Watch water monitor lizards look for food in Bangkok
Produced by the BBC Natural History Unit
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Planetary parade: When to see the rare event in the UK skies
Stargazers have already been treated to one rare planetary parade this year, when Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune could all be seen in the sky at once in January. Then, in February, Mercury joined the party to form a "grand planet parade" where all seven planets were pictured above the horizon at the same time. But if you missed any of these, there's another planet parade is on its way. Later this month, six planets and the moon will line up in the night sky. Four of them – Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn – will be visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune can be spotted through binoculars or a small telescope. The planet parade will take place on the morning of August 18. The alignment will be visible for about 45 minutes before sunrise at around 6am, according to The Farmers' Almanac. The Perseid meteor shower is also set to peak around this time, which could mean that stargazers spot 'shooting stars' too. Mercury will be the lowest planet in the eastern sky, sitting close to the horizon, meaning that you would need to get away from tall trees or buildings to get a good view. Above and to the left of Mercury will be Venus, the brightest planet in the night sky. Recommended Reading: Northern Lights to be visible in the UK this weekend How can you take a photo of the Northern Lights? (A guide for beginners) BBC and Met Office to join forces to deliver UK's 'most-trusted' weather service The waning crescent moon will be not too far from Uranus. This is best viewed through a small telescope. Over in the southwestern sky, Saturn will be shining brighter at a magnitude of 0.75, with Neptune also visible to those with binoculars or a telescope. Before the dazzling parade, the Sturgeon Moon will also rise. This will take place on August 9.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rare and secretive creatures not seen in 33 years are found lurking in Florida wetlands
A rare amphibian once thought to have vanished from Florida has been found alive - more than three decades after its last documented sighting. Researchers waded through murky, blackwater streams in the state's northern wetlands and emerged with a remarkable discovery: nearly two dozen many-lined salamanders, a species not seen in Florida since 1991. The surprising find is detailed in a new study published in The Florida Field Naturalist by the Florida Ornithological Society, marking the first confirmed sightings of the elusive creature in 33 years. 'In general, we know relatively little about this salamander, but it has likely been impacted by the loss of wetland habitats throughout its range,' the study authors wrote. Native to coastal regions from northeast Florida to Virginia, the many-lined salamander had previously only been found in four Florida counties - Baker, Columbia, Nassau and Union - before seemingly vanishing. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the species sits at the southernmost edge of its range. Often described as 'secretive' and mostly aquatic, the salamander remains rare even in areas where it is known to live, herpetologists at the University of Georgia say. The FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and a private timberland company to launch a multi-year survey to determine whether the amphibian still called Florida home. Between 2022 and 2024, researchers scoured more than a dozen blackwater stream sites across north Florida, hoping to uncover any trace of the cryptic creature. 'In 2022, we searched for salamanders using a variety of aquatic amphibian survey techniques, including dredging, dip-netting and hand raking, to conduct regular time-based surveys at each site,' the authors wrote. But high water levels made some habitats impossible to probe - so the team got creative. They devised a novel technique using mesh bags filled with decaying leaves, placed on stream bottoms to mimic the mucky, debris-laden conditions the salamanders are thought to prefer. The creatures could crawl inside and hide, with researchers checking the bags regularly. In the end, they struck gold at just two locations: 17 salamanders were found in Osceola National Forest, and another six in John M. Bethea State Forest. Of the 23 discovered, eight were adults. Despite the breakthrough, researchers say it's still unclear how stable the population is. 'The species has long been considered rare in Florida and difficult to survey,' according to the paper. 'It is likely that the many-lined salamander has always been relatively uncommon in Florida, where it reaches the southern extent of its geographic range.' The salamander is listed as a species of greatest conservation need in Florida, and experts warn its fragile numbers could face further threats from climate change and habitat destruction. 'Species that occur on the periphery of their range are seldom prioritized for conservation action,' the study authors noted. 'Still, many-lined salamanders are a unique component of Florida's natural heritage.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Debunking misleading claim about GMO food debate for Nigeria
