Finding Genius Podcast’s Post

The official page of Darwin's Chronicles and OnElephantsandBacteria is now on LinkedIn! Discover our posts in English and Spanish 😁 about evolutionary biology 🐘 , zoology 🐌, paleontology 🦕 and botany 🍉 #scicomm #scicommunity #sciencecommunication #science

🦴🔍 Ever wonder how we uncover secrets of the past? In zooarchaeology, the bigger the sample, the better! As we dig up more animal remains, we discover more species, revealing a richer picture of ancient ecosystems. 🦓🦒 This means we’re getting closer to telling the full story of the past! 🌍✨ Want to dive deeper into these findings? 📜 Check out the full article in the ICAZ NEWSLETTER (pp 53-54), written by Dr. Shaw Badenhorst https://lnkd.in/d_-9SC4c #Zooarchaeology #UnearthingHistory #AncientSecrets #Archaeology #ScienceDiscovery #Research #ICAZNewsletter #ReadMore

🐋 Breaking News: Ultra-Rare Spade-Toothed Whale Discovered! A scientific marvel has washed ashore in New Zealand, captivating marine biologists worldwide. Key details: • Species: Spade-toothed whale • Location: Otago province, New Zealand • Significance: Never before seen alive Why this matters: • Only 6 samples documented since the 1800s • First-ever opportunity for dissection • Potential for groundbreaking research "From a scientific and conservation point of view, this is huge," says Gabe Davies, Coastal Otago Operations Manager. This 5-meter long male specimen offers a unique window into one of the most enigmatic large mammals on Earth. 🔬 What's next? DNA analysis to confirm classification and unlock the secrets of this elusive species. Question for marine enthusiasts: What do you hope scientists will discover from this rare find? #MarineConservation #WhaleBiology #ScientificDiscovery

Though I’ve had the honor of being coauthor on STEM outreach and education papers, this is my first scientific article, and moreover, it’s my first first-author publication. Thanks to the mentorship of Bruce MacFadden for providing guidance and support throughout the process. I’m excited for more to come! Check out Species occurrences of Mio-Pliocene horses (Equidae) from Florida: sampling, ecology, or both? in Paleobiology at https://lnkd.in/erAwWsHQ.

Few creatures capture the imagination quite like the seadragon. Many people travel from around the world to the waters of the Great Southern Reef to catch a glimpse of these elusive and ethereal beings. With their leaf-like appendages and slow, graceful movement, seadragons are masters of camouflage, relying on this unique adaptation and their habitat for survival. Yet, despite their popularity, seadragons remain shrouded in mystery. Uncovering the answers to key questions about their breeding patterns, habitat preferences, and response to environmental changes is crucial for developing effective strategies for their conservation. SeadragonSearch harnesses the power of citizen science to track seadragons through a simple yet effective tool: photography. The project, conceptualised during a genetics study in order to avoid resampling the same individuals, aims to map the distribution and abundance of seadragons across the Great Southern Reef. Chrissy Tustison first became involved in studying seadragons during her master’s degree at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California where she helped to launch a citizen science project called SeadragonSearch. Chrissy is now continuing her research as a PhD candidate at the The University of Western Australia where she is working with data collected through SeadragonSearch to learn more about weedy and leafy seadragon populations and the citizen scientists who value them across Australia’s Great Southern Reef. More on SeadragonSearch later this week #greatsouthernreef #seadragons #leafyseadragon #weedyseadragon #SeadragonSearch #CitizenScience

Have you ever wondered how a coral eats? How they are photosynthetic? Learn all about coral polyps in our latest article!

🌎 Exploring the World of Tardigrades 🌎 Tardigrades, commonly known as water bears 🐻, are a type of microscopic animal found across a vast array of moist and aquatic environments. They are known for their extensive resilience since they are also found in extreme environments such as Antarctica, deep sea vents, and mud volcanoes. An experiment conducted in 2008 discovered that tardigrades can even survive and recover from exposure to the vacuum of space (Jönsson et al. 2008). There are over 1,300 described tardigrade species which compose the three main classes: Eutardigrada, Mesotardigrada, and Heterotardigrada. These classes of tardigrades are distinguished by their physiological features and the habitats where they reside. Tardigrades of different classes differ in head size, segmentation shape and number, and the number of claws on each toe. Credit to the University of Florida for the great information. #Tardigrades #Science #Biology #Evolution

This new studie published on Monday (10th June 2024) by Colorado State University, Save the Elephants and ElephantVoice indicate that African Elephants indeed use "names" to address each other. Between 1986 and 2022 researcher recorded rumbles of a wild female and their offspring. 469 individual recording of rumbles were analysed using a machine learning algorithm called Random Forest. Using this model, scientists have been able to uncover a distinctive "vocal label" in elephant calls, similar to a name. When they played back these recordings, elephants would respond enthusiastically to those that were apparently addressed to them. This suggested that the rumbles carry information that is intended only for a specific elephant. Another interesting finding is that elephant names did not appear to be imitations of the receiver's own vocalisations. This ability to name individuals, objects, or ideas without depending on imitation is an imperative feature of human language. This indicates that elephants have the ability for abstract thought. Unlocking elephant communication can open doors to understanding the way their minds work and it is highly important to further study elepehants' social relationships and the role of each individual in the group, which is vital for conservation efforts. Research link: https://lnkd.in/dKvRkf_j Credit: AERU #elephants #africa #behaviour #ecology #conservation #wildlife #nature #animals #research #ethology

What is the origin of consciousness? And how has this shaped not only our bodies, but also our minds? Join us on August 30th at 12pm with Peter Godfrey-Smith, scuba-diving philosopher and author, to explore the story and science of animal consciousness in mammals and beyond. There will be a Q&A at the end where you can ask Peter any questions you might have about animal consciousness and its origin. Peter is a professor in the School of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney. His main research interests are in the philosophy of biology and the philosophy of mind. He is the author of 6 books including Other Minds: The Octopus, The Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness, Metazoa: Animal Minds and the Birth of Consciousness and his latest book Living on Earth: Life, Consciousness and the Making of the Natural World. Register to join this free webinar: https://buff.ly/3WWsTB3 #animalconsciousness #mammals #octopus #conservation #nature #ecology