Popular Science

Like it or not, insects are everywhere, including places where you may not want them to be. Yet there is one environment that they don’t call home—the open ocean. An enduring explanation for this absence is that deep water pressure would fill their tiny respiratory systems with air and they would then cave in. But one particular insect larva is challenging this idea. 

Meet lake flies (Chaoborus edulis). In East Africa’s Lake Malawi, billions of their larvae spend their days over 656 feet (200 meters) below the surface of the water before coming back up to feed at night. 

“Uniquely, Chaoborus midge larvae have modified their respiratory system into two pairs of air-filled sacs which they use to control their buoyancy,” Philip Matthews, a co-author of the study and a researcher who studies insects’ respiratory adaptations at the University of British Columbia tells Popular Science. “By regulating the pH of the air sacs’ walls, they cause them to expand or contract via a distinct ‘chemo-mechanical’ system.”

Matthews and his team were intrigued by how this mechanism works, but realized that using air sacs to regulate buoyancy while diving presents a problem. 

“The gas inside an air sac is not pressurized (it is roughly the same as the atmospheric pressure at the water’s surface),” he explains. “This begged the question: how deep can these insects dive before their air sacs cannot expand against the pressure? And at what depth do they fail completely and implode?”

The team decided to investigate this in Lake Malawi’s Chaoborus edulis larva, to solve this puzzle. The findings, detailed in a study published today in the journal Science, trace the larva’s daily diving routine with a sonar system, and look at what is going on at the biological level. 

The walls of C. edulis’ air sacs have resilin, a substance that grows or shrinks in volume according to the wall’s pH. This dynamic gives the larvae the ability to change their buoyancy. 

A swarm of the lake fly larvae over Lake Malawi. Image: Philip Matthews.

But how long can their air sacs hold out? Pressure chambers provide the answer. The researchers put larvae in these small chambers to see how much pressure they could withstand before their air-sacs imploded. The larvae’s air sacs could endure pressure equivalent to over 1,213 feet (400 meters) below the surface of the water, which is way deeper than they routinely descend. 

The study ultimately suggests that pressure isn’t what’s keeping insects out of open oceans, and their findings regarding resilin could hold relevance for material science.

“Resilin was previously known as a passive and flexible part of insect exoskeleton, but through its ability to swell and shrink in response to changes in pH, it generates force of its own in Chaoborus, changing the shape and volume of the air sac,” says Evan McKenzie, a co-author of the study and a PhD student at The University of British Columbia’s Department of Zoology. “We think this could make Chaoborus resilin of great interest to material science where it could be developed as a dynamic material that morphs its shape in response to changes in its chemical environment.”

The post Insects survive 1,213 feet of pressure under water, defying physics appeared first on Popular Science.

A hiker’s recent berry-picking trip in the woods along the northern Polish-German border yielded more than a basket of fruit. After inspecting metal fragments found among the trees near the city of Świnoujście, historians say the area may hide further remains of an Allied airplane crash from World War II.

“The very first inspection indicated that this was no random piece of scrap metal,” Wiktor Czeszewski at Poland’s Coastal Defense Museum told TVP World, the nation’s public broadcast news outlet. “The nature of the sheet metal, riveting, traces of aircraft structure, and spent ammunition indicate these are fragments of an aircraft.” 

Officials are treating the area as a potential crash site. Credit: Fort Gerharda, Muzeum Obrony Wybrzeża

Czeszewski’s team quickly traveled to the site of the hiker’s find, where they discovered even more wreckage, as well as spent ammunition traced to a type used in British airplane machine guns. A small tube artifact also featured an identification number that possibly links to a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Developed by the British manufacturer in the early 1930s, the liquid-cooled, 27-liter, V12 piston aero engine became synonymous with Allied fighter planes like the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, as well as the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber.

Known as Swinemünde during German occupation, Świnoujście became a focal point of combat during World War II’s final months. Allied forces targeted industrial hubs across the area during multiple aerial missions, leading to casualties on both sides. Based on the condition of the wreckage, historians believe the aircraft was likely shot down by coastal anti-aircraft batteries.

