Male blue whales have been witnessed battling for the chance to mate with a female off the coast of Australia in arguably the most formidable combat on Earth.When male whales sense a female is fertile‚ they start to follow her. In many whale species‚ the female leads the males on a dance. The males use their bulk against each other to try and gain an advantage and be her escort. Collectively‚ all involved are known as a racing group.While such events have been witnessed many times for humpbacks‚ among others‚ blue whales are both rarer and more inclined to stay away from humans. Consequently‚ sightings of these events in the largest animals on Earth are exceptionally rare‚ but Dr Peter Gill of Blue Whale Study is one of the few to have seen it.In late March‚ Gill was surveying the waters off eastern South Australia and witnessed the classic signs of a racing group.The frequent changes of pace and direction were clearly dictated by the female‚ and the males did their best to stay close to her‚ while trying to outpace and physically displace each other‚ Gill wrote on Blue Whale Studys Facebook page. It was a spectacular display of massive power and grace‚ one of the great sights in nature.Just as the ground shakes when elephants make love‚ Gill told the ABC the race could be dangerous for anyone in the vicinity‚ such as a boat that unwisely ventured into the whales path. ";You';ve got three of these massive animals just engaged in this full-on combat between the two chasing males‚"; he said. ";They';re shouldering each other aside and hitting each other with their tails a bit.";The female whale gets some clear space‚ as the males were too focused on fighting each other to stay with her.Image courtesy of Blue Whale Study/Dr Peter GillGill could not definitely confirm the sex of the whales he was watching from that height‚ but his observations closely match those of a Canadian team who were able to get biopsies.Gill told IFLScience‚ Humpbacks take it to extremes‚ with seven or eight males in a racing group competing to be the escort‚ and southern right whales also have larger parties. However‚ in the rare cases blue whale racing groups have been reported‚ only two males have ever been involved. Blue whales are still slowly recovering from their decimation [by whaling] Gill said. We dont know what their social ecology was like before whaling really devastated them. Consequently‚ we cant tell if having only two suitors was how it was always done.Despite the excitement‚ Gill was alarmed to see the female looked very underweight‚ although the males looked healthy. He told IFLScience that since 2007 increasing numbers of skinny whales have been spotted among the blue whale population. We dont know if this is related to climate change or not‚ he added.The situation is unlikely to improve this year. The Australian blue whale population spends summer and autumn feeding off the southern coast where a major upwelling makes nutrients abundant at these times‚ usually leading to an explosion of krill. Unlike humpbacks‚ which get most of their food in one season before relying on their blubber to get them through the lean months‚ the blue whales cant fast as long. Instead‚ they migrate to Indonesia where there breeding grounds are also rich in food.This year the upwelling was particularly strong‚ Gill told IFLScience‚ but it brought very little krill‚ for reasons colleagues are still trying to work out. This follows a disturbingly late southward migration last year that may have been associated with reduced food in Indonesian waters‚ although Gill said the connection is still unconfirmed.Its been 21 years since Gill previously spotted blue whales racing off Australia. Aside from the Canadian encounter‚ the event has been reported off California since‚ but remains exceptionally rare.The Blue Whale Studyis a small non-profit that is contracted by other groups to search for whales of all species in the region. This flight was funded by Save Our Marine Life.

