While the offspring of various animal species can look like mini versions of their parents‚ or even resemble something completely different before they start turning into the adult version‚ there’s one species that has got something else going on. Paradoxical frogs (Pseudis paradoxa) have tadpoles three to four times larger than the final adult form. So what happens to all that tadpole? Let’s find out.First off‚ we'll start with the world record. The paradoxical frog holds the world record for the “greatest size difference between tadpole and adult frog of the same species”. The tadpoles can reach a maximum length of 16.8 centimeters (6.6 inches) and then undergo a metamorphosis into adulthood to reach a size that measures no more than 6.5 centimeters (2.5 inches). In fact‚ the tadpoles are often four times the size of the adults. The longest few have been seen in museum study or raised in lab conditions‚ measuring up to 23.8 centimeters long (11 inches). The change is so incredible that the first scientists believed that the frogs were adult-sized first‚ before changing into tadpoles that became fish‚ not believing that such shrinkage the other way around was possible. These frogs have such large body growth‚ which occurs mostly in the larval phase.Image credit: Gerrit Jan Schouten from Iconographia Zoologica via Wikimedia Commons (here and here)‚ public domain; edited by IFLScienceThe genus Pseudis consists of 11 species‚ all of which live in Central and South America including the Caribbean islands of Trinidad. A study from 2009 looked at the growth rate of the tadpoles of this frog compared to other tropical frog species and found that while the growth rates were similar‚ the paradoxical frog tadpoles kept growing rather than starting to metamorphosize at the same time as the other tadpoles.Their work suggested some factors that could be the drivers of this weird life history‚ such as the idea that the tadpoles mature faster into adults than other species. Alternatively‚ there's a suggestion that adults in the species spend more time out of water eating higher quality prey and restricting their growth rate‚ so the larval stage has to do all the growing instead. Others suggest that the hormone prolactin is to blame for the unusually large tadpoles‚ but more work is needed on this species to fully understand the paradox. 

An award-winning photograph of a polar bear’s unusual napping spot has captured global attention following the announcement of the Wildlife Photographer Of The Year People’s Choice Award. Ice Bed by Nima Sarikhani shows a polar bear that’s carved out a place to sleep from a small iceberg off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago‚ and it's really got people talking.After receiving record-breaking support in the People’s Choice Award competition‚ it was announced as the winner with 75‚000 votes. It was captured during a three-day search for polar bears through thick fog off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago aboard an expedition vessel. Just before midnight‚ the crew and its guests encountered a young male using its paws to carve out a bed on top of a small iceberg‚ before curling up to go to sleep.Sea ice is a vital habitat for polar bears who need it to hunt‚ as well as rest‚ but in recent years there has been less and less of it to go around due to climate change. The image of the young polar bear making a bed on such a small spit of ice has understandably triggered a lot of emotion‚ demonstrating the plight of these animals.   “The period with sea ice over shallower water in much of the area is now much shorter than it was a few decades ago‚” said Dr Jon Aars of the Norweigian Polar Bear Institute to London’s Natural History Museum. “While the bears that follow sea ice may still be able to hunt year-round‚ this is increasingly over deeper waters which may be less productive."“The loss of sea ice also affects other aspects of their lifestyle. For example‚ the bears often no longer reach areas in the east that have traditionally been important for building dens. Instead‚ the bears are now often found hundreds of kilometres closer to the north pole‚ where the sea ice tends to be.”Like other mammals‚ polar bear pups are reliant on their mother’s milk‚ but long journeys‚ reduced hunting opportunities‚ and denning difficulties can make it harder for them to carry babies to term and keep them alive after they’re born. The photo is therefore a stark reminder of what we stand to lose if action isn’t taken‚ but one that Sarikhani hopes can inspire positive change. IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.“I am so honoured to have won this year's People’s Choice award for WPY‚ the most prestigious wildlife photography competition‚” Sarikhani said in a statement. “This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it.”“Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face‚ I hope that this photograph also inspires hope. There is still time to fix the mess we have caused.”Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum‚ London.

