

Categories
Biology Life on Earth People Plants

Bioengineered Cotton Could Help Solve World Hunger

Humans have relied on cotton’s textile fiber for nearly seven millennia. However, utilizing cottonseed as food has been a long and unfulfilled goal of many plant breeders. Along with its abundant, high-quality protein, cottonseed also contains gossypol – a toxic chemical that renders the seed inedible. Cottonseed’s fate as a mostly unusable by-product seemed sealed until Dr. Keerti Rathore, a professor at Texas A&M University, announced that he had successfully created gossypol-free cottonseed. Dr. Rathore’s tireless devotion has given the world the potential to significantly improve food security worldwide. Here’s how bioengineered cotton could help solve world hunger.

Categories
Evolution Life on Earth People

Researchers Created the Largest-Ever Human Family Tree and it has 231 Million Ancestral Lineages

Researchers from the Big Data Institute at the University of Oxford in England used DNA analysis to create the largest human family tree ever, dating back 100,000 years. They published their study titled “A unified genealogy of modern and ancient genomes” in the journal Science.

Categories
Global Warming Climate Oceans

Climate change transforming circulation patterns in Earth’s oceans and atmosphere [the results can be catastrophic!]

Large-scale circulation patterns can be found throughout Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, and play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of regional climates. As the climate warms, researchers find that these patterns are experiencing a fundamental transformation, which can result in catastrophic consequences. According to scientists, these changes could lead to hotter, drier conditions in regions including the Mediterranean, California, and Australia – which are already recording an increase in the frequency and severity of droughts and wildfires.

Dr. Hu Yang at the Alfred Wegener Institute identifies and explains the mechanisms of these changes. His study offers crucial insights into how both human populations and natural ecosystems will be affected by these transformations – and how they will need to adapt to cope with them.

Categories
Animals Life on Earth

10 Amazing Koala Facts

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. They can be found in coastal areas of the Australian mainland’s eastern and southern regions. Here are 10 amazing koala facts.

Categories
Evolution Life on Earth

All the “tree of life” was unveiled online, and it’s stunning!

It’s like the Google Earth of Evolution: OneZoom Tree of Life Explorer enables you to navigate all the leaves and branches of life on Earth, and how all the species are related. By using the tool, you can go back (or forward) in time via common ancestors.

Categories
Oceans Software Technology

Scientists are building digital twins of the ocean

Before the term “digital twin” was first used twenty years ago (see notes 1), engineers at NASA were already developing ground-based replicas of spacecraft infrastructure. Today’s manufacturers are also seeing double, taking advantage of digital duplicates to better understand and predict product performance. Now the European Union (EU) scientists are looking to apply the same principles to the natural world and building more and more digital twins of the ocean.

Categories
Plants Life on Earth

Tree Facts: 42 amazing things about trees

Trees are among the most remarkable living organisms on Earth, silently supporting life in countless ways. From producing the oxygen we breathe to stabilizing ecosystems and providing shelter for diverse species, trees are essential to our planet’s health. But their significance goes beyond environmental benefits – trees have inspired cultures, shaped history, and even revolutionized modern science. With over 60,000 species worldwide, each with unique traits and ecological roles, trees continue to amaze us with their resilience and diversity. Here are the most amazing tree facts.