Scientists: Female whale sharks grow slower but larger

According to a recent study, male sharks grow faster but do not get as big as their female counterparts.
The growth of 54 whale sharks was under the surveillance of researchers for more than 10 years. The growth of both sexes were observed to peak while young, which stretch for 20 to 30 centimeters annually. Male whale sharks reached about eight meters in length at the age of 30. At this time, they also become sexually mature, enabling them to reproduce more of their kind. On the other hand, female whale sharks reached up to 14 meters at the age of 50 while reaching sexual maturity.
Marine biologists add that female whale sharks are capable of giving birth to 300 whale sharks at a time. This likely explains their colossal size. But the fact that it takes over 30 years for whale sharks to get sexually mature puts emphasis on the urgency of conserving their species, scientists highlight.

Female scientists win award for genetic tool

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to female scientists who developed a tool that can modify the genetic composition of living things.
French scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier and American scientist Jennifer Doudna successfully came up with CRISPR-cas9 described as “molecular scissors” that can alter DNA which holds the genetic information of a living thing.
Despite the fact that CRISPR-cas9 brings about ethical concerns, Charpentier and Doudna’s genetic tool has aided in delivering new cancer treatments. It is also anticipated that this invention will be applicable in curing hereditary illnesses.
The award-winning scientists hope that their discovery will be utilized to solve biological mysteries and to benefit humankind. Moreover, they wish that this award sends a positive message to the future generation of women who would like to pursue a career in Science. The award comes with a cash prize amounting to $1.1 million which the two remarkable women will share.

Tasmanian devils resurface in Australia after 3,000 years

After 3,000 years, Tasmanian devils were again spotted in mainland Australia where it was previously non-existent. About 20,000 of this kind live on the island of Tasmania. Experts convey the increasing human population, utmost dry weather conditions, and wild dog attacks account for the said extinction.
Tasmanian devils are regarded as carnivorous marsupials. Unlike other mammals, marsupials are born as embryos. Consequently, they take shelter in a pouch on their mother’s body where they continue to grow. Kangaroo and koalas which are two of the most common mammals in the country are categorized as marsupials as well.
These animals generally weigh a maximum of 8 kilograms. Most of them are covered in either brown or black fur. These mammals are considered harmless unless they have to defend themselves from attacks. Scientists explain that Tasmanian devils play an important part in the ecosystem as they can stabilize the population of other ferocious creatures such as foxes and wild cats.

Endangered horse cloned at a zoo

A Przewalski horse which is an endangered wild horse species has been cloned at a zoo in San Diego, California. Although it was a product of a laboratory, the two-month-old animal clone named “Kurt” acts just like any other pony.
The cloning was done by taking cells from a male Przewalski horse which had been preserved since 1980. After that, an egg from a female horse of a different kind was also taken. They replaced the egg’s nucleus with the cells of the frozen Przewalski horse. The embryo they came up with was then inserted in the womb of another female horse which later gave birth to Kurt.

This is not the first time scientists cloned an animal. In fact, over twenty kinds of animals have been cloned since the method was first performed successfully a few decades ago. Dolly the sheep was the first successful animal clone that occurred in 1996.

Driverless boats can transport humans and goods

Aside from driverless cars, engineers are also developing self-driving technology for water vehicles. This autonomous boat project is led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. They call the said vehicle “roboats”, with the words “robot” and “boat” combined.
The goal of this project which kicked off in 2016 is to develop boats that can carry people and goods along the canals of Amsterdam. This is expected to make transportation more efficient and better the quality of life in the city.
Previously, the engineering crew was able to produce a self-driving boat that can carry goods. But their latest version called “Roboat II” can transport passengers as well. The team used similar machine-learning methods used to develop autonomous cars. Another feature added to this invention is the ability to communicate with other vehicles of its kind. In addition, it comes with four propellers powered by electricity enabling the vehicle to move in any direction. Aside from sensors and cameras, it also uses LiDar technology which uses lasers to measure distances and map the vicinity.

