In recent years, orca whales have repeatedly made headlines after attacking — and, in several cases, capsizing — ships off the coast of Spain and Portugal. Though none of these incidents involved direct harm to any humans, the belligerent behavior caused a stir, prompting many to once again question the threat marine mammals pose to humans. After all, orcas (Orcinus orca), also known as killer whales, sit at the top of the marine food web, and these highly-efficient apex predators are capa ...read more
For 62 years, the only proof that Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna ever existed was a single specimen, recovered in 1961 from the Cyclops Mountains of New Guinea. In the interim, this quill-covered, egg-laying mammal (named for the British naturalist David Attenborough) vanished from the scientific radar. After all that time, you might think, it would’ve been perfectly reasonable to presume the creature extinct. But then, in 2007, an expedition stumbled upon evidence of its survival: “no ...read more
When April 8’s solar eclipse arrives, more than 42 million North Americans living under the path of totality, as well as uncounted millions nearby, will be watching the weather forecast for the prospects of a cloud-free sky. However, those skies could pose a challenge: April is a month that struggles to get out from under the clouds as winter reluctantly gives way to spring.Useful forecasts can’t be made much more than a week ahead, but satellite-based observations of cloud coverage beginnin ...read more
In the 1980s, Koko had a clear message for the humans at The Gorilla Foundation in California. Koko, a western lowland gorilla, was the first gorilla to communicate through sign language. She used her newly acquired skills to let her people know she wanted a pet cat.Koko was soon given a kitten, whom she named All Ball, and cuddled closely. Photos of Koko squeezing her little cat were published around the world. The little grey kitty’s head was barely visible in Koko’s loving arms.Koko wasn ...read more
Sprinkling nature’s dust, or bee pollen, on food as a supplement is a recent hot topic for ‘superfoods.’ The mixture of flower pollen, nectar, bee secretions, honey, and enzymes is thought to provide a source of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and other health compounds.Historically, various ancient civilizations used bee pollen medicinally worldwide. Starting in 13,000 B.C., Ancient Romans and then Native Americans used bee pollen for energy and food on long trips. The Māori in New ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine