An isolated polar bear population in southeastern Greenland survives in fjords, despite spotty sea ice. But this pocket of bears is not a sign of how the species could be saved.
animals
Fluid Dynamics of Tiny, Ancient Marine Animals
Water flow simulations using 3D models of fossils yield new clues to the evolution of organisms known as medusozoans.
Scientists Tune In to Blue Whale Feeding Rhythms
New acoustic sensing technology is allowing scientists to track blue whale movements in real time, a breakthrough that could help save whales’ lives.
Rain Makes Skulls Bigger—in Mice
New research shows how regional weather, shaped by towering mountain ranges, might influence the size and shape of local rodents.
A Post-Impact Deep Freeze for Dinosaurs
New research supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs were done in by climate change after an asteroid impact kicked up a massive plume of sulfur gases that circled the globe for several decades.
Volcanic Winters Ushered in the Jurassic Reign of the Dinosaurs
Sediment cores from northwestern China reveal freezing conditions during the Late Triassic killed off many forms of life—but not dinosaurs.
Plant-Nibbling Insects May Make It Cloudier and Cooler
Insects that eat plant leaves could change the local atmosphere, but current climate models do not account for this impact.
The Shapes of Shrimp Farms Affect Their Groundwater Pollution
New findings may help decisionmakers optimize shrimp farm layouts, which could help improve coastal water quality.
Seashells and Penguin Bones Reveal Thwaites Glacier’s Quiet Past
Antarctica’s Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers are melting faster than they have in the past 5,500 years, new evidence shows. Against expectations, their pasts have been remarkably stable.
Tiny Creatures May Play a Difficult-to-Detect Role in Ocean Mixing
As an idea that began as a joke, critter-driven ocean mixing has long been controversial. Now scientists have caught spawning anchovies causing turbulence and stirring the sea.