Debate ontop use of genetically modified foods for Nigeria don come back for group chats and social media feeds afta one health influencer do video wey go viral. Di 14 minutes video wey Dr Chinonso Egemba do, explain some science wey dey behind Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and arguments wey follow am, gada millions of views across platforms and thousands of comments. Di response to di video show how di issues im raise for di video still dey cause confusion and dey show misleading claims of health risks wey dey with GM foods as e dey circulate for social media. For im reaction, Dr Egemba tell BBC say im believe say di way pipo react to di video fit be sake of long time conspiracy theories wey dem bin don believe. Some critics accuse am say dem pay am to promote genetically modified foods or im dey work secretly for foreign pipo including Bill Gates, im reject dose claims. "Pipo don already dey tink say I dey work for Bill Gates secretly", na so e tok. "Well for di record, I no dey work for any GMO corporation. My platform dey built on education, and I go continue to do di hard work wey be to educate Nigerians." Wetin be GM crops? For 2016, Nigeria start to sell im first genetically modified crop, BT cotton. Dis lead to approval of oda genetically modified crops, PBR Cowpae and TELA Maize for oda years to use address food insecurity. Across di world, GMO products don dey available since di 1990s. Di process of genetically modifying crops or plants dey defined as to change di genetic materials of organisms in ways wey no dey hapun naturally, dis dey hapun through introduction of gene from oda species of di plant. Dem dey use di technique to help growers to develop crops wey dey more resistant to tins like disease and drought. Scientists dey identify di organism wey get di trait dem dey look for, dem go copy di gene and den put am inside di DNA of di new plant. Why Nigeria dey grow GMO foods. Nigeria approve di sale and consumption of GM crops, like variants of maize and cowpeas, for pest control and to fight food crises wey dey come from harsh weather conditions wey dey fight harvesting, na so Dr Yemisi Asagbra, Director General of di National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) tell BBC. "Dem dey take di genes from organism for di soil and put am inside dis seeds for dem to dey able to withstand insect infestation and ready to fight drought", na so she tok. Nigeria Biosafety Regulations dey mandate make producers dey label modified products, so pipo fit choose. Health organizations like World Health Organization (WHO) say di evidence wey dey ground now, show say GMO foods no dey likely to cause risk and "e no ever show any effects on human health… sake of di consumption of such foods by di general population for di Monte wia dem bin don approve am". However, some uncertainty and scepticism dey about di technology wey dey behind di use of GMOs, na dis, pipo wey dey spread misinformation dey use. For Nigeria, social media influencers dey push misleading claim about GMO foods, including di one wey dem tok say GMO foods dey cause cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, no evidence dey wey show say if pesin eat GMO foods, e fit cause cancer. Dia website tok say, "we don dey change genes of living tins for hundreds of years by choosing specific plants and animals to get certain outcomes. Dis na wetin we dey call artificial selection. Modern genetic modification dey like na quicker version of artificial selection. Scientists agree say GM foods dey as safe as non GM foods". Meanwhile, one old video wey pipo dey share evritime for X and WhatsApp groups for Nigeria contain claim say Russia President Vladimir Putin ban GM foods and dey label any pesin wey grow am as "terrorist". Tight laws and restrictions dey against GMO-related technology and produce for Russia, but dem no completely ban am. For example, di kontri dey allow di cultivation and breeding of genetically engineered plants for scientific research. Opposition to GMO for Russia no plenti again. For April, President Putin give instructions to cabinet ministers make dem consider to develop fast growing GM-trees to increase Russia wood export, according to official report. Di video also tok say genetically modified foods fit damage pesin DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA na molecule wey dey carry genetic instructions for development functioning, growth and reproduction of all known living organisms. "From all di research, I don consult, evidence no dey to show say GMOs dey change consumer DNA", na so Dr Olumide Adebesin tell BBC. Im dey teach cell biology and genetics for di Nigerian University of Lagos. Prof Cathie Martin, wey be group leader for independent research institute for plants, genetics and microbial science, John Innes Centre UK tok say, claims say GMOs dey cause cancer and dey change DNA dey unfounded and no get scientific evidence to support am. "Pesin no fit get chlorophyll sake of plant wey im eat", na so she tok. "We no be green." Prof Martin counter anoda viral claim wey tok say GMO seeds stop local seeds from growing: "I neva see such, as a farmer, I don grow plenti GM plants and plenti of non GM plants for same soil." Bill Gates agenda? Di online debate also tok about impact on farming and claims say dem dey force GMO products on farmers, e come be like na issue of corporate control. Ajisefinni Ayodeji, wey be smallholder farmer and president of farmers cooperative for Kwara state, western Nigeria, say farmers dey worried say GMOs fit comot power of Nigeria foods and marginalize local farmers. E dey see push for GMOs as something wey foreigners dey push for and ask weda agricultural workers get training to handle genetically engineered crops wella. Some critics dey tok say to add GMO products into Nigeria food system na part of agenda by international companies or specifically Bill Gates, di American businessman, to take control of Nigeria farming. Di Bill and Melinda Gates foundation don back agricultural research for Nigeria, including di production of genetically modified TELA maize wey dem develop and produce locally from di Institute for Agricultural Research for Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and involve di US Agency for International Development and di African Agricultural Technology Foundation. Kabir Ibrahim wey dey lead All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) one of di largest groups of her kind for di kontri, support di use of GM crops and say much of di alarm na result of targeted misinformation. E say no farmer dey forced to plant modified crops. "Na your choice, you get choice to use GMO crops or not. And you get choice to even eat dem or no eat dem.," na so e tell BBC. Mr Ibrahim wey dey cultivate GM cowpea and maize say many Nigerian farmers want to get access to GM seeds, no be small number. Despite di kasala wey di video burst, Dr Egemba say e dey happy di way di mata raise toks, say e help plenti pipo to dey equipped to make dia own decisions. "Wetin I bin want na make pipo know about di topic" na so e explain. Wen lack of education or information dey about particular topic, human beings dey act in fear."