Mars and Earth are dramatically different planets. The complex and wildly different environments of our world are not comparable to the sandy frigid desert that is Mars today – but billions of years ago‚ the two worlds were a lot more similar. New research suggests that it was not just a superficial likeness but rather a deep one.The picture currently painted of ancient Mars suggests a world with flowing water – although we are unsure if this was a constant or if the planet oscillated from a frosty globe to a world of rivers‚ growing lakes‚ and stormy seas. Mars also shook a lot more. It still has quakes‚ but they're not as powerful as their earthly counterparts. It also used to have active volcanoes. The tallest one in the solar system‚ Olympus Mons‚ is on Mars. Now‚ only Jupiter’s Io and likely Venus have erupting volcanoes beyond Earth.Planetary scientists rewound the clock for Mars by looking at the Eridania region. This area is interesting for many reasons. But chiefly‚ for this research‚ there are two main ones: It has portions of the Martian crust that still hold evidence of a bygone magnetism‚ and it has a lot of volcanic structures.Using data from multiple orbital observers – among which are the Mars Global Surveyor‚ Mars Odyssey‚ and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter – the team identified 63 new volcanic structures in the Eridania region. Those were divided into four broad categories. First are volcanic domes‚ protrusions created by the slow eruption of viscous lava. Stratovolcanos are similar but much larger. While the average diameter for domes is 14 kilometers (9 miles)‚ stratovolcanos are typically between 40 and 80 kilometers (25 to 50 miles).Even wider are pyroclastic shields‚ but they are flatter than the stratovolcanos. Finally‚ the caldera complexes show where dramatic eruptions blew away any preexistence volcanic structure‚ leaving behind a depression. Scientists believe that many more structures are out there to be found.Extensive volcanism is already a lot more Earth-like – there are around 1‚500 active volcanos on Earth with several dozen erupting every year‚ like the recent Iceland eruption. Yet‚ there is an even more intriguing suggestion in this work: The thickness of the crust in the area is much thinner than the surrounding regions.            The suggestion put forward in this research is that‚ around 3.5 billion years ago‚ Eridania experienced recycling of its crust. They believe this was caused by vertical tectonics – which is believed to be a precursor to tectonic plate activity here on Earth. No other planet is known to have tectonic plates like Earth does‚ although Venus might have shuffling crustal structures.Some of the Eridanian volcanic activity was underwater‚ so the region might also offer an intriguing location that might have supported life‚ similar to the proposed scenario for the formation of life on Earth that sees seafloor and land-based hydrothermal vents as the place where the first lifeforms evolved.A paper detailing this work is published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

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News Deadpool and Wolverine Deadpool is Marvel Jesus in the First Trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine Deadpool would probably say something lewd about summer movie tentpoles By Molly Templeton | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Way back in 2022‚ when Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman announced that the next Deadpool movie would feature Jackman’s surprise return to the role of Wolverine‚ they knew this movie had to have something major going for it. Something new‚ to mark the fact that Deadpool is officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now. “His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special‚” Reynolds said‚ in one of the best superhero movie promo spots ever recorded. What “special” means to Deadpool might be different than what “special” means to anyone else in the tight-pants superhero universe. Wade Wilson‚ after all‚ has somewhat broader horizons than his peers. When a bunch of guys in serious uniforms and fancy‚ familiar-looking glow-sticks show up at his door‚ interrupting Wade’s birthday‚ he stops them: “Pegging isn’t new for me‚ friendo. But it is for Disney.” Special? Maybe. At the very least‚ it lets us know right off the bat that Deadpool can’t be tamed. There is some other special stuff going on. Matthew Macfadyen‚ as TVA agent Paradox‚ offers Wade the chance “to be a hero among heroes‚” and it’s moderately clear what he means given that he is showing Wade footage from various MCU films as he speaks. Our old friend Pyro (Aaron Stanford)‚ from X2‚ shows up briefly. The 20th Century Fox logo is a big stone relic in the desert. Goodbye‚ old studio; hello‚ X-Men? And yes‚ obviously‚ Wolverine (Jackman) is here‚ though we only really get a look at his iconic hair—and one quick glimpse of that equally iconic yellow suit as he seems to pounce on Wade with the intention of doing some stabbing. Things may not be as they seem‚ but then again … things may. Deadpool and Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds &; Rhett Reese &; Paul Wernick &; Zeb Wells &; Shawn Levy. Levy also directs. Along with Jackman‚ Reynolds‚ and Macfadyen‚ the film stars Emma Corrin‚ Morena Baccarin‚ Rob Delaney‚ Leslie Uggams‚ and Karan Soni. This list makes me sad because Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) isn’t on it‚ but then‚ neither is Aaron Stanford or anyone from the MCU‚ so it’s probably not exactly complete. Deadpool and Wolverine is in theaters July 26th. [end-mark] The post Deadpool is Marvel Jesus in the First Trailer for <;i>;Deadpool and Wolverine<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

