AI-Guided Robot Plants ‘Baby Corals’ Across the Great Barrier Reef
At the Australian Institute of Marine Science, artificial intelligence is being leveraged to help restore coral reefs after recent bleaching events. Following the autumn spawning season on the Great Barrier Reef, AIMS scientists are looking to give the corals a helping hand by dropping coral larvae down onto degraded reef segments. But in an effort […]
Couple Converts Their Home into ‘Hedgehog Haven’ to Rehabilitate Over 500 Spiky Critters
From Scotland comes the story of a couple who have dedicated their hearts and homes to an often helpless critter. Andy and Sharon Longhurst have helped heal and rehabilitate over 500 European hedgehogs over nearly 3 years, and though they aren’t veterinarians, they can’t help but help when someone brings them a hedgehog. Called the […]
1,500 Year-Old Reindeer Trap and Hunting Equipment Uncovered in the Ice of Norway’s Mountains
A hiker in Norway discovered a one-of-a-kind wild reindeer trap that Iron age inhabitants would have used to catch their dinner en masse. Alongside the large wooden trap was a trove of hunting supplies and other artifacts, revealing a wealth of information about the culture and organization of early Norwegian society in the far north. Dating […]
Boy with Rare Genetic Disorder Amazes Doctors After World-First Gene Therapy
The first child in history has successfully been treated with a new genetic therapy for an ultra-rare developmental defect called Hunter syndrome. Several years in the making, Oliver Chu became the first in the world to receive the stem cell-based treatment in February, and 3 months later seemed to be a normal child again, meeting […]
Lost Bach Pieces Performed for First Time in 320 Years: ‘Great moment for the world of music’
Two musical pieces written by Johann Sebastian Bach were recently performed for the first time ever, more than 300 years after they were composed. Both written for the organ, they are believed to date from the great composer’s very early career, when he worked as a organ tutor in Thuringia. Germany’s Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer […]
‘Special Needs’ Can’t Stop These Kids from Being a Cowboy at Rodeo Day Camp
In the Bay Area, California, a day at the rodeo for children with developmental challenges leaves everyone in tears at some point, either from joy or compassion. Hosted by a cowboy whose son was born with Down Syndrome, Little ‘Pardners’ Rodeo treats 40 children aged 4 to 17 to an all-day event of cowboy/cowgirl activities. […]
Birds Start to Show Signs of Recovery After Bee-Harming Pesticide Ban in the EU
The first large-scale study to investigate the impact on bird populations from the 2018 European Union ban on a universal insecticide has determined that birds have recovered as much as 3% since 2018. Given that 57 species of birds were included in the survey, the 3% rise suddenly seems a lot more meaningful, and the […]
Colombia Bans All New Oil and Mining Projects in its Amazon–an Area the Size of Sweden
It’s 42% of Colombia’s territory. It’s 7% of the total Amazon Rainforest. It’s the same size as Sweden, and it’s now free from future oil and mineral extraction. The news that half a million square kilometers of territory in the Amazon biome of Colombia was now limited only to renewable and regenerative economic activities only […]
These Rare Whales Had Never Been Seen Alive, Then Scientists Saw Two Near California
A lifelong whale researcher recently encountered a living pair of gingko-toothed beaked whales for the first time ever in the wild. The encounter advances the science of beaked whales enormously, for in addition to confirming the whole genome of the animal, it also linked this elusive species to a well-recorded whale song that can now […]
Exoskeleton Walker Allows Children to Take Their First Steps After Doctors Said They Couldn’t
At a Canadian wellness center, a unique robotic exoskeleton is allowing children with developmental disorders to walk—often for the first time. The nonprofit’s Regina location is eager to get families to come by and try it out. It can be used to correct a child’s gait or help them take their first steps, and is […]