Even though the Earth recently had the shortest day/night period, on average the Earth’s days have recently become longer, but the mechanism remains somewhat puzzling. The pace at which the Earth spins is not entirely constant, as it is influenced by the mass distribution of the Moon and planet. Days can therefore be microseconds longer or shorter than 24 hours. The … [Read more...] about Earth’s Days are Lengthening, But No One is Really Sure Why
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France is Experiencing its Fourth Heat Wave in The Middle of a Historic Drought
France was in the midst of its fourth heat wave of the year on Monday, as the country faced its worst drought on record, according to the government. According to Meteo France, the heat wave began in the south and is predicted to sweep across the country until the weekend. Overall, the southern half of France should expect daytime temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius … [Read more...] about France is Experiencing its Fourth Heat Wave in The Middle of a Historic Drought
What Causes Certain Animals to Become Cannibalistic?
Study finds good reasons to go after your comrades—and some bad ones, too Jay Rosenheim had no clue his team's strategy to defend California's cotton crops would spark a cannibalism epidemic. Faced with the ever-destructive cotton aphids—a tiny ravenous green insect that sucks sap from crops, leaving moldy waste and a slew of deadly viruses in their wake—he and his … [Read more...] about What Causes Certain Animals to Become Cannibalistic?
The First Sea Turtle Nest Discovered on a Mississippi Beach Since 2018
The first sea turtle nest discovered on the Mississippi mainland in four years has been discovered by beach personnel. Officials say a Harrison County Sand Beach worker cleaning up discovered what looked to be turtle footprints just east of the Pass Christian Harbor. They safeguarded the area and contacted Gulfport's Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, which tracked the … [Read more...] about The First Sea Turtle Nest Discovered on a Mississippi Beach Since 2018
Spiders Appear to Have REM-like Sleep and May Even Dream
Jumping spiders have REM-like twitches when they sleep, suggesting dreams may be much more widespread in the animal kingdom than previously realized. Daniela Rößler, a behavioral ecologist, collected local jumping spiders and housed them in clear plastic cages on her windowsill, intending to evaluate their reactions to 3-D-printed predatory spider models. When she returned … [Read more...] about Spiders Appear to Have REM-like Sleep and May Even Dream