Almost half of South Lanarkshire primary schools have solar panels
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Bright orange shark spotted for the ‘first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime
RARE SHARK Bright orange shark spotted for the 'first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GIANT first-of-its-kind shark has been reeled in off the coast of Costa Rica. The exceedingly rare shark, measuring in at over six feet long, exhibited a rare pigmentation condition causing it to appear orange. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The shark was reeled in off the coast of Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 It showed signs of xanthism and albinism Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook The shark was thought to have xanthism, a rare pigmentation condition, affecting the fur, scales or skin of animals. It creates yellow or golden colours in the animal but has never been observed in cartilaginous fish, a group that includes sharks, rays, and skates, in the Caribbean before. The rare catch appeared to also show traits of albinism, with the shark boasting a pair of striking white eyes. The nurse shark usually has brown skin which helps them blend into the seabed. Read more in Science SPACE ODDITY Why scientists believe an ALIEN spacecraft could be hurtling towards Earth Based on the size of the shark researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande concluded the unusual colour did not affect the shark's survival. Animals with albinism or xanthism are much more visible which scientists believe lowers their survival rate in the wild. The bright colouring caused by the pigmentation conditions makes affected animals easy targets for predators. Both conditions can also increase sensitivity to sunlight and make it difficult for animals to find mates. This makes the discovery of a shark that survived to adulthood with both conditions all the more significant. It is unclear whether the unusual colouring offered any advantages to the shark or if it simply managed to thrive despite being more visible. Rare giant 'spaceship-like' sea creature that grows up to 2.5 metres spotted off Scots coast The striking fish was reeled in by some pals on a sport fishing trip in the Caribbean. Its discovery prompted questions for marine biologists about genetic diversity in Caribbean nurse shark populations. Scientists are now asking whether this is a one-time occurrence, or if it could signal a new genetic trend in the local population. Xanthism is considered extremely rare across the animal kingdom. 4 Scientists questioned how the shark had survived to adulthood Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 The exceedingly rare discovery left boffins baffled Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook It has been recorded in only a few species of fish, reptiles, and birds, but there have only been a handful of confirmed cases. In freshwater fish such as guppies, cichlids, and even goldfish, the condition sometimes produces striking yellow morphs. Certain birds, like parrots and canaries, have also displayed golden plumage linked to xanthism. Occasional reports in reptiles describe unusually yellow snakes or lizards.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Did scientists find an ancient alien HELMET on Mars? Mysterious object is discovered by Nasa
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NASA has stumbled across a mysterious object while roaming Mars that's caught the attention of space enthusiasts. The unlikely piece has been likened to a medieval helmet due to its odd shape. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Others said it looked like the sorting hat from Harry Potter Credit: SWNS 2 The object was pictured by Nasa's Perseverance rover Credit: SWNS It was pictured by the space agency's Perseverance rover that's been on the look out for signs of alien life. "Gandalf's hat or a pot helmet?" one person remarked on Facebook. "The Planet of the Sorting Hats has been found!" another said in reference to Harry Potter. A third joked: "Martian buffalo's dung — nothing abnormal about it." Other guesses included it looking like a "landed weather balloon" or "a relic from an ancient sea that was once on Mars". The photo was named as Nasa's Image of the Week by public vote and has been a source of discussion since. However, it's not some abandoned ancient alien accessory as some may think. It's a rock that happens to be shaped like a hat, composed of spherules, tiny particles which are the result of volcanic activity or meteorite impacts. The shape is likely to be due to processes such as wind erosion, volcanic activity, and mineral precipitation from ancient groundwater. "This rock's target name is Horneflya and it's distinctive less because of its hat shape (which looks to me to be generally consistent with the pyramid shape we often see in of wind-eroded float blocks on the surface of Mars) and more because it's made almost entirely of spherules," David Agle, a spokesperson for the Perseverance team revealed to Inside futuristic plans for NASA-inspired spaceship that can shorten travel times for the Moon and Mars It's not the first time unexpected objects have been spotted on the Red Planet. A strange cylinder-like piece previously fuelled speculation with people suggesting it could be an artifact of ancient civilisation on the Red Planet or a chunk of a crashed UFO. However, it was later believed to be remnants of old spacecraft hardware.
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Did scientists find an ancient alien HELMET on Mars? Mysterious object is discovered by Nasa
NASA has stumbled across a mysterious object while roaming Mars that's caught the attention of space enthusiasts. The unlikely piece has been likened to a medieval helmet due to its odd shape. 2 2 It was pictured by the space agency's Perseverance rover that's been on the look out for signs of alien life. "Gandalf's hat or a pot helmet?" one person remarked on Facebook. "The Planet of the Sorting Hats has been found!" another said in reference to Harry Potter. A third joked: "Martian buffalo's dung — nothing abnormal about it." Other guesses included it looking like a "landed weather balloon" or "a relic from an ancient sea that was once on Mars". The photo was named as Nasa 's Image of the Week by public vote and has been a source of discussion since. However, it's not some abandoned ancient alien accessory as some may think. It's a rock that happens to be shaped like a hat, composed of spherules. The shape is likely to be due to processes such as wind erosion, volcanic activity, and mineral precipitation from ancient groundwater. "This rock's target name is Horneflya and it's distinctive less because of its hat shape (which looks to me to be generally consistent with the pyramid shape we often see in of wind-eroded float blocks on the surface of Mars) and more because it's made almost entirely of spherules," David Agle, a spokesperson for the Perseverance team revealed to Inside futuristic plans for NASA-inspired spaceship that can shorten travel times for the Moon and Mars It's not the first time unexpected objects have been spotted on the Red Planet. A strange cylinder-like piece previously fuelled speculation with people suggesting it could be an artifact of ancient civilisation on the Red Planet or a chunk of a crashed UFO. However, it was later believed to be remnants of old spacecraft hardware. What is on board the Perseverance rover explained Perseverance is looking for signs of life on Mars. It boasts a total of 19 cameras and two microphones, and carries seven scientific instruments. 1. Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) An X-ray 'ray gun' that will help scientists investigate the composition of Martian rock. 2. Radar Imager for Mars' subsurface experiment (RIMFAX) A ground-penetrating radar that will image buried rocks, meteorites, and even possible underground water sources up to a depth of 10 metres (33ft). 3. Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) A bunch of sensors that will take readings of temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, and other atmospheric conditions. 4. Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE) An experiment that will convert Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen. A scaled-up version could be used in future to provide Martian colonists with breathable air. 5. SuperCam A suite of instruments for measuring the makeup of rocks and regolith at a distance 6. Mastcam-Z A camera system capable of taking '3D' images by combining two or more photos into one. 7. Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) From Baker Street to Mars: Sherloc contains an ultraviolet laser that will investigate Martian rock for organic compounds.
