Latest news with #UniversityofMexico
CNN
2 days ago
- Science
- CNN
Mexico's bat man on saving the ‘most unfairly treated animals on Earth'
EDITOR'S NOTE: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. Bats have a bad reputation. Myths, folk tales, and negative media coverage mean people often link these flying mammals to vampires or blame them for disease outbreaks. But bat populations around the world are in decline, and without them, ecosystems lose key benefits like pest control, pollination and seed dispersal. Through education, research and advocacy, Rodrigo Medellín, a senior professor of ecology at the University of Mexico, has made it his mission to change the way people see these animals. Medellín's fascination with bats began at the age of 13, when he held one in his hands for the first time. 'That's when I decided to dedicate my life to their study and protection,' he says. Since then, caves have become his happy place. 'The peace, the darkness, the silence apart from the bat squealing. I feel relaxed in a cave and all I do is I try to convey this feeling to the people that are with me,' says Medellín, who is part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative and has won multiple awards for his work. He also founded of the Latin American Network for Bat Conservation, and Global South Bats, a network of bat scientists. There are over 1,400 bat species, which account for around a fifth of all known mammal species across the globe. They are the only mammals capable of powered flight, rather than just gliding, which allowed them to spread across the globe. They use highly developed echolocation to navigate and find prey at night, with some able to sense objects as small as human hair. Although certain species live for over 30 years, bats reproduce slowly – typically one pup per year. This makes it difficult for populations to recover from decline. 'They are very mysterious. Many people fear them, attack them, or despise them. They are probably the most unfairly treated animals on Earth,' says Medellín. Bats are often seen as symbols of evil and darkness, largely due to their association with vampires and the supernatural in Western folklore. Throughout history in Christian Europe, the bat has been associated with the devil, evil spirits, and witches. Eastern cultures tend to view them much more positively. For instance, in Chinese culture, they are considered symbols of luck and happiness. Still, the perception of bats has worsened with the emergence of Covid-19, which some believe originated in bats and they are often viewed negatively due to their association with diseases. 'Bats are certainly not fuller of diseases than your dog or cat. That has been horribly exaggerated,' Medellín explains. One of the most impactful services bats provide is pest control. Medellín notes that just one species along Mexico's northern borders numbers up to 30 million individuals, collectively devouring about 300 tons of insects every night. But they do much more than keep insects in check. Fruit-eating bats play a crucial role in spreading seeds as they fly long distances in search for food. 'By dropping seeds far from the parent tree, they help regenerate forests, maintain plant diversity, and support the life cycles of countless other organisms. The restoration of forests relies very heavily on bats,' Medellín says. Bats are also key pollinators for a wide range of plants, according to Medellín, including agave, the plant used to make tequila. Despite their critical ecological roles, populations worldwide face many challenges, most of which are caused by human activity. Habitat loss, wind turbines, pesticide use, and most recently, white nose syndrome – a fungal disease – have all taken a serious toll. As a result, many species are now listed as endangered or threatened. 'Imagine what happens if we lose bats overnight,' Medellín says. 'Without them, crops would be ravaged by hungry insects, and mosquito populations would surge, drastically changing our way of life.' He is committed to convincing people that bats are important for their everyday wellbeing and believes that greater awareness could transform attitudes and turn fear into fascination. Through initiatives like bat-friendly agave farming, long-distance migration tracking and international conservation networks, he's working to protect bat populations while highlighting their role in pollination, pest control and ecosystem health. 'I give people facts, images, evidence, and automatically they fall in love with bats,' he says. 'In my experience, anyone who had any contact with bats maintains that contact and starts expanding it.' 'If there is anybody who is still afraid of bats, I would like to invite you to learn a bit more,' he adds. 'They are going to win your heart.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Science
- CNN
Mexico's bat man on saving the ‘most unfairly treated animals on Earth'
EDITOR'S NOTE: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. Bats have a bad reputation. Myths, folk tales, and negative media coverage mean people often link these flying mammals to vampires or blame them for disease outbreaks. But bat populations around the world are in decline, and without them, ecosystems lose key benefits like pest control, pollination and seed dispersal. Through education, research and advocacy, Rodrigo Medellín, a senior professor of ecology at the University of Mexico, has made it his mission to change the way people see these animals. Medellín's fascination with bats began at the age of 13, when he held one in his hands for the first time. 'That's when I decided to dedicate my life to their study and protection,' he says. Since then, caves have become his happy place. 'The peace, the darkness, the silence apart from the bat squealing. I feel relaxed in a cave and all I do is I try to convey this feeling to the people that are with me,' says Medellín, who is part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative and has won multiple awards for his work. He also founded of the Latin American Network for Bat Conservation, and Global South Bats, a network of bat scientists. There are over 1,400 bat species, which account for around a fifth of all known mammal species across the globe. They are the only mammals capable of powered flight, rather than just gliding, which allowed them to spread across the globe. They use highly developed echolocation to navigate and find prey at night, with some able to sense objects as small as human hair. Although certain species live for over 30 years, bats reproduce slowly – typically one pup per year. This makes it difficult for populations to recover from decline. 'They are very mysterious. Many people fear them, attack them, or despise them. They are probably the most unfairly treated animals on Earth,' says Medellín. Bats are often seen as symbols of evil and darkness, largely due to their association with vampires and the supernatural in Western folklore. Throughout history in Christian Europe, the bat has been associated with the devil, evil spirits, and witches. Eastern cultures tend to view them much more positively. For instance, in Chinese culture, they are considered symbols of luck and happiness. Still, the perception of bats has worsened with the emergence of Covid-19, which some believe originated in bats and they are often viewed negatively due to their association with diseases. 'Bats are certainly not fuller of diseases than your dog or cat. That has been horribly exaggerated,' Medellín explains. One of the most impactful services bats provide is pest control. Medellín notes that just one species along Mexico's northern borders numbers up to 30 million individuals, collectively devouring about 300 tons of insects every night. But they do much more than keep insects in check. Fruit-eating bats play a crucial role in spreading seeds as they fly long distances in search for food. 'By dropping seeds far from the parent tree, they help regenerate forests, maintain plant diversity, and support the life cycles of countless other organisms. The restoration of forests relies very heavily on bats,' Medellín says. Bats are also key pollinators for a wide range of plants, according to Medellín, including agave, the plant used to make tequila. Despite their critical ecological roles, populations worldwide face many challenges, most of which are caused by human activity. Habitat loss, wind turbines, pesticide use, and most recently, white nose syndrome – a fungal disease – have all taken a serious toll. As a result, many species are now listed as endangered or threatened. 'Imagine what happens if we lose bats overnight,' Medellín says. 'Without them, crops would be ravaged by hungry insects, and mosquito populations would surge, drastically changing our way of life.' He is committed to convincing people that bats are important for their everyday wellbeing and believes that greater awareness could transform attitudes and turn fear into fascination. Through initiatives like bat-friendly agave farming, long-distance migration tracking and international conservation networks, he's working to protect bat populations while highlighting their role in pollination, pest control and ecosystem health. 'I give people facts, images, evidence, and automatically they fall in love with bats,' he says. 'In my experience, anyone who had any contact with bats maintains that contact and starts expanding it.' 'If there is anybody who is still afraid of bats, I would like to invite you to learn a bit more,' he adds. 'They are going to win your heart.'