Little else can be gleaned from the artifacts at the moment, but museum officials are now urging local authorities to treat the area as a potential crash site. Since pilot and crew remains may also still be buried underground, careful excavation work is even more important.

“We still have many questions and likely more than one surprise ahead of us,” added museum official Milan Litwinowicz.

The post Berry picker finds mystery WW2 plane wreckage in Poland appeared first on Popular Science.

Fashion isn’t always an attempt to stay stylish. Throughout history, clothing and personal appearance have reflected social status, political alignments, sexuality, and more. But because of this symbolism, these simple-but-effective means of expression can also generate resistance from people in power. As far back as 416 CE, the Roman emperors Honorius and Theodosius II tried reining in a rising trend they deemed unfit for their male citizens—long hair.

This maiores crines (long locks) law probably wasn’t enacted purely due to their aesthetic preferences. As historian Javier Arce recently argued in his study published in the journal Pyrenae, the Roman government linked lengthier hair on men with a growing “barbarian” problem. The issue wasn’t an influx of Germanic residents, Franks, and Goths, however. It was that their personal grooming styles were beginning to rub off on Romans. And it was humiliating to the Roman elite.

Ancient Rome often relied on lex vestiaria (laws controlling apparel options and personal grooming) as means to maintain social order. During the empire’s later years, rulers regulated dress according to societal rank, allowing for the quick identification of enslaved people. Other examples included banning senators from wearing military items, as well as the restriction of fashions typically associated with outside cultures.

According to Arce, the timing of Honorius’ and Theodosius II’s long locks law was anything but random. The order arrived not long after the Visigoth king Alaric captured and sacked Rome in 410 CE. Six years later, Germanic attire and hairstyles had become popular enough that the empire’s rulers worried about a “Germanization” of their subjects, which might weaken their grasp on power. In addition to mandating short hair, Rome also forbade clothing made with animal skins, even for enslaved people—another fashion associated with Germanic enemies.

So were these attempts to suppress non-Roman cultural influences ultimately successful? In the end, it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. By 476 CE, the Western Roman empire had effectively collapsed, ceding military and economic power to the very “barbarians” whose fashions the ruling class hoped to stifle.

The post Roman emperors once banned men from having long hair appeared first on Popular Science.

Gummy vitamins taste like candy and make you healthier, right? What’s not to like? 

The global market for vitamin gummies has exploded in recent years, valued at nearly $9 billion in 2025 and predicted to double by 2033. Nearly a quarter of that consumption is in the United States.

Driving this boom is the idea that these chewable vitamins are a convenient, tasty way of improving general health—helped, as often happens, by some savvy marketing campaigns.

But, is there a dark side to these squishy health boosters? America’s Poison Centers’s national helpline receives more than 60,000 calls about possible vitamin poisoning every year, mostly from parents alarmed after their children have accidentally gorged on the chewy sweets. Are they right to be worried?

Dr. Kait Brown, clinical managing director at America’s Poison Centers, is keen to reassure anyone scared they can overdose on gummy vitamins.

“It’s very rare that kids are having symptoms when the Poison Center is contacted about multivitamins,” she says. “There is a margin of safety with all of them.”

Iron in gummy vitamins can pose real risks

The main exception when it comes to acute poisoning risk from multivitamins, she explains, is iron. Although iron boosts haemoglobin that helps blood carry oxygen around the body, it can also be corrosive to the stomach tract in high doses, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

If any parents see these symptoms in their children after consuming products containing iron, she urges them to call the Poison Center helpline immediately at 1-800-222-1222.

“We can often get these kids the treatment they need in a timely fashion so they don’t progress to the later stage of iron toxicity,” she says. This severe poisoning is known as metabolic acidosis. “It changes the way your organs function so you have potential multi-organ failure. It’s fatal if untreated.”