Up to 80 percent of carbon emissions pumped out since 2016 can be traced back to just 57 companies‚ according to a new report.Published by the independent think tank InfluenceMap‚ the report was produced using the Carbon Majors Database. Among the 57 entities they name and shame‚ theres an array of nation-states‚ state-owned firms‚ and investor-owned corporations that are involved in fossil fuel extraction and the production of cement‚ an energy-intensive process that accounts forat least 8 percentof the world';s CO2 emissions.All in all‚ the world';s top five CO2-emitting entities (since 2016) were Chinas coal production‚ the state-owned oil firm Saudi Aramco‚ Russia';s state-owned energy giant Gazprom‚ state-owned producer Coal India‚ and the National Iranian Oil Company.A number of the usual suspects from the West also appear in the top 20 list‚ including Chevron‚ ExxonMobil‚ BP‚ and Shell.";The Carbon Majors research shows us exactly who is responsible for the lethal heat‚ extreme weather‚ and air pollution that is threatening lives and wreaking havoc on our oceans and forests. These companies have made billions of dollars in profits while denying the problem and delaying and obstructing climate policy‚ Tzeporah Berman‚ International Program Director at Stand.earth and Chair at Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty‚ said in a statement.They are spending millions on advertising campaigns about being part of a sustainable solution‚ all the while continuing to invest in more fossil fuel extraction. These findings emphasize that‚ more than ever‚ we need our governments to stand up to these companies‚ and we need new international cooperation through a Fossil Fuel Treaty to end the expansion of fossil fuels and ensure a truly just transition‚"; continued Berman.Nation-state producers account for 38 percent of emissions in the database since 2016‚ while state-owned entities account for 37 percent and investor-owned corporations for 25 percent.The report found a significant rise in state and state-owned producers since 2016 the year of the historic Paris climate agreement that vowed to limit climate change to well below 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.This trend is most prominent in the Asian coal sector. While Europe andNorth America have made progress in weaning themselves off coal‚ this has been overshadowed by the booming coal industry in Asia‚ primarily driven by China and India.Along with tracking carbon emissions since 2016‚ the report also looked at historical emitters from 1854 until 2022. This revealed that 122 producers were responsible for 72 percent of global fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Chief among those historical contributors are Chinas coal production‚ the former Soviet Union‚ Saudi Aramco‚ Chevron‚ and ExxonMobil.

A small asteroid being tracked by astronomers is about to make a close approach to Earth‚ passing within 0.00012Astronomical Units (AU) of Earth.The asteroid is being tracked by NASA‚ and is small at around2.2 to 4.9 meters (7.2 feet to 16 feet). According to an analysis by astronomers‚ the asteroid will be about0.03 Lunar Distancesat its closest approach‚ or just 3 percent of the distance from our planet to the Moon. Though this is a close approach‚ it sounds a little less worrying in kilometers‚ with the asteroid being around 12‚298 kilometers (7‚641 miles) from the Earth as it zooms by at 14.4 kilometers per second (8.9 miles per second).The object‚ which will make its closest approach at18:28:42 UTC‚ was discovered on April 9 this year; when objects are discovered (or sometimes rediscovered)‚ they are named for the year.";The provisional designation includes the year of its discovery followed by two letters that give the order of its discovery during that year‚"; the European Space Agency (ESA)explains. ";Objects‚ discovered between 1 and 15 January‚ are designated in order of their discovery‚ AA‚ AB‚ AC‚ and so on. Those discovered between 16 and 31 January are given the letters BA‚ BB‚ BC‚ and so on.";NASA and other observatories track the orbits of objects discovered in the Solar System‚ keeping a particular eye on ";near Earth objects"; 140 meters (460 feet) and larger in size that could cause devastation if they were to cross paths with Earth. So far‚ astronomers have been able to predict the orbits of known objects up to about 100 years in the future. The good news is that ";no known asteroid larger than 140 meters in size has a significant chance to hit Earth for the next 100 years‚"; according toNASA.Asteroid 2024 GJ2‚ despite being set for another close approach in2048‚is not on the list of objects of concern. It is simply too puny to worry about.