Chicago Tribune
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
East Chicago honors Hispanic political pioneers Jesse and Rosemarie Gomez
The 3800 block of Grand Boulevard in East Chicago now honors Jesse and Rosemarie Gomez, both Hispanic pioneers in politics. Jesse was the first Hispanic elected official in Indiana, Councilman Robert Garcia said. Rosemarie became the first Hispanic woman to serve on the East Chicago City Council after her husband died in 1979. Garcia represents the district that the Gomezes once did. The City Council approved the resolution last year, but getting everyone together for Friday's dedication of the new sign for Jesse & Rosemarie Gomez Way took time. 'We stand on the back of those elected officials,' Garcia said. 'I stand on the shoulders of their leadership and their legacy.' Their son, also named Jesse Gomez but with a different middle name, followed in his parents' footsteps, serving on both the city council and now on the school board. Gomez told his parents' story. 'My father's family arrived here in East Chicago from Mexico as trailblazers in 1916, and he was born here on April 14, 1920,' Gomez said. At age 12, Gomez's father and his family returned to Zacatecas, Mexico, later attending the University of Mexico, where he focused on political science. With the impending start of World War II, he returned to East Chicago to register for the draft and work at Inland Steel. After he left the mill, he worked as an insurance agent, an editorial writer for two Spanish-language newspapers, a radio announcer for WJOB's Spanish-language 'Hora Mexicana' program, and as a health inspector for the city. In 1963, he was elected 6th District councilman, the first Hispanic elected to political office in the state's history. He was re-elected to three additional consecutive terms, Gomez said, eventually becoming the 5th District councilman. 'Time with an elected official is interesting,' Gomez said. 'As a youngster, I remember that we often had a table set for eight at dinner – two for my parents, four for the children and one for the live-in family friend, Joe. The eighth seat was reserved for someone else, usually an immigrant who was first making their way here to East Chicago from Mexico, Puerto Rico or somewhere across the Atlantic.' 'My father was a good dancer, a great sketch artist, a fantastic chess player, a horrible joke teller and, in his mind, the greatest soccer player in the world,' Gomez said. Gomez rattled off a long list of achievements during his father's career, including serving as a Spanish language volunteer for the Pan-American Games and project coordinator for the East Chicago Vietnam Veterans Memorial, not to mention service twice as City Council president. 'That's a lot for one person to do in a lifetime. My father achieved that during his short time here on Earth,' Gomez said. The elder Jesse died Aug. 31, 1979, at age 59. Rosemarie was born Jan. 14, 1926, in Saltillo, Mexico. While she was young, her family moved back and forth between the United States and Mexico. She attended East Chicago public schools but left early to work at Inland Steel to help her family financially, Gomez said. She later returned to school and graduated from Washington High School. In 1939, Rosemarie portrayed the Statue of Liberty during the Mexican Independence Day Parade. The next year, she served as queen of that parade. Rosemarie, 99, has her own long list of accomplishments and involvement in the community. 'My mother was a great cook, a fantastic gardener, and she is one of the most loving, kind and considerate people that you ever will meet,' Gomez said. One day, Gomez said, his father told Rosemarie she needed to become an American citizen, which she did. 'My mother later found out that the reason he asked her to do that was so that years later she could vote for him when he first ran for the City Council, a race he won,' Gomez said. 'Together, my parents were trailblazers, in similar fashion to the way their parents were,' Gomez said. 'They were kind of the Hispanic version of John and Jackie Kennedy.'
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
NASA's exoplanet hunting spacecraft discovers a ‘cool' new alien world that's bigger than Jupiter
NASA's exoplanet-hunting spacecraft – the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS for short) and citizen scientists have discovered a new alien world that's 'cool', both literally and figuratively. The exoplanet, called TOI-4465 b, is a gas giant located almost 400 light years from Earth. With a mass six times and a width 1.25 times that of Jupiter, the exoplanet circles a star in an elliptical orbit at less than half the distance between Earth and the Sun. Due to its proximity to the star, the exoplanet has temperatures ranging between 93 to 204 degrees Celsius and takes just 102 Earth days to complete one rotation around the star. Compared to other gas giant exoplanets that are close to their stars, TOI-4465 b is cooler, given its massive size and density. Exoplanet scientists find TOI-4465 b particularly interesting because it acts as a bridge between scorching gas giants and ice giants like Neptune. In a statement to Zahra Essack, a researcher at the University of Mexico, says, 'This discovery is important because long-period exoplanets, defined as having orbital periods longer than 100 days, are difficult to detect and confirm due to limited observational opportunities and resources. As a result, they are underrepresented in our current catalog of exoplanets.' NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) detects planets when they cross between their parent star and Earth, causing a small dip in the light that's received from their system's star. To give you a quick recap, exoplanets are planets that orbit other stars and are beyond our solar system. While TOI-4465 b was spotted during one such event, astronomers needed one more transit event before they could study it. Esseck says that these 'observational windows are extremely limited' and that 'each transit lasts about 12 hours, but it is incredibly rare to get 12 full hours of dark, clear skies in one location.' To overcome these challenges, astronomers turned to 24 amateur citizen scientists from 10 countries who are part of the Unistellar Citizen Science Network, who used their telescopes to observe TOI-4465 b.