In the 1980s, she says, deaths from iron poisoning were much more common. Nowadays, however, they are extremely rare. This is partly thanks to stricter regulation requiring child-resistant packaging for products containing iron. Many multivitamins also now leave out iron altogether.

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But although the risk of immediate overdose from most vitamin supplements is very low, they can carry more insidious risks.

“Where we mostly run into concerns with vitamin toxicity from multivitamins is chronic overuse,” Dr. Brown says.

Why you need to pay attention to fat soluble versus water soluble vitamins

There are two main types of vitamins: fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, and water-soluble vitamins such as B and C.

“Some vitamins are taken more into the tissues and bones in our bodies, those are the fat-soluble ones,” Dr. Brown explains. “Water-soluble ones aren’t really taken up in that way and are more likely to be just flushed out of the system.”

In other words, if you consume too many water-soluble vitamins, you’ll probably just pee them out.

More care, on the other hand, should be taken with fat-soluble vitamins. As these are stored in our tissues, there is a greater risk that excess consumption can build up in the body over time.

Vitamin D, for instance, is essential for absorbing calcium and phosphorus, giving us healthy teeth and bones. But if taken to excess, vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in the blood. Early symptoms of this include weakness and vomiting. In extreme cases, overconsumption of vitamin D can even affect heart and brain function.

Also be aware of vitamin A

Vitamin A is another leading culprit of chronic vitamin toxicity.

“It can cause some liver damage, and there’s also things like bone pain and hair loss associated with it over time,” Dr. Brown says. “But this is only if you’re consuming many, many [gummy vitamins] a day over many days.”

In general, she says, there is no reason to fear these squishy supplements, which can be a useful boost to a healthy diet. But it is important to familiarize yourself with the vitamin content of each product, be aware of recommended daily maximum doses for different age groups and keep the containers away from children.

“They’re in a lot of homes, and especially kids under five don’t necessarily understand the difference between candy and medication,” she says. “It’s something they know tastes good and if they’re left alone with the product, they might say, ‘Oh, I want a few more of these today.’”

What’s more important than vitamins? Eating a balanced diet. Image: Getty Images / Kseniya Ovchinnikova The importance of holistic health

While the dangers of multivitamins are generally low, dietician and gut health expert Dr. Emily Leeming warns against relying on them for a healthy diet.

“I think there is a place to have a multivitamin for certain people who are struggling to get that from food alone,” she says. “[But] we need to be a bit more cautious about thinking that taking supplements is an easy fail-safe. We don’t want to be doubling up where we don’t need to be.”

She points out that many gummy vitamins are loaded with sugar, or with sugar alcohols that can cause bloating in high doses.

Moreover, topping up on certain vitamins is no substitute for a healthy, balanced diet.

“Most of these multivitamins might contain a range from five to 30 different nutrients and micronutrients,” she says. But food contains 26,000 biochemicals that play many different roles in the body. “So, by eating the whole food source, there are so many other benefits that are coming with that besides that one nutrient we’re trying to get more of.”

The final concern is cost, with some high-end formulas costing as much as $30 per bottle. The FDA doesn’t regulate the supplement market in the same way it does for medicines, making it difficult to know whether the health claims of more niche products are based on real evidence.

“Don’t feel like you’ve got to get sucked into some powerful marketing and need to spend on expensive products,” Dr. Leeming says. “If you want to make changes for your health, first try and spend that money on making and eating healthy food.”

In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post What happens if you eat too many gummy vitamins? appeared first on Popular Science.

While mother eagle Jackie recovers at the Ojai Raptor Center, her partner Shadow and their pair of subadult eagles, Sandy and Luna, continue life in their nest in Big Bear Valley. Shadow is feeding and caring for the duo, and protecting the nest from some other subadult eagles spotted near Big Bear Lake. Luna even helped out a bit, chasing away an intruder before it could get into the nest. 

A representative from Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) spoke with an eagle expert about what Shadow may do while Jackie is away. It is important to remember that Shadow is a wild eagle who can do as he pleases. However, the unnamed expert did say that Jackie and Shadow’s years-long tight bond may keep him from moving on to another mate for now. He likely would not go and seek out another female eagle until his hormones kick in towards the end of December into early January. 

