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2024-07-25 @ 10.30.17 ∈ In English

(Slightly surprising to me that this wasn’t known, or assumed already. Here’s discussion about the paper on the iNaturalist forum.)

When it comes to butterflies, people prefer pretty ones: That’s a problem for scientists.
[Users] underreported many species, particularly those that were difficult to identify and those with light-colored markings on their wings. Behavioral traits, such as butterflies' flight style and height, and traits that make butterflies difficult to photograph, may have affected reporting patterns, the researchers surmise.
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2024-07-19 @ 8.18.36 ∈ In English

The redpoll finch saga: How two bird species just became one
[The] hoary redpoll finch, a small, plump bird commonly found in the Arctic, will be reclassified as the same species as the common redpoll finch, a smaller bird found in similar habitats. This announcement came as a direct result of a CU Boulder-led study which found that, despite their different looks, very few genetic differences exist between the two types of birds.
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2024-07-18 @ 16.53.24 ∈ In English

Twice-yearly HIV drug 100% effective at preventing spread
A twice-a-year injectable drug has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing the spread of HIV, according to the first data from a clinical trial. If approved, the drug offers another preventive option and puts us a step closer to eradicating HIV.
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2024-07-12 @ 15.52.34 ∈ In English

Live 24/7 CO₂ emissions of electricity consumption
Electricity Maps is a live 24/7 visualization of where your electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce it.
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2024-07-12 @ 14.23.50 ∈ In English

A Rough Breakup - Observation of the Week, 7/11/24 · iNaturalist
Our Observation of the Week is this remarkable scene captured by @cumaliyesil in Turkey: a female Goblet-marked Damselfly (Erythromma lindenii) with a male’s dismembered abdomen still attached to her body!
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2024-07-08 @ 17.36.22 ∈ In English

Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolutionary trend
"For more than a century, scientists have assumed that this relationship was linear—meaning that brain size gets proportionally bigger, the larger an animal is. We now know this is not true. The relationship between brain and body size is a curve, essentially meaning very large animals have smaller brains than expected."
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2024-07-05 @ 10.15.23 ∈ In English

Identifier Profile: @k8thegr8 · iNaturalist
If you’re photographing a caterpillar, Kate recommends getting at least three photos: one the top of the caterpillar, one of the side showing all the sets of legs, and a photo of the face (aka head capsule). It’s also really important to note the host plant (or make an observation of the host plant and get it identified on iNat). Even then, she reminds us that not all caterpillars (or adults) can be identified to the species level from photos alone.
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2024-07-05 @ 9.59.36 ∈ In English

(From last week)

Butterflies cross Atlantic ocean on 2,600-mile non-stop flight never recorded in any insect before
Painted lady butterflies discovered in French Guiana — thousands of miles from their usual habitats — got there through a Herculean transoceanic flight.