With a singular, long, spiraled tusk, narwhals really are the unicorns of the sea. The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long. Many researchers believe that narwhals use the tusks in mating displays, though due to limited field observation, there is still much to learn about narwhals. A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science used drones to monitor narwhals in the wild. With this footage, researchers may have a better unde ...read more
Animated movies can be an entertaining way to learn fascinating facts about the animal kingdom. Pixar’s 2003 classic Finding Nemo introduced many children and adults to marine biology for the first time. Among other things, it highlighted the symbiotic relationship between clownfish and their sea anemone hosts — where the anemone’s sting protects the fish from predators, and in return, the fish help keep the anemone clean.A recent study has expanded our understanding of this partnership. R ...read more
While the connection between air pollution and lung disease could appear obvious, the link between breathing in toxins and suffering memory loss looks about as clear as a cloud of cigarette smoke.Scientists at Scripps Research Institute first identified how contaminants in smog, pesticides, and other airborne chemical can affect the brain. Now they have identified a way to potentially reverse those effects, they report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Learning About Memory ...read more
Polar bear cubs are incredibly cute — and amazingly elusive. Their mothers dig dens under the snow in remote areas. Protecting cubs is key to the species’ survival. Under half of all polar bear cubs make it to adulthood.To help understand the act of denning — essential to the species survival — a team of scientists for the first time combined satellite tracking collars on mother bears with remote cameras aimed at the bears’ snow lairs. They observed bears near Svalbard, a Norwegian arc ...read more
In 2025, Dry January got a boost from the Surgeon General: an advisory about alcohol’s role in cancer and a warning about the risks of drinking. “Alcohol consumption,” the report stated, “is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity,” increasing the risk of cancer in at least seven sites: mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, and colon.With the advisory drawing our attention to the issue, it’s a good time to take a look ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine