Movies & TV house of the dragon Class Issues, Sick Burns, and an Army of Bastards: House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 7 Rhaenyra’s moment of triumph comes at a cost, Alicent gets back to nature, and Daemon… is a mess. By Tyler Dean | Published on July 29, 2024 Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO This penultimate episode of season 2 gives us the rest of the Sowing of the Seeds and finally lets non-book readers in on why we’ve been following Hugh and Ulf all season. It brings Daemon’s plot in the Riverlands to a close while bringing us to a cliffhanger moment in his personal journey. It also features some of the most gorgeous photography in the entirety of the show as Alicent spends a few days reconnecting with nature. We’ll talk about the specifics of this episode’s increasingly thorny class politics, the new dragons on the scene, and some content cut from Fire & Blood that it’s (probably) safe to talk about now. Spoilers for the episode and some book-related speculation below…  The Title The title of this episode is “The Red Sowing,” which is the cacophomism for “the Sowing of the Seeds”—the incident where Seasmoke, Vermithor, and Silverwing were claimed by dragonseeds. While “the Red Sowing” is a phrase known to people of the Seven Kingdoms, using that term (rather than “the Sowing of the Seeds” or simply “The Sowing”) moves away from the show’s typical ethos of using more flowery names that reflect a sanitized or heavily biased version of the bloody history. The Red Sowing is a moment of triumph for Rhaenyra but it comes at the cost of the slaughter and burning of dozens of people. In the “Inside the Episode” interviews, Ryan Condal even refers to it as a “ritual sacrifice.” Dragonseed Lineages and Dragonkeeper Politics Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO We’re seeing some interesting reactions to the ways in which the show has added nuance and new details to its version of the Sowing of the Seeds. First off, we witness the rise of the crisis that was hinted at in last week’s episode, where allowing lowborn dragonseeds to ride dragons is considered a perversion of the art of dragonriding.  F&B gives us a few pages on the “Sowing of the Seeds” or the “Red Sowing.” In the books, while the Targaryen bastards are front and center, there it’s much more of a free-for-all, with anyone loyal to the Blacks invited to participate. Munkun’s True Telling tells us that sixteen men lost their lives during the Sowing. Three times that number were burned or maimed. Steffon Darklyn was burned to death whilst attempting to mount the dragon Seasmoke. Lord Gormon Massey suffered the same fate when approaching Vermithor. […] Vermithor, the Old King’s own dragon, bent his neck to a blacksmith’s bastard, a towering man called Hugh the Hammer or Hard Hugh, whilst a pale-haired man-at-arms named Ulf the White (for his hair) or Ulf the Sot (for his drinking) mounted Silverwing […] and Seasmoke, who had once borne Laenor Velaryon, took onto his back a boy of ten-and-five known as Addam of Hull. (Fire & Blood, 441-442) The show opts, instead, to portray the inclusion of the Targaryen bastards as causing a scandal. There has been a strong throughline this season of the general classism of both the Greens and the Blacks this season and this is one point where it culminates in a meaningful way. Part of this comes from the way in which the show has reimagined the dragonkeepers. In F&B, the order is founded in 56 AC after Aerea Targaryen returned from her disastrous two-year sojourn with Balerion (you can read my article on Martin and horror for the specifics of that sad chapter). They are a special order of trained guards and handlers, but they are not an esoteric order full of Valyrian mysticism. In HotD, the dragonkeepers appear to be as old as the Targaryens themselves. They wear Valyrian colors (their robes are the same red and yellow designs that Rhaenyra and Daemon wear at their traditional Valyrian wedding). They only ever speak in High Valyrian and seem to share some Old Valyrian sensibilities. They refer to Steffon Darklyn as an “Andal” (the ethnic group from Western Essos that dominates the Southern Westerosi houses) reminding the audience that he is, from their perspective, part of an outgroup (incidentally, the Darklyns are generally thought of as being descended from the First Men in AsoIaF).  I was initially surprised that the show chose to represent the dragonkeepers as being anti-bastard—isn’t a Targaryen a Targaryen? But it makes sense if they are not just an order of dragon experts but true remnants of Valyrian culture. The Freehold of Valyria was a slave state and, even before the Doom, there was a premium placed on the precious rarity of dragonlord blood. Lowborn bastards are, therefore, only to be used for sacrifice. We may find the Westerosi nobility’s class politics to be abhorrent but they are still better than those held by the Valyrians. In terms of Targaryen lineages, Hugh (Kieran Bew) gets a weirdly truncated acknowledgement of his status as a dragonseed this episode. It does strike me as a little bit rushed that we spent six episodes establishing his backstory and domestic life only to have his daughter die off-screen and the reveal of his Targaryen bastardy occur in a scene immediately before he becomes plot-relevant. The other potential dragonseeds, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) and Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) had comparatively much better-paced arcs leading up to the pivotal moment. That said, in the book, we get no specific lineage for Hugh other than that he is the bastard son of a blacksmith claiming Targaryen heritage. The show’s version of Hugh says that he is the son of a Targaryen sex worker. That would make his mother, most likely, Saera Targaryen, the ninth-born child of Jaehaerys (Michael Carter) and Good Queen Alysanne, and the aunt of Viserys and Daemon.  In F&B, Saera is plagued by scandal for her premarital sexual interests, which only escalate as King Jaehaerys attempts to punish the princess for her behavior. The end result is that, after being forced to take a septa’s vows, she flees to Lys and becomes a sex worker. She later returns to Westeros in middle age as a powerful madame who presses the claims of her sons with the Triarch of Lys at Jaehaerys’ Great Council of 101. Obviously, HotD has cut that part of it (and it may well be that Hugh’s mother is someone other than Saera) but it’s great to see a real lineage given to the character.  DragonWatch Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO This was one of the dragon-heaviest episodes of the series so far, with Syrax and Seasmoke both making appearances, as well as the introduction of two new dragons (give or take a single shot of a Vermithor last season). That means that about two thirds of the dragons mentioned in F&B have made it to the screen so far… Syrax — Syrax is among the most regularly featured dragons on the show and has been spectacularly displayed in each of her appearances, starting with the very first episode. We haven’t seen much of her so far this season, so yesterday’s episode gave us a decent look at the Black Queen’s mount. Syrax has only ever been ridden by Rhaenyra and it’s implied that she is one of the dragons who bonded with their first rider from the egg—with Rhaenyra first riding her at age seven. We don’t have an exact date of birth but the evidence implies that she’s near Rhaenyra’s age. Syrax, like Meraxes, Vhagar, and Balerion, is the name of an Old Valyrian god though, as with the entire Valyrian pantheon, we only know the name and have never gotten a canon explanation of their domain/characteristics. F&B describes Syrax as huge and yellow-scaled though not as large or formidable as Caraxes. The show has depicted Syrax as one of the smaller rideable dragons on the show—roughly the same size as Seasmoke. She retains her yellow scales and has been given a somewhat gentle aspect. She’s not quite as doglike as Sunfyre, but her external lips hide her teeth entirely and she has a quartet of long, scaled back curving horns that are not as fearsome as those of other dragons. Her fins are less spiky and her features are smoother. She is not battle-tested and, according to F&B, she was made more docile by years of being chained in the Dragonpit and hand-fed rather than being allowed to hunt.  Vermithor — We have technically seen Vermithor in the finale of season one, in the scene where Daemon sings his lullaby deep in the bowels of the Dragonmont. He’s called “the Bronze Fury,” as Rhaenyra says, and is the second oldest and second largest tame dragon in Westeros. Vermithor was hatched in King Jaehaerys’ crib in 34 AC, making him currently 96 years old (note that he’s still only half the age of Vhagar). I’ve mentioned this factoid before, but the name “Vermithor” likely comes from Vermithrax Pejorative (the dragon in the absurdly dark 1981 fantasy film, Dragonslayer, who is George R.R. Martin’s favorite on-screen dragon). In-world, the name sounds Valyrian but we have no explanation for what it might mean. The book describes him as bronze-scaled with tan wings, which the show has kept to fairly accurately. They’ve given him a bit of the aging dragon iguana-wattle that Vhagar has, as well as horns along his chin that give him a little bit of a bearded look. Like his elderly aunt, he’s kaiju-coded, and the show chooses to introduce him in a truly terrifying extended scene that highlights his slow, almost lackadaisical murder of a dozen dragonseeds. It captured some of the dread majesty of the T-Rex scenes in Jurassic Park. That is enhanced by the forward-curving horns that make his face look a little like a Carnotaurus. Despite his fierceness, Vermithor has no actual battle experience, though his first rider, Jaehaerys the Conciliator, did use him as a threat to his enemies.  Silverwing — Silverwing is one of the very few dragons left on the show that we have not previously seen in any form (save for on a stamp, the image of which was leaked ahead of this episode). She is the next oldest dragon after Vermithor, being somewhere between 96 and 88 years old. She’s named for her coloration though High Valyrian conlinguist David J. Peterson has said that her name (meaning, roughly “Silverwing”) in the mother tongue is Gēliotīkun. Obviously silvery in color, in line with her book description, Silverwing’s advanced age is portrayed somewhat differently than that of Vhagar and Vermithor. She looks emaciated and drawn—almost skeletal. Her neck, though proportionally shorter than Caraxes’ is still long and snakelike, and they’ve given her a fan of fins at the end of a long, whiplike tail that looks almost like a flanged mace. It’s a lean and dangerous look that is fascinatingly at odds with what Gyldayn describes as her docile, friendly nature. Her previous rider was Jaehaerys’ beloved wife, Good Queen Alysanne, who is perhaps the single most beloved Targaryen in the entire dynastic history. Like Alysanne herself, Silverwing is famously charismatic and regal—a dragon to be loved rather than feared. It’s an interesting juxtaposition that Silverwing is now paired with the feckless Ulf, whose charms are of a crasser and baser variety. Like Vermithor, she is not battle-tested, but she has been to the Wall (where she famously refused to cross it) and is a beloved symbol of authority, especially in the North.  Some Erasures Credit: HBO (Potential Show Spoilers Ahead)  This section contains some speculation on things that I am assuming have been cut from the show. That said, it is possible that some of these elements have simply been moved to later points in the series or may be repurposed. Be forewarned that by reading this section, you might spoil yourself for future plot points that could potentially show up in season 3. It will be safe to resume reading in the “Odds & Ends” section, if you want to skip ahead! There is a moment when the Kings Landing dragonseeds are boarding the ships to Dragonstone where we see a young peasant girl with dark skin and textured hair. She may or may not be intended to evoke Nettles, a character that the show appears to have cut in order to give her plot to Rhaena Targaryen. I did check, though, and we do not specifically see that extra die during the sequence with Vermithor. There has been a lot of discussion (and general disappointment) over Nettles being cut from the show. She’s the only canonical person of color in the Dance of the Dragons, a shepherd whose eventual bond with the feral dragon, Sheepstealer, puts the “dragonriders must be dragonlords” shtick into the most doubt—she is assumed to be a dragonseed but has no Targaryen features or a lineage that can be traced back to any specific Targaryen. In some ways, giving her plot to Rhaena makes sense. Rhaena is a member of the main cast and is important later on in the Dance but has relatively little to do during the first two seasons of the show. Allowing her to pursue Sheepstealer (that has to be why we see all the sheep corpses) makes some sense. Rhaena is being characterized as somewhat temperamentally similar to the Nettles of the book, and given the casting of so many other actors of color on HotD, cutting the one woman of color from the book (or at least repurposing her plot) isn’t as egregious as it might have been.  But there is plot with Nettles later in F&B that can’t be transferred to Rhaena. Namely, she has an affair with Daemon (who, I should remind you, is Rhaena’s father) and eventually she flees the court of the Blacks on dragonback in order to live as a reclusive “fire witch” in the Vale. That feels like something the show will not do with Rhaena. It’s possible that, given how much of a character arc Daemon has been given this season and how much they have transferred some of the sexual tension Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) has with another character in original book to Matt Smith, it may simply be that Daemon’s eventual affair with Nettles doesn’t make as much plot sense as it does in the book. With both Sheepstealer and the affair taken care of elsewhere, Nettles might not be as centrally important to HotD as she is in the source material.  Additionally, in moving the plot with Sheepstealer to Rhaena in the Vale, the show might be cutting three further dragons from its roster. In F&B, in addition to Seasmoke, Vermithor, and Silverwing, the Dragonmont is also home to three feral dragons, i.e. dragons who have reached adulthood and never been bonded to a rider. They have no official names but the smallfolk of Dragonstone have nicknamed them Sheepstealer (for their hunting habits), Grey Ghost (for their coloration and stealthy nature), and the Cannibal (for its unsavory habit of eating dragon eggs and other hatchlings). While Grey Ghost and the Cannibal are never ridden in the books, they are a neat plot point and, call me crazy, but I think the dragon show should have as many dragons as possible. In pairing up Rhaena with Sheepstealer, the show is potentially cutting the dragon hatchling she eventually bonds with in the book, who is called Morning. So that’s three dragons potentially dispensed with one adaptation change.  It is possible that Nettles may show up in season three, perhaps even riding Grey Ghost or the Cannibal. But, if she does, the character will likely be greatly altered from her role in the book, and it may just be that the show isn’t interested in adding someone so very new whose major plot points have already been covered elsewhere. Odds & Ends Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO After the death of Leon Estermont (Ralph Davis) during the food riots last episode, Aemond pins the blame for the riots on Aegon’s remaining drinking buddies turned Kingsguard, Ser Eddard Waters (Tok Stephens) and Ser Martyn Reyne (Barney Fishwick), forcing them to take the black.  We finally get confirmation in this episode that Antonio Magro is playing Lord Petyr Piper this season. He’s only identified as “Lord Piper” on IMDb for obvious reasons. Adapting F&B for television means consistently grappling with the nonchalance with which Martin deploys a silly character name for someone that gets mentioned twice on the page, only for HotD to have to write around their goofy name or avoid having it mentioned on screen.  Lord Piper’s men-at-arms wear the house sigil, with its dancing nude woman draped in a white banner—I believe this is the first time any GoT show has shown it. The sigil takes its name for the seat of House Piper—Pinkmaiden—whose curious nomenclature has never been fully explained. The house seems to use the azure of the sigil’s field as their primary color. You can see members of House Vance of Atranta (with their black dragon quartered with yellow eye sigils) during Oscar Tully’s (Archie Barnes) address to the Riverlords. I believe this is another first for the series. Both branches of House Vance are named for seminal science fiction author Jack Vance, one of Martin’s heroes. The sigils of the two houses refer to his texts, The Dragon Masters (1962), The Eyes of the Overworld (1966), and Liane the Wayfarer (1950)—the other branch of House Vance is from “Wayfarer’s Rest.” Ser Simon Strong’s (Simon Russell Beale) robe is so close in both hue and pattern to one of George Martin’s iconic looks that I’m thoroughly convinced of the conscious styling choice I suggested last week.  I have once again been proven wrong about what the show is doing with Willem Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones) and Oscar Tully. It seems that Oscar will be a partial replacement for the Benjicot Blackwood child soldier plot.  Another small complaint along the same lines as Aegon and Rhaenyra being named as rulers of the Rhoynar; this episode suggests that Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan) was both Lord Commander of the Queensguard and heir to the Dun Fort. Joining the Kingsguard (or the Night’s Watch, or the order of Maesters) requires that you give up any claim to lands or titles (along with taking a vow of celibacy that ensures there are no descendants to press a claim). That was the whole conflict between Tywin and Jaime in the original series—Tyrion had to be heir to Casterly Rock as long as Jaime was in the Kingsguard. So Ser Steffon can’t have been heir to the Dun Fort. It’s been subtle, but one of the ways in which the show has been reinforcing Jace’s lack of trust in Rhaenyra lies in the detail that he believes that his bastardy makes him illegitimate. In Westeros, a monarch or Lord can legitimize their bastard child. Even if Jace is not a Velaryon, he is still the son of the Targaryen queen. For him to believe that his father being Harwin Strong disqualifies his inheritance, he would have to believe that only his father’s lineage matters. It’s a quiet rebuke of the idea that a ruling Queen would be afforded all the same privileges as a King.  In F&B, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) attempts to claim Sheepstealer and gives up on dragonriding after being badly burned. I assume that his invocation as being salt and sea in this episode is proof that he is more like his father and also that he will not attempt to claim a dragon on HotD. It’s a little weird that Elinda Massey (Jordon Stevens) wears the brightest red cloak and her House sigil while undercover in King’s Landing.  Tom Bennett’s performance as Ulf has a particularly Ricky Gervais-style shiftlessness in this episode. It’s a good touchstone for our gladhanding, cowardly dragonseed. You’ll note that Gormon Massey (James Dreyfus), Rhaenyra’s most addled small council member, is still alive after the Sowing of the Seeds. It will be interesting to see if the show has some other fate in store for him or if he’ll continue to be an amusing if unremarkable presence now that his book-equivalent is dead in the source material. There is so much beautiful Pre-Raphaelite imagery featuring Olivia Cooke in this episode. Obviously, they were trying to fake us out a little bit with the potential drowning and its Pre-Raphaelite Ophelia parallels. All I can say is they better not. I think Alicent has a perfect endpoint in Fire & Blood and I would hate to see it changed without a truly earned expansion of her plot. But we can rejoice—Alicent is simply swimming peacefully in the waters of the Kingswood!  In Season 1, episode 4 of the original Game of Thrones, that show’s Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) tells Doreah that one of the dragons whose skulls were in the Red Keep was Vermithrax. Benioff and Weiss put the name in as a reference to Martin’s beloved Dragonslayer and it is likely that the inclusion sparked Martin naming two of his historical dragons Vermithor and Vermax.  Robert Rhodes, who plays the first burned dragonseed with the facial difference, is credited in this episode as “Silver Denys” a named dragonseed from F&B who is killed by the yet-unseen Cannibal. I assume he had some cut lines this episode since a featured extra usually doesn’t get end-credit billing. There is similarly a credit for Parker Lapaine, the dragonseed that Hugh saves from Vermithor According to the matching episode of HBO’s “The House that Dragons Built,” the face on Harrenhal’s Weirwood tree is George R.R. Martin’s.  In Conclusion Despite what might have been cut out by the HotD showrunners, I think the show is better than ever. I’ll be interested in seeing what the endpoint of this season is in the finale next episode, seeing as both of my predictions for the season’s climax both seem unlikely at this point. But what did you think? Are you on board for our new dragonriders and our new dragons? Do you have any predictions for next week’s finale?[end-mark] The post Class Issues, Sick Burns, and an Army of Bastards: <i>House of the Dragon</i> Season 2, Episode 7 appeared first on Reactor.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A video uploaded by a citizen journalist, known by the pseudonym “Dancer,” was removed from YouTube after the Bohemian Club issued a copyright strike against the footage, which captured scenes from the secretive Bohemian Grove’s annual ceremony. Dancer filmed parts of the “Cremation of Care” ceremony, a private event held within the confines of the 2,700-acre retreat in Monte Rio, California. The Bohemian Club, a private club known for its high-profile membership including politicians, business leaders, and artists, asserts strict privacy policies and prohibits any recording devices at the gathering. Tucked away in the ancient redwood forests of Monte Rio, California, lies a 2,700-acre retreat known as Bohemian Grove. This exclusive enclave hosts a private all-male membership that comprises some of the most influential figures in politics, business, and the arts. Annually, members of the Bohemian Club, which was founded in San Francisco in 1872, gather for a two-week retreat that is both a sanctuary from the public eye and a subject of substantial controversy. Bohemian Grove continues to be shrouded in mystique and controversy. While members may argue that the retreat serves as a critical decompression chamber away from the limelight, the secrecy surrounding its ritualistic activities fuels ongoing debates about transparency. Copyright strikes have become a prevalent tool for removing controversial footage from online platforms, a trend that raises significant concerns about the suppression of free speech and transparency. While these legal mechanisms are designed to protect intellectual property rights, they are increasingly leveraged by corporations, private entities, and even government bodies to censor material deemed sensitive or damaging. This practice not only restricts public access to potentially important information but also stifles discourse and debate, particularly when the content in question involves powerful figures or institutions. This incident has added fuel to the ongoing controversy surrounding Bohemian Grove, which has been criticized for its secrecy and alleged influence on global affairs. Activists and transparency advocates have long demanded more insight into the club’s annual gatherings, suggesting that the decisions made behind closed doors should be subject to public scrutiny. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Bohemian Club Uses Copyright Strikes To Scrub Ritual Footage appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Salvador, Once Upon a Time in America, and Casino Actor James Woods, these days known for his political tweets and vocal support of President Donald Trump, has shared a revealing account on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show, that shows just how much prominent figures have to curb their speech to protect their acting career. Speaking on Kelly’s radio show, Woods talks about how he forwent credit and promotional involvement with last year’s blockbuster film “Oppenheimer,” in order to not cause the film to receive any negative attention. Display "James Woods Describes How Hollywood Blacklists Conservatives, and How He's Crafted a Second Act Now" from rumble.com Click here to display content from rumble.com Always display content from rumble.com Open "James Woods Describes How Hollywood Blacklists Conservatives, and How He's Crafted a Second Act Now" directly Despite his crucial role as an executive producer—stemming from his acquisition of the rights to the biographical book, “American Prometheus,” which inspired Christopher Nolan’s screenplay—he was discreetly advised to maintain a low profile. The decision stemmed from concerns that his political outspokenness might negatively impact the film’s rollout and its success in the awards season. Woods described the request for his reduced visibility as a painful yet necessary sacrifice for the greater good of the project. “It was gently suggested that I basically remain invisible, which was painful,” he remarked. His pragmatic outlook led him to accept the sidelining to avoid jeopardizing the film’s accolades and financial success, crucial for securing its place in cinematic history. The film went on to gross almost $1 Billion and received seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Despite his significant contribution, Woods faced exclusion from key industry events, including the Producers Guild of America awards, where he was notably not invited despite “Oppenheimer” clinching the top prize. His willingness to step back highlights a troubling dynamic in Hollywood, where creative contributions can be overshadowed by personal political affiliations. The situation underscores a broader issue of censorship and bias within the entertainment industry, where an individual’s political views can lead to professional isolation and exclusion. Woods, who has largely retreated from Hollywood following these experiences and a break with his agent over his political stances, last appeared in the sitcom “Dice” in 2017. His story raises critical questions about freedom of expression and the potential consequences of political affiliations in the arts and media sectors. In a similar vein, actress Gina Carano, previously known for her role in The Mandalorian, filed a lawsuit against Disney and LucasFilm, claiming wrongful termination and discrimination following her dismissal from the show. This action came after a series of social media posts that Disney stated violated its standards. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post James Woods: “Oppenheimer” Credit Kept Quiet Due to Pro-Trump Tweets appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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What separates us from animals that share 98.8 percent of our DNA? While there might be many varied and valid answers, something that has been at the forefront of this debate is the lack of speech from chimpanzees. Two theories exist as to why chimpanzees might not be able to make human speech sounds: either it is a physiological issue within the lips, tongue, or mouth system; or they lack the pathways in the brain to make a sound. However, by reviewing old footage, researchers have challenged the idea that chimps don’t have the building blocks for speech.Animals have also been known to mimic human speech but are typically those without any similar vocal apparatus, such as whales and other marine mammals. In human babies, words such as “mama” are often among the first to appear. The team looked at old videos of two chimpanzees named Johnny and Renata who each produced the word “mama”.  In the paper, the authors explain that Johnny lived at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary at Palm Harbor in Florida, USA, and was recorded on a home video. When prompted by the question “Can you say mama?” Johnny appears to appropriately respond.           In Renata’s case, the footage came from a Universal Studios’ Universal Newsreel called Now Hear This! Italians Unveil Talking Chimp was released in 1962. However, the team does not know any further context surrounding Renata's life or how she might have been taught to speak.They explain that previous research has been based on scientific studies (which nowadays would not pass ethical standards) on apes that experienced poor animal welfare – they explain that "Subjects in 'ape language' studies were traumatized, their emotional, ecological and social needs unmet", with many being taken from their mothers in the wild and exposed to "neglect and cruelty".          