Trying to identify a new species of animal isnt the easiest task in the world‚ but the lucky people who do manage to find one appear to have quite the sense of humor when it comes to giving them a scientific name.Here are some of our favorites.Gelae fishFun fact: Gelae fish isnt actually a fish‚ or a jellyfish. Its a small‚ round fungus beetle and belongs to a genus first described in 2004‚ alongside the equally amusingly named Gelae bean‚ Gelae belae‚ Gelae donut‚ and Gelae rol.Rather than meaning something in Latin like a lot of scientific names‚ the entomologists who named G. fish described its moniker as a whimsical arrangement of letters that is pronounced like the English word‚ fish. Just in case you were calling it f-eye-sh or something.The Mini frogsScientists adopted a similar level of whimsy when it came to classifying three new species of frogs‚ because what do you do when tasked with naming tiny animals? Give them tiny size-related names‚ of course.And so‚ in 2019‚ the genus Mini was born‚ with its member species Mini ature‚ Mini mum‚ and Mini scule. Found in the lowland forests of southern Madagascar‚ these diddy frogs live up to their little names; male members of M. mum are just 9.7 millimeters long. That makes it one of the smallest known frogs in the world‚ although its not the smallest.Vini vidiviciRIP Vinividi vici‚ you would';ve loved Julius Caesar.Image credit: Michael B. H. via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)The list of silly scientific names is pretty entomology-heavy‚ but occasionally other animals get a look-in too although in the case of the extinct conquered lorikeet‚ the sense of humor applied is somewhat darker.Only known through fossils found on Polynesian islands‚ this parrots species name alludes to the Latin phrase veni‚ vidi‚ vicias it is thought to have gone extinct at the hands of humans 700 to 1‚300 years ago.The meaning‚ ";I came‚ I saw‚ I conquered‚"; may be projected into the prehistoric situation in the Marquesas and elsewhere in Polynesia‚ where people came to an island‚ saw the native parrots‚ and then conquered them‚ leaving behind only the bones‚ wrote the scientists who named this unfortunate lorikeet.Aha haNope‚ I didnt accidentally put my reply to my colleagues funny Teams message here Aha hais actually a species of wasp endemic to Australia.It was named by US entomologist Arnold S. Menke‚ who recalled how the name came about in a 1983 issue of wasp biology publication‚ Sphecos.My recollection is that while going over some sphecid material collected ";down under"; by [fellow entomologists Howard E. Evans and Bob Matthews]‚ I came upon a cute little gray wasp with strange tarsal ungues and exclaimed‚ ';aha‚ a new genus';. Eric Grissell‚ resident wit‚ who happened to be standing nearby observing the master‚ retorted with some skepticism‚ ';ha';.And thus‚ the funniest wasp species was born.Agra vationWe can thank entomologist Terry Erwin for another fantastically silly beetle name. A species of Carabidae or ground beetle‚ Agra vation isnt particularly aggravating in itself‚ but apparently collecting samples of the Agragenus is something of a painstaking task‚ hence the name.Erwin is also responsible for a number of other humorous names within this genus‚ including Agra cadabra and Agra katewinsletae after Titanic actress Kate Winslet. Her character did not go down with the ship‚ but we will not be able to say the same for this elegant canopy species‚ if all the rain forest is converted to pastures‚ wrote Erwin in the study describing the species.

