ecology
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Only 1,280 Reproductive Ancestors of Humans Once Roamed Earth, Gene Study Suggests
Humankind struggled to survive during a 100,000 year period during the early Pleistocene, according to researchers who used a computer model to discover a severe population bottleneck in our species’ ancient past. The bottleneck occurred between 813,000 years ago and 930,000 years ago, and reduced an ancestral human species to less than 1,300 breeding individuals.…
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Can You Spot the Predator in Prey’s Newest Trailer?
The next instalment in the Predator series from Dan Trachtenberg (Cloverfield) has gotten a full length trailer, and the fight for survival is on. After a snappy and terrifying teaser, this trailer shows Naru, a young warrior who lives in the Comanche Nation, as she searches for a way to destroy the predator that is…
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Electric Ecology: How Animals and Plants Use Static Electricity to Stay Alive
When you hear the word “electricity”, thoughts of power lines or household appliances are probably conjured up in your mind. But electricity is not just a modern human phenomenon – it was around long before us and, in fact, long before planet Earth. “Electricity” simply refers to the interactions between any electrically charged objects, not…
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U.S. Declares Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, 22 Other Species Extinct
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will propose removing 22 animals and one plant from the endangered species list on Wednesday, declaring them extinct. The casualties — 11 birds, eight species of freshwater mussels, two fish, one bat, and a flower — are victims of the climate crisis and habitat degradation. It’s a sign of…