5 animals that mate for life
While the idea of lifelong animal love may be romanticised, scientists say monogamy in the animal world is primarily a strategy for survival. However, it's important to note that lifelong pair bonding is rare. According to a comprehensive BBC Earth study, only about 3-5% of mammal species are monogamous.
Still, for those that are, it's not about love as humans understand it, it's about increasing the odds of genetic success and ensuring the survival of their young. Let's know more about some of these animals:
Wolves are perhaps one of the most well-known monogamous species. A wolf pack typically consists of a dominant breeding pair, the alpha male and female, and their offspring.
According to the Smithsonian Institute, these lifelong bonds ensure stability in the pack hierarchy and more successful rearing of pups. By remaining with a single mate, wolves maintain a strong, cooperative social unit that benefits the survival of the entire group.
Swans have become romantic icons precisely because of their tendency to mate for life. These elegant birds form strong pair bonds and cooperate in building nests and raising cygnets.
Research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reveals that while some swan pairs do 'divorce' due to infertility or failed nesting, the majority stay loyal. Their partnerships allow them to defend territories and raise offspring with a greater chance of survival.
Gibbons, small apes native to Southeast Asia, live in family groups typically consisting of a monogamous male and female and their young.
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, gibbons are unique among primates for this social structure. Monogamy helps reduce intra-group conflict and ensures cooperation in defending their territory and caring for offspring.
Among the various penguin species, Emperor and Gentoo penguins are known for forming long-term pair bonds. While not all penguins are strictly monogamous for life, many species reunite with the same partner each breeding season.
In the brutal conditions of Antarctica, Emperor penguins share the burden of incubation and chick-rearing. A study from National Geographic explains that such cooperation increases the odds of survival in extreme environments.
Beavers are highly social rodents who build intricate lodges and dams. They live in family units led by a monogamous pair.
According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, beaver mates share the labour of building homes, gathering food, and raising kits. Their cooperative lifestyle is key to their ecological success and is a textbook example of monogamy benefitting survival.
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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
5 animals that mate for life
Survival instincts often outweigh sentimental bonds in the animal kingdom yet a few species stand out for forming long-term, even lifelong, pair bonds. These animals defy the norms of short-term reproduction by choosing to stay with one mate for life. While the idea of lifelong animal love may be romanticised, scientists say monogamy in the animal world is primarily a strategy for survival. However, it's important to note that lifelong pair bonding is rare. According to a comprehensive BBC Earth study, only about 3-5% of mammal species are monogamous. Still, for those that are, it's not about love as humans understand it, it's about increasing the odds of genetic success and ensuring the survival of their young. Let's know more about some of these animals: Wolves are perhaps one of the most well-known monogamous species. A wolf pack typically consists of a dominant breeding pair, the alpha male and female, and their offspring. According to the Smithsonian Institute, these lifelong bonds ensure stability in the pack hierarchy and more successful rearing of pups. By remaining with a single mate, wolves maintain a strong, cooperative social unit that benefits the survival of the entire group. Swans have become romantic icons precisely because of their tendency to mate for life. These elegant birds form strong pair bonds and cooperate in building nests and raising cygnets. Research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reveals that while some swan pairs do 'divorce' due to infertility or failed nesting, the majority stay loyal. Their partnerships allow them to defend territories and raise offspring with a greater chance of survival. Gibbons, small apes native to Southeast Asia, live in family groups typically consisting of a monogamous male and female and their young. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, gibbons are unique among primates for this social structure. Monogamy helps reduce intra-group conflict and ensures cooperation in defending their territory and caring for offspring. Among the various penguin species, Emperor and Gentoo penguins are known for forming long-term pair bonds. While not all penguins are strictly monogamous for life, many species reunite with the same partner each breeding season. In the brutal conditions of Antarctica, Emperor penguins share the burden of incubation and chick-rearing. A study from National Geographic explains that such cooperation increases the odds of survival in extreme environments. Beavers are highly social rodents who build intricate lodges and dams. They live in family units led by a monogamous pair. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, beaver mates share the labour of building homes, gathering food, and raising kits. Their cooperative lifestyle is key to their ecological success and is a textbook example of monogamy benefitting survival.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Time of India
Earth is spinning faster this summer: July 22 among the shortest days ever recorded, scientists warn
Source: BBC Earth's rotation is speeding up this summer, leading to slightly shorter days—a phenomenon that has captured the attention of scientists, astronomers, and global timekeepers. On July 10, 2025, Earth recorded its shortest day of the year so far, running 1.36 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24 hours. Upcoming days, including July 22 and August 5, are also predicted to be shorter by 1.34 and 1.25 milliseconds, respectively. Though these variations are imperceptible in daily life, they can have serious implications for atomic timekeeping, digital infrastructure, and even how we measure time globally. Earth is spinning faster leading to shorter days as observed on July 22 The length of a day—defined as one complete rotation of Earth on its axis—averages 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. However, this measurement isn't perfectly fixed. Due to multiple dynamic factors, including: Gravitational pull from the Moon Atmospheric shifts Fluid motion in Earth's liquid core by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo Each daily rotation varies by milliseconds. These irregularities typically go unnoticed by the general public but are meticulously tracked by institutions like the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) and US Naval Observatory. Critical role of atomic clocks in managing millisecond-level shifts Minor time deviations are not