To test if unbiased people could tell what the chimps were saying, the researchers set up an experiment. The voices of the chimpanzees were mixed in with the voices of humans diagnosed with speech pathologies from Parkinson's disease. Each voice was saying only a few words, and the participants in the study were not aware that two of the voices came from chimps. They were asked to write down the words spoken during the experiment – if they wrote ma or mama, it would indicate that the phonetics the chimps were saying were similar to human words. Most of the participants agreed that at least Renata was making “mama” sounds, while there were more widespread responses surrounding the noises Johnny was making. The results suggest that the chimps were capable of vocal learning. The team wrote that “chimpanzees can produce the putative 'first words' of spoken languages.” The team concluded that previously chimps have underestimated and do possess the necessary neural pathways for speech – "Great apes can produce human words; the failure to demonstrate this half a century ago was the fault of the researchers, not the animals," they conclude.Not everyone is convinced though – as Julia Fischer, a cognitive scientist at the German Primate Center in Göttingen explained to the New York Times, “This paper is a good example of the tug of war in the ‘ape language’ field. What the apes are doing vocally has nothing to do with human speech,” she said.The paper is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Around 4,200 years ago, in the third millennium BCE, humans in the western Russian steppes began a new era in human history by entangling their lives with another species of animal. Recent research has argued that, at this time, the numbers of domesticated horses bred by people expanded quickly, which introduced unprecedented changes. Horses not only sped up communications and trade across Eurasian networks, they also catalyzed exchanges and interactions among diverse and distant cultures.Every domestic horse across the world today, be it a majestic draft horse, a local pony-club trotter, or a world champion racer or showjumper, comes from the same place in the Russian steppe region. This fact has been known for a long time, but scientists have been less sure about the exact chronology of when horses were first domesticated and then utilized by humans.In this recent study, a massive international team of researchers coordinated by Ludovic Orlando, director of the Centre of Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse (CAGT, CNRS/Université Paul Sabatier), assessed 475 ancient horse genomes to trace when the animals were first reshaped by humans. They did so by gathering horse archaeological remains from across the Eurasian continent.They then combined radiocarbon dating with DNA sequencing to create a comprehensive genome time-series. This basically offers a fine-grained image of the genetic transformations that horses have experienced and how they relate to the emergence of equestrianism.“I started working on horses about a decade ago,” first author Pablo Librado, Tenured Scientist at the Institut de Biologia Evolutiva of Barcelona (IBE), explained in a statement.“At that time, we only had a handful of ancient genomes. With this new work, we now have several hundred. It was particularly important to gain resolution into Central Europe, the Carpathian and the Transylvanian basins, as this area was central to ongoing debates about horseback riding driving the massive migrations from the steppes around ~5,000 years ago, and possibly earlier.”Librado and colleagues searched for signs of three indicators of horse husbandry in their data. Firstly, they traced when the progenitors of modern domestic horses started to spread beyond their native domestication homeland. Secondly, they attempted to precisely date the earliest signs of breeding and large-scale production of horses. They did so by reconstructing horse demography throughout the third millennium BCE.  Finally, the team identified signs of a significant shift in the horse reproductive cycle, which is basically a “fingerprint” of deliberate manipulation of the animals by early breeders.The convergence of all of these offers compelling evidence that, around 4,200 years ago, domestic horses started to be produced in significantly large numbers to sustain a growing demand across the continent. The evidence suggests that it could have only happened at this point, and not earlier than this.It means that the date of ~4,200 years ago marks the beginning of horse-based mobility as we know it today, something that persisted as the fastest form of terrestrial transportation until the 20th century.“One question that puzzled me for years pertains to the scale of the production,” Orlando explained.“[H]ow could such a substantial number of horses be bred so suddenly from a relatively small domestication area to meet the increasingly global demand by the turn of the second millennium BCE? Now we have an answer. Breeders controlled the reproduction of the animal so well that they almost halved the time interval between two generations. Put simply, they were able to accelerate the breeding process, effectively doubling their production rate.”In order to conduct this novel research, the team had to develop a new way to measure generation times, one that utilized the full potential of ancient genome time series.As genomes evolve, they accumulate mutations and then recombine every generation. The number of mutations carried and any DNA crossovers they went through can indicate the number of generations leading to them. Couple this information with that produced by radiocarbon dating and you have a way to calculate calendar years.The research showed that more generations accumulated in the last two centuries, which coincides with the emergence of many modern bloodlines created by intensive selective breeding. In a similar way, the generational clock seems to have ticked faster around ~4,200 years ago, when the mass production and geographic expansion of domestic horses began.“Our methodology for measuring temporal changes in generation times holds great potential. It arms the archaeozoological toolkit with a new way to monitor the development of controlled breeding across various domestic species beyond horses,” Librado added.“But it can also help elucidate the generation interval in our hunter-gatherer ancestors and how these intervals evolved alongside shifts in lifestyle or significant climatic changes.”The study is published in Nature.