An insect invasion in the trillions sounds like the stuff of sci-fi but as early as next month‚ the US is set to see two mega-broods of cicadas rise up from the soil in a rare double emergence event.If that sounds like your worst nightmare (or youre hoping to witness the phenomenon)‚ the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made a map that shows where the noisy insects are likely to pop up.Brood XIII (brown)and Brood XIX (blue) are the two groups set to emerge this year.Image credit: US Department of AgricultureA total of 18 states are set to be affected by the emergence‚ which is made up of two groups; Brood XIX‚ which has a 13-year life cycle and is shown in blue on the map; and Brood XIII‚ which has a 17-year life cycle and is shown in brown on the map.Periodical cicadas have long lives‚ but spend most of it underground‚ with groups known as broods only emerging once every 13 or 17 years. When they decide theyve had enough of the dirt (ok its actually to do with temperature‚ but over a decade underground does sound quite dull) they wriggle out of the ground‚ shed their shells‚ and climb up nearby trees‚ ready to reproduce.The two broods are set to emerge in the following states: Alabama‚ Arkansas‚ Georgia‚ Illinois‚ Indiana‚ Iowa‚ Kentucky‚ Louisiana‚ Michigan‚ Mississippi‚ Missouri‚ North Carolina‚ South Carolina‚ Tennessee‚ Oklahoma‚ Maryland‚ Wisconsin‚ and Virginia.Such a double brood emergence is rare; its the first time in 221 years that the particular two broods of cicadas have emerged at once. That being said‚ according to the University of Connecticut and as the map shows‚ whilst theres going to be a lot of cicadas overall‚ there wont be a lot of overlap between the two broods.The state of Delaware is roughly 1.5 million acres in size. If we accept an estimate of a million cicadas per acre and if the total combined area of a periodical cicada emergence is roughly the size of Delaware‚ then more than a trillion cicadas will be involved‚ the universitys periodical cicada information page states.For 2024‚ since cicadas will emerge from Maryland to Oklahoma‚ Illinois to Alabama‚ clearly‚ trillions of adult cicadas will be present but not all in the same place at the same time.The emergence (very ominous sounding considering cicadas are harmless) is estimated to take place sometime in May to late June and once the cicadas are out‚ theyll be around for about a month or so before they die and theyll certainly make themselves known before they do so.";What happens is when you have this many cicadas - even if they';re quieter in general than our dog day [cicadas] - all together in one place‚ then it can be deafening‚"; cicada expert Catherine Dana told NBC Chicago.Thatll stop you from napping the daytime and maybe pop a raincoat on if youre going to be outside with them‚ too.

Lucinda King: Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life.Often termed an ocean world by scientists‚ observations to date strongly suggest that beneath Europas icy crust‚ there could be a liquid saltwater ocean containing twice as much water as Earths oceans. Now‚ Nasas Europa Clipper the largest spacecraft ever developed by the US space agency for a planetary mission may have the tools to detect it.As the Clipper spacecraft undergoes final testing and preparations before its October 2024 launch‚ scientists using one of the nine instruments onboard have made an exciting discovery. As well as determining whether Europa could support life‚ the instrument in question should in fact be capable of directly detecting alien life itself should it exist there.The three key ingredients for life are energy‚ liquid water and the right chemicals. The spacecraft will provide more detail on these ingredients at Europa‚ and therefore its potential for hosting life.Europa gets energy from the extreme tidal forces caused by Jupiters gravity‚ which push and pull the material of the moon‚ generating heat within it. It is this process that supports the theory of a liquid water ocean beneath the surface.Europas extraterrestrial ocean might contain the chemical building blocks for life. These include chemical elements such as carbon‚ oxygen‚ phosphorus and sulphur. But the mission team will also be on the lookout for organic compounds‚ which contain carbon and comprise many of the more complex chemicals vital in biology.Detecting the signatures of these chemicals is the key goal of the Europa Clipper mission. If such evidence can be found‚ this would indicate that Europa may be another place in the solar system capable of supporting life.A serendipitous findingThe Suda (Surface Dust Mass Analyser) instrument‚ led by the University of Colorado Boulder‚ is one of nine instruments on Europa Clipper. It will collect tiny ice grains and dust from the region above the surface as the spacecraft flies by the moon. The primary objective is to determine the composition of this material‚ and by analysing the trajectory‚ find out where on Europas surface it originated.Scientists believe that some icy material may come from eruptions‚ or plumes‚ on Europas surface. These plumes could carry water from the ocean below into space‚ so analysing what this material is composed of will give a good indication of the