trivial. They can interfere with: Satellite navigation (GPS) Telecommunications Computer systems Global financial networks That's why atomic clocks, which debuted in 1955, are used to maintain Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)—the international timekeeping standard. These clocks rely on oscillations of atoms, measured in vacuum chambers, to deliver ultra-precise readings of time. "Even millisecond differences matter in the world of high-frequency technology," says physicist Judah Levine from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. How a faster-spinning Earth could force a timekeeping first To keep UTC aligned with Earth's actual rotation, scientists have been adding "leap seconds" since 1972. This is similar to how a leap day corrects the calendar every four years. So far, 27 leap seconds have been added to account for Earth's previously slowing rotation. But as Earth begins to spin faster, the need for leap seconds is declining. No leap seconds have been added since 2016, and in 2022, the General Conference on Weights and Measures voted to retire the leap second by 2035. However, if Earth continues this acceleration, scientists warn we may have to do something unprecedented—subtract a second, creating a negative leap second. The probability of this happening by 2035 is currently estimated at 40%. What's causing Earth to spin faster Several short- and long-term forces influence Earth's rotation speed: Lunar Tidal forces The Moon's gravitational pull slows or accelerates Earth depending on its position relative to the equator. Atmospheric changes During summer, Earth naturally spins faster because the jet stream shifts, and the atmosphere slows down, transferring angular momentum to the planet. Earth's liquid core For the past 50 years, Earth's liquid core has been slowing, while the solid outer Earth accelerates to maintain rotational balance. According to Dr. Duncan Agnew of UC San Diego, 'It's like watching the stock market—there are long-term trends, but also unpredictable fluctuations.' How climate change and melting ice are altering Earth's rotation Melting ice in Antarctica and Greenland is also impacting Earth's rotation. As vast amounts of ice convert into ocean water, the mass redistribution acts like a figure skater extending their arms, slightly slowing Earth's spin. Agnew's research in Nature found that: 'Without global warming and ice melt, we might already have needed to introduce a negative leap second.' NASA confirms that meltwater from polar regions accounts for a third of global sea level rise since 1993, which also alters Earth's rotational axis. Due to the complexity of rotational factors, long-term predictions remain uncertain. The IERS only forecasts one year ahead. Levine notes that short-term changes tend to correlate day by day, but beyond that, accuracy drops sharply. 'We may see Earth slow down again in the coming years,' says Dr. Benedikt Soja, a geodesy expert at ETH Zurich. 'But if climate change worsens, its effect could eventually surpass that of the Moon—Earth's primary rotational driver for billions of years.' Also Read | NASA reports shocking vision changes in astronauts after months in space with long-term eye damage risks
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Indian Express
Meet the Jesus Christ lizard that walks on water (and other fascinating reptiles around the world)
Reptiles are often misunderstood, relegated to the eerie. But, delve deeper and you'll find creatures so bizarre, so unexpectedly brilliant, they feel pulled straight from a fantasy novel. From lizards that run across water to turtles that impersonate leaves, nature's creativity knows no bounds. Let's meet some of the most captivating reptiles in the world. It sounds like folklore, but this lizard really does run on water. Found in Central America, the Basiliscus basiliscus, commonly known as the Jesus Christ lizard, uses sheer speed and body mechanics to dart across river surfaces. As National Geographic explains, they accomplish the seemingly miraculous act of moving on top of water by generating forces with their feet that keep their bodies both above the surface and upright. The trick lies in their hind feet, which slap the water hard enough to create pockets of air that prevent sinking—long enough, at least, to escape predators like birds and snakes. Two-headed snakes have long inspired mythologies, but in real life, they're the result of a rare developmental anomaly called bicephaly. Just like conjoined twins in humans, these snakes are born when a single embryo tries—but fails—to fully split into identical twins. The result is two brains often working against each other. While fascinating to observe, these animals rarely survive long in the wild. Their instincts don't always align; one head might sense prey, the other might retreat, making survival complicated in nature's harsh logic. High in the canopy of Southeast Asian forests lives a lizard that glides between trees like a miniature dragon. The Draco lizard has wing-like flaps that unfurl from elongated ribs, allowing it to soar across jungle gaps. According to BBC Earth, Draco lizards have the amazing ability to fly from tree to tree in search of food, a mate or to avoid predators. They don't fly like birds but rather glide with elegance, steering mid-air with their tails. Their graceful aerial moves have even earned them a place in folklore across Asia, where they're thought to bring luck—or fear. Looking like something straight out of Mad Max, the thorny devil (Moloch horridus) is covered in spikes, right down to a false head on the back of its neck to mislead predators. But perhaps its most fascinating trait is invisible to the eye. As Australian Geographic shares, 'tiny grooves that suck up dew… passing it to the devil's mouth without the lizard having to lift a finger.' That's right, this desert dweller drinks through its skin. Morning dew collects on its body, gets absorbed into the grooves, and travels by capillary action right into the mouth. Who needs a water bottle when your skin does the job? The Mata Mata turtle (Chelus fimbriata) from the Amazon basin doesn't bother chasing prey. It doesn't have to. With a face like a pile of leaves and a shell like mossy bark, this turtle lies motionless in the murky waters of the rainforest, blending perfectly into its surroundings. With a barklike shell and a head shaped like a leaf, the mata mata turtle is a master of camouflage. When an unsuspecting fish wanders too close, the turtle simply opens its cavernous mouth and sucks it in, no chase, no fight, just stealth and vacuum power. The Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) isn't your average wall-crawler. Found across Southeast Asia, this gecko is brilliantly blue-grey with fiery orange spots—and it doesn't hesitate to voice its opinions. Known for its vocalizations that sound like 'To‑kay! To‑kay!', the gecko has reputation for being aggressive and territorial, especially males. These geckos are fiercely territorial, and while they may be beautiful, they're not afraid to use their powerful jaws. Still, their call and striking appearance make them one of the most charismatic reptiles in the pet trade (for experienced handlers only).
