Two new crocodile species discovered, scientists say
Scientists have identified two previously unknown crocodile species off Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, both of which may already be at risk of extinction due to small population sizes and habitat pressures.
The new species were found on Cozumel Island and Banco Chinchorro, a coral atoll, and are genetically distinct from the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), according to a study published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
The discovery brings the total number of known New World crocodile species to six.
Until now, scientists recognised only the American, Morelet's, Cuban, and Orinoco crocodiles in the region.
Researchers from Canada's McGill University, along with partners in Mexico and Panama, conducted genetic and anatomical analyses that revealed enough variation to classify the Cozumel and Banco Chinchorro populations as separate species.
'These results were totally unexpected,' said lead author José Avila-Cervantes. 'We assumed Crocodylus acutus was a single species ranging from Baja California to Venezuela and across the Caribbean.'
The research involved collecting DNA and skull measurements from crocodiles in both locations. Notable differences included skull shape, with Banco Chinchorro crocodiles displaying longer and broader snouts.
The study estimates that each new species has fewer than 1,000 breeding individuals, and effective population sizes may be as low as 500. While current numbers appear stable, scientists warned that limited habitat and increasing tourism-related development could pose serious risks.
'Biodiversity is disappearing faster than we can discover what we're losing,' said senior author Hans Larsson of McGill. 'Most crocodile species are already endangered. Protecting these habitats is critical.'
Cozumel, a major cruise destination, received over 1.5 million visitors in the first three months of 2025 alone. Banco Chinchorro, part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, is also under ecological strain.
The researchers urged governments and conservation groups to implement stricter land-use policies and establish habitat protections to preserve the newly identified species.
Although the reptiles are yet to be formally named, researchers hinted that references to their geographic isolation—such as Crocodylus cozumelus or chinchorri—may be used in their taxonomic classification.
The study highlights how natural barriers such as ocean currents in the Yucatán region have helped shape biodiversity by isolating species and allowing unique evolution to occur.
'These crocodiles are evolutionary survivors,' said Larsson. 'Now that we know they exist, we must ensure they don't disappear before they are even named.'
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Express Tribune
10-08-2025
- Express Tribune
The race to rule AI
In the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, the world watched as the United States and the Soviet Union competed in the 'space race.' As both hurled rockets, satellites, and spacecraft into the upper atmosphere, each launch showcased more than technological prowess. The race to the moon became a test of geopolitical will, a symbol of which superpower would define the future. When Neil Armstrong planted the American flag on the lunar surface, the 'giant leap' he reflected on was not just for humanity, but a step that cemented the technology-powered hegemony the United States would enjoy for decades. Today, against the backdrop of another great-power rivalry, a similar contest is unfolding. The stage this time is not just the vacuum of space, but the invisible architecture of algorithms and the chips that power them. Artificial intelligence is the new frontier, and once again, two superpowers are vying for dominance. 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Last month, the White House released America's AI Action Plan, a document that frames AI development as a high-stakes race in which 'whoever has the largest AI ecosystem will set global AI standards and reap broad economic and military benefits.' The language is blunt: the US must 'achieve and maintain unquestioned and unchallenged global technological dominance.' This is not simply about innovation; it is about securing and entrenching American power. To that end, the American plan rests on three pillars: accelerating AI innovation, building American AI infrastructure and leading in international AI diplomacy and security, with the last pillar designed explicitly to 'counter Chinese influence in international governance bodies.' The plan promotes an 'AI alliance' composed of the US and select partners, to which Washington will export its full AI technology stack: hardware, models, software, applications and standards. 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He stressed that 'only by working together can we fully realise the potential of AI while ensuring its safe, reliable, controllable, and equitable development.' Li underscored the urgency of creating a truly global framework for governance, stating, 'there is an urgent need to foster further consensus on how to strike a balance between development and security.' He warned that without broad cooperation, AI risks becoming 'an exclusive game for a few countries and companies.' China's Action Plan on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence frames AI as a tool for 'serving the people, respecting sovereignty, fairness and inclusiveness, and open cooperation.' The plan advocates reducing technical barriers, promoting technology transfer, and developing open-source communities to foster a diverse and accessible innovation ecosystem. 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By positioning itself as the champion of multilateralism, China counters the US narrative that it should be isolated from key technological flows. In effect, China's inclusive rhetoric also functions as strategic outreach to counter Washington's exclusionary alliance-building. Still, the differences in tone and substance between the two plans are striking. The US blueprint treats AI as a high ground to be seized and defended. The Chinese plan treats it as a commons to be cultivated. These divergent philosophies carry profound implications for the structure of the emerging AI order. If Washington's approach prevails, the world could see the consolidation of closed technology blocs: one led by the US and populated by its security partners, another orbiting around China and those willing to defy American export controls. Innovation might accelerate within each bloc, but the gaps between them — in capabilities, standards, and access — would widen. 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Express Tribune
04-08-2025
- Express Tribune
Argentina's real-life Patrick Star
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Business Recorder
26-07-2025
- Business Recorder
China proposes new global AI cooperation organisation
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