A deep-sea predator has raised a few eyebrows after revealing that, when looking for love, the eye size of males increases significantly. It’s only the second time sexual dimorphism in the visual system has been established in fish, making the male dragonfish something of an anomaly among vertebrates.Bioluminescence is a crucial means of communication for creatures in the deep sea, where the Sun’s light can’t reach. For dragonfish in the family Stomiidae, the males shine brighter than the females, making them easier to see, which is crucial when your nearest potential mate can be very far away. This, however, doesn’t explain how males find females.To dig into the paradox, scientists looked at the eye size of two species of dragonfishes: Malacosteus niger and Photostomias guernei. They then modeled at what distances the males and females of each species would be able to see members of the opposite sex.Doing so revealed a massive gap in the distance each species could see, ranging from just a few to over 100 meters (328 feet). It also became apparent that males had much larger eyes, helping to close the gap by around 5 meters (16 feet) in what appears to be an adaptation for making dating in the dark just a little bit easier.“We’ve found that these male dragonfishes have evolved larger eyes to find females who produce less light,” said lead author and Boston College biologist Christopher P. Kenaley in a statement. “It’s rather stunning and a really important insight into how these poorly known species exist and thrive in the deep sea.”“We don't yet know exactly why luminescent dimorphism exists in these and other deep-sea species. Perhaps it's a way of signalling to one another that a member of the opposite sex is nearby. Answering this question will require more studies like ours that establish a pattern of how detection distances vary with levels of dimorphism.”Species- and sex-specific photophore arrangements are also seen in lanternfish species, which National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Exploration biologist Ashley Marranzino – who wasn’t involved in the study – told IFLScience could simply be a way to better advertize your interest to any passing suitors in the murky depths.“You can imagine that in an environment devoid of sunlight, having a map of different lights on your body would be a great way to signal to another individual if you are of the same species and if you are of a different sex – basically like using flashlights in a dark room to signal if you’re compatible or not.”An approach to consider the next time you’re headed to the club in search of love.The study is published in Biology Letters.

In a matter of days, thousands of astronomers will head to Cape Town and thousands more will log in to participate in the International Astronomical Union General Assembly. This event has already drawn headlines for the proposal of a new definition of a planet, improving the one that redefined Pluto at another general assembly 18 years ago.However, this conference is so much more than just that – there are going to be discussions on protecting the night sky, but also making sure that the sky remains radio quiet so that cutting-edge astronomy can continue to be done. An interesting session will also look at understanding the Sun and stars better including the potential for superflares.We made sure that the hosting of this General Assembly was of significance.Dr Kevin GovenderSessions will provide new insights into the biggest mysteries in the cosmos, such as dark matter and dark energy, and the latest on the observations of the most distant galaxies by JWST. There will also be plans for strengthening global cooperation in projects such as the International Celestial Reference Frame, which aims to make astronomy even more precise.It will be the first time that it will be open access, so the general public will be able to watch the sessions, either in pre-recorded or live format for anyone across the world using the internet. The conference will also be hybrid, allowing participants to present, discuss, and be involved without having to travel.“We made sure that the hosting of this General Assembly was of significance. I think that if we had taken it as ‘just a conference’ we would have limited ourselves,” Dr Kevin Govender, Chair of the IAU General Assembly 2024, told IFLScience. “At the core of that vision was that we wanted to showcase the incredible potential of the African continent to do astronomy.”This is the first time that the General Assembly is in Africa. The organizing committee took this opportunity to address some of the massive inequalities that astronomers from the continent face in attending conferences elsewhere in the world: High fees, travel costs, challenges in getting visas, and more factors continue to hinder the ability of African astronomers to present their findings worldwide.The conference saw an unprecedented 1,400 applications for grants, a demand they have tried to meet. The conference itself has also received the highest number of abstract submissions across its 32 editions – over 3,000 people have applied to present their work at the General Assembly. Govender hopes that it will show the academic community in the Global North how conferences need to be made more accessible to the international community.Based on observatories alone, the African research contingency has so much exciting stuff to present. To name a few, first, there is MeerKAT, a cutting-edge radio observatory – just this month, data collected by it revealed a neutron star whose jet is changing direction for the first time. H.E.S.S. in Namibia reported in November the highest-energy light ever seen from a pulsar. Science alone places this conference above the rest, but the team was keen on creating a conference that would be a model for others.