habitability of the ocean. The Suda instrument will also be able to determine whether material has originated from Europa itself‚ or has come from another nearby solar system object such as another moon of Jupiter.Speaking before the latest findings‚ Murthy Gudipati‚ a planetary scientist at Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory‚ said: We are not a life-finding mission. Europa Clippers goal is to understand Europas ocean and the moons habitability.But recent research published in Science Advances has shown that Clipper could be a life-finding mission after all. A group of scientists (from the University of Washington‚ the Free University of Berlin and the UKs Open University) tested an impact ionising mass spectrometer‚ the same type of instrument as Suda‚ in the lab under simulated conditions similar to those expected during the Europa mission.In the tiny ice crystals fired towards the equipment‚ the scientists also included some bacterial cell material. They found that even when just 1% of a cells complete material was included in an ice grain‚ they could still detect the presence of bacterial material. They were also able to determine that different modes of the instrument were better for detecting different organic compounds‚ such as fatty acids and amino acids.Fabian Klenner‚ one of the researchers‚ told New Scientist: If life forms on Europa follow the same principle of having a membrane and DNA made from amino acids then detecting those chemicals would be a smoking gun for life there.The Suda science team will use these findings to analyse the data from Europa when it arrives. They have a little while to get things ready: the spacecraft wont arrive at Europa until at least 2030.It would be a sufficiently fantastic result if Clipper can demonstrate that Europa has the necessary ingredients for life‚ and would undoubtedly lead to much research and speculation‚ as well as possible preparations for a follow-up mission to detect potential life. If Clipper can do all that‚ plus gather direct material from alien life at the same time‚ it would be a landmark scientific discovery.To date‚ no concrete evidence has been found of life beyond Earth‚ though there are indications of suitable conditions on some other solar system bodies. Life on Europa would be the first extraterrestrial biology ever conclusively detected. While this life is not likely to communicate with us any time soon‚ it would answer the burning question of whether biology can exist anywhere other than Earth.Proving that Europa supports or has supported life will enable researchers to develop and test theories on how that biology came to be. This in turn could also provide insights into the origins of life on our planet.Lucinda King‚ Space Projects Manager &;amp; Mission Design Lead‚ University of PortsmouthThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post Scientists might soon be able to detect if alien life exists on Jupiters moon appeared first on Anomalien.com.

In the sparsely populated hilly region of Southern England‚ adjacent to the coast‚ lies the South Downs National Park. This park has a small lake where night fishing enthusiasts love to come. And recently‚ one after another‚ they began to report that an unidentified creature had appeared there‚ because of which some of them were forced to give up their hobby and hastily leave the park. Members of the Cryptid and Paranormal Investigations group on Facebook observed multiple instances of close calls with a creature so evil that it made the fishermen up sticks and depart straight away‚ The Daily Star reports.I suddenly felt an incredible sense of tension‚ and it was a feeling that I had never experienced before or since. It truly felt as if someone was watching me‚ and I was not welcome here‚ says a man named Mike Brown. Another fisherman‚ Michael Brindle‚ said he was sitting on a chair next to his fishing rods and dozed off a little when he was awakened by a loud growl coming from the other side of the lake. I was dozing on my chair next to the rods when I was woken by a loud growl from the opposite bank‚ he said.And when he looked in that direction‚ he noticed something large there that was running quickly on two legs. And she didnt just run‚ but with superhuman agility climbed up a steep slope‚ where not a single person could avoid injury. According to Brindle‚ that steep slope was dangerous to walk on even in daylight and risked serious injury‚ and the creature certainly did not have any lighting. He was so scared that he quickly packed his things and left. None of the fishermen could examine this creature in detail‚ but they are sure that it was not some kind of joker and also not some ordinary forest animal. Mike said: I think though the most standout thing is the terrain being covered in the dark‚ it sounds dangerous enough to attempt in the daylight let alone in the dark! When you cant see any obvious signs of torchlight‚ thats the really scary part because no human could do it without suffering injury.His roar really frightened Brundle: The hairs on my arms stood on end. I hope I never hear that again‚ he added.The post Snarling bipedal creature scares night fishermen in southern England appeared first on Anomalien.com.