Archeologists: Stone Age women may have been big-game hunters

Based on a study carried out by archaeologists, the major role of women during the Stone Age in America may have been hunting. This has some scientists reconsidering the gender roles in prehistoric hunter-gatherer cultures.

During an excavation, experts found the remains of a young woman in Peru buried at a 9,000-year-old burial site. But the story does not end there. Buried with her corpse is what seems to be a full set of big-game hunting tools used for hunting enormous animals. Some of the tools recovered were spear points, scrapers, blades, and more.

At first, the team of scientists assumed the corpse was a male because of the weapons they have also retrieved. They thought he must have been a great hunter, chief, or warrior. But after examining the corpse at the laboratory, they confirmed that the individual was actually a woman.

According to previous records, 16 males and 11 females were buried alongside big-game hunting weapons out of 429 corpses that have been unearthed.

Scientists worry about continuous ice melting in Tibet

Tremendous fields of ice in the mountains close to Tibet keep on vanishing at a rate that causes worry among researchers. The disappearing glacial mass is the biggest in the Qilian Mountains.

Laohugou No. 12, the 20-square kilometer ice sheet, has diminished by around seven percent since estimations started. Scientists elaborate that the ice has become thinner as well. In fact, around 13 meters of ice has melted since temperatures began rising.

Since the 1950s, average temperatures within the range have risen by around 1.5 degrees Celsius. They add that it shows signs of continuous temperature increase. Scientists express concern about the 2,684 ice sheets within the Qilian Mountains.

It is forecasted that the phenomenon will climax for a decade. After that, the melting of now would strongly diminish since there would be less icy masses.

Higher than normal temperature is believed to be the cause of the recent unpredictable weather conditions.

Food production impacts climate change

Reducing the use of fossil fuels is pivotal in alleviating climate change. On the other hand, a new study reveals that the way food is produced around the world is also a major culprit behind higher temperatures on Earth.

The research concluded that if the current food production stays the same, almost 1.4 trillion metric tons of greenhouse gases will be generated in the next 80 years.

Deforestation, soil mismanagement, improper handling of food waste and fertilizers are just some of the causes of the said pollution. Researchers add that even if fuel emission will be discontinued, it would still not be possible to meet the targets set to combat climate change.

To improve the current situation, better farming practices, changes in diet, and wasting less food will be beneficial. The same study predicts that a shift to a plant-rich diet is likely to decrease greenhouse gases by 65 billion metric tons.

Experts: Dinosaurs grew at various paces

After studying the fossils of some dinosaurs, scientists explain that huge dinosaurs did not actually grow at the same pace. Some of these creatures took longer to grow in size but did so steadily. On the other hand, other kinds of dinosaurs had a growth spurt right before adulthood which caused them to increase in size in a short period of time. In comparison, children experience a growth spurt from age 12 to 18. The same thing happened to some dinosaurs.

How did the scientists go about the experiment? They studied fossils housed in museums from around the world. This includes Sue, one of the most well-known T. rex fossils which is displayed in a museum in Chicago. With the help of a machine, they cut through the remains of these early creatures and compared the annual growth rings of each bone. They later found out that this kind of dinosaur reached adulthood at the age of 20.

Wines travel back to Earth

Research materials, equipment, and 12 bottles of French wine landed off the coast of Florida by means of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. This exceptional wine, along with some grapevines, had orbited Earth for a year as part of a study.

This research aims at Agricultural science, but the experts share that tasting the said wine is something that they are also looking forward to. The out-of-this-world wine tasting will take place in Bordeaux, France, alongside a number of wine experts.

The researchers add that a series of chemical testing will be conducted subsequently. The sedimentation and bubbles of the said wine will be observed. The ultimate goal of the research is to have a good understanding of a futuristic agriculture that is organic, healthy, and capable of feeding humanity. They believe space will give them the answers.

As of this writing, the only spacecraft that is able to return items successfully to Earth is SpaceX’s Dragon. Other spacecraft end up in flames on their way back to Earth.