“We basically built the conference on three pillars. One is accessibility, the second is impact, and the third is sustainability,” Govender told IFLScience.Being open access, the hybrid option, making sure that the building is accessible for people with disabilities, and organizing sessions focused on inclusivity have been important aspects of this mission. “Another aspect of accessibility we're offering is free childcare. We're inviting anyone who has kids to bring their kids along,” Govender explained.Part of the push towards the hybrid option is to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to conferences. Traveling overseas can be a big contributor. The conference is working with Astronomers for Planet Earth in ways to mitigate its impact, as well as promoting how astronomers can help in building resilience and sharing knowledge for the communities most affected by climate change.The plans for the conference to have a massive impact are bold: At a local level, involving different communities beyond astronomers to be involved and participate in the public and outreach aspects of the General Assembly. On the international stage, it is to show the enormous contributions that scientists across the African continent have, despite not getting the same kind of attention as contributions from other parts of the world.With observatories like the Square Kilometer Array being built, African astronomy plays an even more prominent role in our ever-changing understanding of the Universe.

A new State Park has recently opened in California, offering visitors a “journey into the past” that shows how the Central Valley looked before modern agriculture. Dos Rios officially opened to the public on June 12, 2024, marking the first state park created since Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area in November 2014. It’s found in the San Joaquin Valley where the Tuolumne River and the San Joaquin River meet, hence the name Dos Rios (Spanish for "Two Rivers").The area was once dominated by farmland. While the agricultural boom brought economic riches to the region, it resulted in significant environmental changes, from groundwater depletion to the disruption of natural waterways. To undo this damage, the land has become the subject of the state’s largest floodplain restoration project. It's been led by River Partners and the Tuolumne River Trust who purchased the property in 2012. Around 647 hectares (1,600 acres) have been restored so far, but ongoing work will add another 202 hectares (500 acres) on an adjacent former farm. Along with flooding parts of the land, over 280,000 trees have been planted and up to 12.8 kilometers (8 miles) of riverfront has been restored to its former glory. All of this aims to provide habitats for several endangered species, including the riparian brush rabbit, riparian woodrat, Swainson’s hawk, Central Valley Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, least Bell’s vireo, and the greater Sandhill crane.The recovered floodplains will also serve as a key pit stop along the Pacific Flyway, the global migration corridor for birds that flows from the Arctic down to Argentina.“The vision for Dos Rios is a journey into the past, revealing a lush Central Valley and a local escape – adjacent to two rivers and a wildlife refuge,” Armando Quintero, Director of California State Parks, said in a statement.                                                   Wildlife isn’t the only beneficiary of the project. The plains will act as natural buffers during heavy rainfall and flooding events, which are set to become more common and damaging in the years ahead due to climate change. Equally, the flood of freshwater will “recharge” the region's underground aquifers, a vital resource for drinking water, agriculture, and ecosystem health.What's more, the park has created 250 jobs and many are hoping the influx of visitors to the area could help “save” the local town of Grayson. California State Parks also believes the newly restored area will help to improve the “mental, physical, and social well-being” of locals and travelers who can enjoy the park’s national beauty for activities.“Opening Dos Rios is a game changer. It provides a beautiful riverfront destination for San Joaquin Valley residents to get outside and recreate, in a part of the state with few such places. It also provides a new model of a multi-benefit park that also reduces flood risk for local communities, provides a refuge for local residents during worsening heat waves, and restores the natural environment of the Central Valley to benefit local wildlife,” added Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of California Natural Resources Agency.If you’re planning on visiting, there are a few things to consider. Dos Rios is currently only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It’s free to enter at the moment, although they have suggested “future fees” might be introduced at a later point. Hikers, picnickers, and bird watchers are welcome, but the park currently doesn’t allow campers.