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In 1980, conservationists began eradicating feral sheep to restore California’s Santa Cruz Island; by 1987 numbers fell from 21,500 to under 100, then 12 lambs were rescued to save the breed

In 1980, conservationists began an ambitious ecological restoration programme on Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of Southern California. The main goal was to remove tens of thousands of feral sheep whose uncontrolled grazing was damaging native plants and threatening wildlife habitats. Over the next seven years, organised eradication efforts dramatically changed the island’s landscape….

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Scientists found hidden populations within common gut bacteria that can spread internationally within decades and are associated with ageing, colorectal cancer, IBD and type 2 diabetes

The study, published in Nature, could also change how scientists identify links between gut bacteria and disease.​ The human gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that together form the gut microbiome. These microbes play important roles in digestion, immune function and metabolism. Now, researchers led by the University of Vienna have found that common…

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Agnikul Cosmos: Indian startup Agnikul Cosmos unveils testing & manufacturing hubs in Chennai to validate reusable rocket stages

STIF is a fully in-house facility for testing reusable rocket stages under flight-like operating conditions NEW DELHI: In a giant step towards attaining reusable launch vehicle technology like Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos has inaugurated two new assembly and testing facilities in Chennai.The company unveiled the Stage Testing & Inspection Facility (STIF)…

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In 2018, Japan opened a floating solar farm with more than 50,000 panels; 18 months later, Typhoon Faxai’s 120mph winds tore modules loose and around 50 panels caught fire

Representative Image (AI-generated) Japan’s push to generate renewable electricity from reservoirs took a dramatic turn in 2019 when a powerful typhoon damaged one of the country’s largest floating solar farms. The project at Yamakura Dam in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, began operating in March 2018 with thousands of solar panels spread across the reservoir. According to…

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Quote of the Day by Albert Einstein: “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to…” – powerful lesson about success and value |

Quote of the day by Albert Einstein (Image: Wikipedia) Albert Einstein‘s famous words offer a genuinely different way of looking at achievement. In a world where success is often measured through money, job titles and public recognition, this line asks people to look beyond what they have actually achieved and think honestly about what kind…

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Japanese students began testing a natural system on a school pond plagued by algae; the experiment eliminated the outbreaks and later expanded to 8 sites |

BIO-ENGINE introduced in the pond. Image Credit: Hatena Blog Japanese students at Nakui Agricultural High School in Aomori Prefecture developed a natural water-cleaning system after years of research, and tested it on a pond where recurring algae outbreaks had caused unpleasant smells. According to Japan for Sustainability(JFS), the experiment worked. The pond’s algae outbreaks were…

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In 2014, Virginia removed a dam that had blocked migrating fish for over 70 years; nearly 130 miles of upstream spawning and nursery habitat reopened

For decades, a concrete barrier on Virginia’s Appomattox River stood between migratory fish and more than 120 miles of upstream habitat. In 2014, its removal changed that. The Harvell Dam in Petersburg was taken out as part of a collaborative restoration effort, reconnecting roughly 127 miles of river for migratory and resident fish, according to…

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Scientists sent a robot two miles below California and found a bigfin squid; it was the first live Northeast Pacific sighting

Photo credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Two miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California, in a world of near total darkness and crushing pressure, a remotely operated vehicle glided silently through the water. Its cameras were scanning the deep for the strange and the seldom-seen when something extraordinary…

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All known life uses 4 DNA letters; UC San Diego showed an existing bacterial enzyme can accurately read and transcribe 8, doubling the genetic alphabet with synthetic letters

Representative image of DNA All life on Earth, from bacteria to blue whales, writes its genetic instructions using the same four-letter alphabet. These four DNA bases, usually referred to as A, T, C and G, pair up in predictable ways to store and pass on the information needed for life. Now, researchers at UC San…

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