Study: Shark population declined by 71 percent in 50 years

A new study conducted by scientists shows the severity of the decline in shark population worldwide in the last 50 years. As per records, the count of sharks and rays dropped beyond 70 percent from 1970 to 2018. Particularly, 24 out of 31 shark and rays species are at risk of extinction, while 3 other species are believed to be critically endangered.

According to the experts, both sharks and rays do not have bones. What they have is a skeleton consisting of cartilage. It also takes them more years to reproduce unlike other kinds of fish. On top of that, they produce smaller numbers of young fish.

Scientists convey that sharks are good at hunting, can swim fats, and have heightened senses. Although they sound beneficial, the same extraordinary characteristics also put them in danger. Since they can speedily sense food in the open ocean, they become an easy target for fishermen.

Ancient conch shell still produces sound after thousands of years

The 31-centimeter long, spiral-shaped conch shell which is known to be the oldest seashell is gaining popularity rapidly. What makes this object interesting is that it still produces a sound similar to a foghorn from ancient times even after 18,000 years.

The said shell was believed to be a ceremonial cup until experts examined it anew. Now they believe that the shell was turned into a wind instrument thousands of years ago. Eventually, the scientists requested a French horn player to try the conch shell. The deep sound produced by the shell stirred emotions among them. They also relayed their concern as playing it might damage the instrument, but it remained intact anyway. According to them, the instrument created clear sounds in C, C sharp, and D notes.

The ancient wind instrument was recovered during a cave exploration with prehistoric wall paintings in the Pyrenees Mountains. It is currently displayed in a French museum.

Oldest DNA found in mammoths

The oldest DNA ever discovered was found in the teeth of mammoths that lived about 1.2 million years ago in northeastern Siberia. Mammoths are an ancient kind of elephant that existed during the Ice Age. Scientists are convinced that this discovery will provide them a deeper understanding of the long-dead species.

The remains of three mammoths were found in the 1970s, but scientists did not have the means to detect and extract DNA back then. DNA is the carrier of genetic information in the cells of creatures.

As stated by scientists, DNA can provide more comprehensive data regarding the organism than fossils. However, DNA may get gradually damaged. Good thing is that new research methodologies are now available for scientists to repair older DNA. With the continuous development of these methods, scientists anticipate they can work with up to three million years old DNA in the future.

Scientists emphasized that these ancient discoveries can offer substantial information about how new species are formed.

American Scientists announce successful cloning of ferrets

U.S. scientists announced the first successful cloning of an endangered animal native to the country. The animal, a black-footed ferret, was cloned with the cells of the same species that died over 30 years earlier, as the remains of the dead animal were frozen when it died in 1981. The product of genetic reproduction was born on December 10 and named Elizabeth Ann.

Prior to the cloning project, conserving the number of black-footed ferrets had been a success. The team in charge of the project did it by initiating a captive mating program for the remaining creatures after they found a surviving animal of the same species in 1981. Roughly ten years later, thousands of black-footed ferrets were released in the Western U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The purpose of the cloning process is to revive animal species that have gone extinct. Elizabeth Ann’s cloning was part of an extensive effort to boost the population of the endangered animal.

Noise pollution poses threat to marine life

Aside from the surface and temperature, new study suggests human activities also change the sound of oceans and seas on our planet. While this may seem trivial, this actually has an impact on sea animals regardless of size.

According to experts, sound can extend far downward underwater. It is also easier for fish to sense their environment with sound rather than light. It turns out that sound helps sea animals to communicate with each other. Many of them rely on sound to locate food and steer clear of predators. It is also useful for spotting suitable places for mating. Having said that, sound is crucial in marine life’s survival and sustainability.

However, louder noises generated by humans overpower the natural sounds undersea. Sounds derived from human activities such as marine vessel traffic, motorized fishing vessels, deep-sea exploration, and coastal construction interrupt the sounds underwater marine animals need for survival.

Experts have also observed that the population of sea animals has declined by about half since 1970. According to their records, marine creatures singing and calling are now fewer. They stress that noise pollution needs as much attention as climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing.

Robots as part of workforce

The use of robotics has been prevalent in the manufacturing industry.
In particular, warehouses, where products are kept and arranged, utilize robots to aid in their processes.

Robots are manufactured to carry out monotonous and arduous tasks. On the other hand, the same technology is also evoking stressful conditions and even posing hazards in the workplace, according to some authorities.
Additionally, this collaboration between humans and machines impairs employees’ morale and health. It is because the use of artificial intelligence puts pressure on human workers to pick up the pace of production.

It was found out that injury rates at Amazon warehouses with machines are higher than in robot-free depositories. It was further revealed that the rate of injuries was beyond twice the average in the industry.

Despite the alarming reports, businesses claim that this new technology that includes automation paves the way in fulfilling the demands of customers efficiently. They add that workplace safety remains a high priority.

Intern discovers planet on day 3 with NASA

A teen located a new planet on his day of internship with the US space agency NASA.

Wolf Culkier, a 17-year-old high school student, was working on the task of examining data from a telescope to look for signs of planets outside our solar system. He spent some time scanning graphs on a computer screen.
Then, on his third day of the job, he spotted a planet orbiting two stars. Culkier did not see the planet itself, but he recognized explicit evidence of its existence. Changes in the light of the two stars called binary stars caught his attention. He described this sight as similar to the eclipse visible on Earth as it obstructs some of the sun’s light from the telescope. This kind of data shows up as a dip in graphs.

According to Culkier, he had a hundred of targets but this one was remarkable. The distant planet he discovered sits 1,300 light-years from Earth.

Bionic jellyfish, to study world’s oceans

To strengthen and speed up the movement of jellyfish, researchers have used mini electronic devices. These electronic jellyfish were developed to explore the oceans in different parts of the world.

According to scientists, jellyfish are unique creatures as they navigate underwater by contracting their muscles. As part of the study, a 2-centimeter long electronic device was inserted into a moon jellyfish. The device prompted the jellyfish to move three times than usual. The researchers emphasized that the creature did not manifest any stress reactions despite undergoing the procedure. In fact, the jellyfish swam around normally when the device was uninstalled.

After the initial step’s success, the team is looking into controlling where the jellyfish travel. Developing sensors that could function even in the deeper parts of the ocean is one of their options. Bionic jellyfish are expected to perform deep dives, observe natural phenomena, and look out for signs of climate change underwater.

Scientists, to study marine life 1000 meter under the sea

A sea exploration 1000 meter underwater is in the works as a team of scientists aims to examine unexplored parts of the ocean with the intention of discovering new marine life and observing how pollution and climate change affect undersea ecosystems.

The scientists target the “Midnight Zone” of the Indian Ocean where light can no longer penetrate but life still flourishes. Most sea animals that live below 1,000 meters are believed to be bioluminescent, which means they glow in the dark. Sensors and mapping technology will be used to find new organisms and observe the seabed. Plastic pollution and the effects of climate change will be part of the study.

Limiting Factor, an advanced deep-sea submarine, will be used in this exploration. This submarine is designed to hold out against the huge pressure in the deepest corners of the ocean. It also carries sufficient emergency oxygen that can last up to 96 hours. The said expedition will run for about five weeks.