News Wicked The First Trailer for Wicked Is Lacking Magic Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in the Broadway adaptation By Molly Templeton | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed The Wicked movie has been happening for so long—so very‚ very long—that I’m still finding it hard to believe it really exists‚ and will really arrive on screens this November. But it really will‚ and we really have a trailer‚ finally‚ and it’s … I cannot put it any better than the writer Meg Elison‚ who said‚ “It looks so weird like everything might secretly be cake?” Is everything cake? Could that explain the ways in which it looks‚ visually‚ distressingly‚ of a piece with Oz the Great and Powerful? What in the magical land of Oz is going on here? As the song says‚ something has changed within me … something is not the same. And that something is that I am less excited about this movie than I hoped to be. Wicked‚ for the uninitiated (if those still exist)‚ is a movie based on a blockbuster musical that is based on a novel. Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West‚ which goes places in Oz that L. Frank Baum never dreamed of‚ is a devastating and beautiful tale. The musical‚ as musicals do‚ transformed it into a story with a happy ending. The musical also provided two incredible‚ star-making roles in Elphaba and Glinda‚ who both get unforgettable songs—chief among them Elphie’s “Defying Gravity‚” which seems as if it will mark the end of Wicked Part One‚ and which is only briefly nodded to here. Wicked‚ the movie version of the musical‚ stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba‚ the Wicked Witch‚ and Ariana Grande as Glinda‚ who audiences know as the good witch from The Wizard of Oz. (The roles were originated by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.) Erivo is going to kill it. Grande‚ I’m a little less sure about; she seems wan and mild in this trailer‚ and Glinda absolutely has to bubble. She has to charm. She has to make you believe her when she sings a song about how she’s going to transform a weirdo outcast into somebody popular. Here’s the synopsis: Wicked‚ the untold story of the witches of Oz‚ stars Emmy‚ Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet‚ Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba‚ a young woman‚ misunderstood because of her unusual green skin‚ who has yet to discover her true power‚ and Grammy-winning‚ multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda‚ a popular young woman‚ gilded by privilege and ambition‚ who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz‚ their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power‚ while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself‚ and to those around her‚ will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. The movie also stars a delightfully intense Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible‚ Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero; Ethan Slater as the Munchkin Boq; Marissa Bode as Elphie’s sister‚ Nessarose; and Jeff Goldbum as the Wizard. Bowen Yang appears as Pfannee and Bronwyn James as ShenShen‚ and the film apparently includes a new character‚ Miss Coddle‚ played be Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman). The film comes from the same writing team as the musical—book writer Winnie Holzman and composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (who has written two new songs for Part Two)—and is directed by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights). Part One is in theaters November 27th. The post The First Trailer for <;i>;Wicked<;/i>; Is Lacking Magic appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations SFF Bestiary Cryptid Conservation Corps: Seanan McGuire’s Discount Armageddon An urban fantasy take on cryptid legends. By Judith Tarr | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed The title of this first volume in Seanan McGuire’s InCryptid series doesn’t have much to do with what’s inside. I was expecting something along the lines of Diana Rowland’s White Trash Zombie series: contemporary fantasy set in the land of the dollar store. It actually has more in common with a couple of my favorite TV series‚ The Librarians or the later seasons of Supernatural. For one thing‚ it’s set in Manhattan‚ which is as urban as urban fantasy can get. For another‚ it’s casually‚ almost breezily erudite. Protagonist Verity Price is a cryptozoologist‚ and she was born into it. Her family is notorious in the hidden world of cryptids and human hunters‚ for having turned against the ancient‚ wealthy‚ and learned Covenant of St. George. The Covenant is dedicated to hunting down and exterminating cryptids wherever they can be found. It’s driven dragons to extinction and is working on the many other species that live in‚ around‚ and under the human world. The Price family‚ and particularly the women—Price girls as Verity calls them—have chosen a different path. Cryptids‚ the Prices believe‚ are not inherently evil. There are actual monsters that attack and endanger humans; those may have to be hunted and neutralized‚ and if necessary killed‚ for humans’ safety. But most cryptids are just trying to survive‚ and many of those are at least as intelligent as humans. When