The famous astrophysicist from Harvard University‚ Professor Avi Loeb‚ suggested that aliens could use collapsed dimensions for travel.Loeb argues that these hidden dimensions‚ which scientists are trying to uncover using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)‚ may be the key to understanding how aliens travel vast distances in space.Aliens may have been developing dimension-hopping technology for billions of years‚ Loeb said. They can use theoretical quantum-gravitational engineering to travel through these hidden dimensions.Avi LoebQuantum mechanics‚ discovered a century ago‚ is the basis of much modern technology‚ but Loeb believes our understanding of it is incomplete. He argues that the unification of quantum mechanics and gravity requires the existence of additional spatial dimensions‚ which are currently collapsed.The worlds largest particle collider‚ the LHC‚ was built to search for these extra dimensions by colliding protons at incredible speeds. Scientists hope to discover specific particles that may indicate the existence of these hidden dimensions.Loeb suggests that aliens traveling through these extra-dimensional dimensions could reduce the risk of collision with other objects.If there are extra dimensions‚ then reality as we know it extends to them‚ Loeb said. This could lead to much more diverse and interesting life forms.Loebs theory is based on advanced physical concepts and is therefore difficult to prove or disprove. However‚ the astrophysicists assumption opens up the possibility that aliens may use technologies that are not available to us today.If scientists discover evidence of hidden dimensions‚ it could lead to revolutionary changes in our understanding of the Universe and open the way to contact with extraterrestrial civilizations.The post Harvard scientist claims aliens may be using hidden dimensions to travel appeared first on Anomalien.com.

The Great Filter is a hypothetical concept in the context of the Fermi Paradox that seeks to explain why‚ despite high estimates for the probability of extraterrestrial civilizations‚ humanity has not encountered any clear evidence of them. It suggests that at some step from pre-life to an advanced civilization capable of colonizing galaxies‚ there is a highly improbable stage. This stage acts as a filter that prevents the emergence or longevity of such civilizations. Now‚ lets explore a creative take on whether artificial intelligence (AI) could become a modern interpretation of the Great Filter. Imagine a future where AI development This premium content is for PLUS+ members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.The post Could AI become the Great Filter keeping us from contacting aliens? appeared first on Anomalien.com.

In a remarkable fusion of folklore and cutting-edge technology‚ the Loch Ness Monster Centre has extended an official invitation to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to join the quest for one of the worlds most enigmatic creaturesNessie‚ the Loch Ness Monster. This collaboration marks a new chapter in the storied search for the elusive beast that has captured imaginations for decades.The Loch Ness Monster Centre‚ a hub for all things Nessie‚ is orchestrating what is poised to be the grandest monster hunt in recent memory. Following last years extensive search‚ which engaged hundreds of volunteers and utilized a fleet of webcams‚ drones‚ and hydrophones‚ the Centre is preparing for an even more ambitious endeavor scheduled from May 30th to June 2nd. This years hunt is not just a search; its a call to arms for experts across various fields to contribute their knowledge and technology in pursuit of the legendary creature.The spotlight shines on NASA‚ whose participation could revolutionize the search. The Centres marketing manager‚ Aimee Todd‚ expressed hope that NASAs advanced imaging technologies could peer into the lochs depths like never before.We are hoping that experts from NASA might have some advanced imaging technology to scan the loch‚ said Loch Ness Centre marketing manager Aimee Todd.We would have to sit down and talk to them about how to get it here.The timing of the search is symbolic‚ coinciding with the 90th anniversary of the first major expedition led by Sir Edward Mountain in 1934. The historical resonance adds a layer of gravity to the proceedings‚ honoring the legacy of explorers who have sought the truth behind the legend.Last years search garnered international attention‚ drawing participants from across the globe. General manager Paul Nixon reflected on the unexplained sounds and potential sightings reported during the event‚ fueling the determination to delve deeper into the mystery this year.One thing is certainthe search for the Loch Ness Monster continues‚ now with the possibility of space-age technology illuminating the path forward.The post NASA Joins the Quest: The Loch Ness Monster Hunt Intensifies appeared first on Anomalien.com.