a Price meets a cryptid‚ the first thing she tries to do is understand it. She won’t kill it if at all possible‚ and she will defend it against anyone else who might try to kill it. Her job is to protect cryptids‚ not to destroy them. Most of Verity’s family has settled in Oregon‚ but Verity has convinced her parents to let her move to New York. She’s a cryptozoologist; she’s studying cryptids‚ which includes protecting them from humans and each other. She considers Manhattan her territory. Verity makes a living as a cocktail waitress in a strip club staffed mostly by sentient cryptids and owned by Dave the bogeyman. She lives in an illegal sublet with a colony of talking‚ dancing mice who hail her loudly and continually as their priestess. But the real reason she’s in New York is because she’s trying to establish herself as a professional ballroom dancer. The family does not either understand or approve of what they consider to be a hobby and a distraction. Verity most sincerely begs to differ. Dancing is her great love and her passion. It’s also invaluable for her pursuit of the family business. Dancing and martial arts have a lot in common‚ giving her a distinct edge in strength‚ flexibility‚ and the art of concealing weapons in minimalist outfits. Not to mention the ability to fight in five-inch heels. Cryptids in this world‚ like those in Cryptozoo‚ include creatures I would consider mythical: dragons‚ gorgons‚ basilisks‚ half-human and half-serpentine Nagas. Several of the characters are shifters‚ including one of Verity’s coworkers at the club‚ who is a Waheela: a Native American pixie-Goth girl who transforms into wolflike creature the size of a grizzly bear. Dave the bogeyman falls more into the category of urban legend‚ with his extreme creepitude and his fondness for darks—anti-light bulbs that shed darkness instead of light. And then there are the Madhura‚ beings who look completely human‚ but who live on honey and spices‚ and whose blood‚ like their personalities‚ is pure sweetness. Buy the Book Discount Armageddon Seanan McGuire Buy Book icon-close Discount Armageddon Seanan McGuire Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget McGuire pulls it all together with kickass worldbuilding and a gift for writing spot-on prose and lively‚ vivid‚ memorable characters. In this first of thirteen volumes (and more to come‚ I hope)‚ McGuire gives us a whole new take on dragons: who they are‚ what they are‚ how they think‚ and how they reproduce. It’s not anything I’ve seen before‚ and I’ve seen a lot of dragons. And then there’s Cousin Sarah‚ who is what’s called a cuckoo. She looks human‚ but her blood is clear and has quasi-magical properties. She’s a telepath; she can manipulate humans and other sentient creatures into doing whatever she wants them to do. She lives wherever she wants‚ and takes whatever she pleases. She’s almost completely invisible and imperceptible‚ unless she chooses otherwise. She has her own morality. She may not pay for coffee‚ but she’ll make sure to tip the barista. She’s strongly loyal to Verity and the Price family; when her particular talents are most needed‚ she gives them freely‚ no matter the cost to herself. She’s a fundamentally good person. Not every cryptid is. And yet‚ Verity believes in giving them the benefit of the doubt. That’s the Price way‚ and no matter how much she may want to make it in the world of competitive dance‚ Verity is first and foremost a Price girl. She’ll always be there for the cryptids.[end-mark] The post Cryptid Conservation Corps: Seanan McGuire’s <;i>;Discount Armageddon<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

In Palworld‚ the Giant Tree can be always seen on the horizon. The closer we get‚ the more defined it becomes‚ and yet it remains always out of reach. Can we visit this tree? Or is it out of bounds? Getting to the Giant Tree in Palworld To save you an arduous trip‚ no‚ we cannot yet get to the Giant Tree in Palworld. Before you can reach it‚ a red barrier pops up‚ preventing further access. However‚ some players have managed to get past it with ‘a fast enough Nightwing’. They’ve even managed to build on it. If you wanted to visit the Giant Tree for yourself‚ then you’d need either a sea mount or a flying Pal to traverse over the ocean to the edge of the map. Image: ornirus Any Pal would be recommended for this trip‚ although Jetragon is the fastest Pal in the game‚ so if you have one‚ you can saddle up and make the journey to the edge of the map a breeze. It doesn’t take that long anyway to get from the northern snowy island to the edge of t...

Each planet in Helldivers 2 challenges players to complete different objectives. If you’re fighting the Automatons‚ you may have noticed that the missions can be confusing. With this in mind‚ let me show you how to destroy Fuel Silos and Stockpiled Ammunition in Helldivers 2. Destroying Fuel Reserves in Helldivers 2 I first encountered these mission objectives on Ubanea‚ but this guide should work regardless of where you are. The Reserves look like Fuel Silos (pictured below)‚ but it’s not immediately obvious how to destroy them. Screenshot: PC Invasion Fortunately‚ it’s easy when you know how. Open your Strategem list near the Silos‚ and you’ll find an additional option to call in a Hellbomb. Call the Strategem in the same way you would a Resupply station. Arm it by interacting with the panel on the side. Once armed‚ run away and patiently wait for the fireworks.  Screenshot: PC Invasion In my testing‚ the Hellbomb has a ge...