“We noticed that Jackie’s hormones seem to kick in earlier and she becomes frisky… and Shadow generally has a case of the December grumpies until his kick in,” FOBBV writes. “But again, Shadow will do what Shadow wants to, and we have no say so in the matter.”

Meanwhile, Jackie is about 170 miles east in Ojai. Despite being in critical condition, she is eating on her own, has more energy, and is even fighting off the staff taking care of her. And the staff is not the only group she has been fighting recently. Video shared with KTLA 5 shows Jackie in a fight with two other adult eagles near Dana Point that left her in critical condition. 

According to the Ojai Raptor Center, Jackie is anemic and has inflammation affecting her kidney function. The team is unsure of the underlying issues causing these symptoms, and they are working with specialist veterinarians to determine the best treatment. They are also still waiting for a toxicology report to see if she has any rodenticide, zinc, or lead in her system. Lead is particularly toxic for eagles. According to the American Eagle Foundation, a lead fragment the size of a grain of rice is lethal to a mature bald eagle. A standard 150 grain lead bullet can poison 10 eagles.

This is a developing story and we will continue to provide updates. In the meantime, viewers can monitor Shadow, Sandy, and Luna on the nest cam.

Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 babies: Everything you need to know

It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched.

Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions. 

On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna.

How long will the chicks stay in the nest? 

Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age.

What challenges do the eaglets face?

Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.

During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill. 

Who are Jackie and Shadow? 

The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds.

What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 eaglets?

In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.

What happens after chicks fledge? 

Young eagles usually fledge–or leave the nest and fly–when they can flatten their wings and have feathers capable of flight. This typically occurs when the birds hit 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little sooner than females. 

According to FOBBV, fledglings from Southern California have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park.

About 70 percent of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not tag their eagles, so it’s not possible to follow the chicks’ journeys after they flee the nest.

Can I help Jackie and Shadow?

Yes. Environmental groups are currently fundraising $10 million to protect Jackie and Shadow’s foraging area from development. Learn more at SaveMoonCamp.org.

You can also help the rescue organizations helping nurse the eagle that is likely Jackie back to health by donating to Ojai Raptor Center’s Bald Eagle Recovery Campaign.

The post Luna the eagle chases off nest intruder, as mom Jackie recovers appeared first on Popular Science.

Despite the bloody picture painted in the movie Jaws, the real king of the ocean is not the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). It’s the orca whale (Orcinus orca). These skilled hunters stalk their prey in a variety of ways, from hydroplaning onto the sand to grab seals to corralling fish into big bait balls for a snack. 

A group of orcas in the Gulf of California appear to have an additional tool in their hunting toolbox—and it was caught on camera. One whale holds down the dead body of a large sunfish, which can grow over 6 feet long and weigh over 4,000 pounds. The whale then lets go, before another orca rams into the sunfish carcass at a high speed. The collision breaks apart the fish’s tissue into hundreds of tiny pieces.

“At first, I was just excited because I could see what they were eating and document it,” Dr. Katy Ayres, a research scientist from Beneath The Waves and Orcas Mexico and guide with Latitude Adventures who captured the footage, tells Popular Science. “Sometimes it is hard to identify the prey. But then I wasn’t expecting the sunfish to fragment into so many pieces. As it happened, it became clear we were witnessing something special.”

The event is detailed in a study co-authored by Ayres and published today in the journal Frontiers in Ethology.

Pieces of sunfish everywhere

Sunfish are among the planet’s heaviest bony fish species. They move through several deeper parts of the oceans, but come to the surface to rest, regulate their body temperatures, or find organisms that will eat the parasites off their skin. While those surface waters can be great for exfoliation, it makes them more vulnerable to predators. In the Gulf of California, they are commonly hunted and eaten by orcas. 

“In general, the orcas here have an incredibly diverse diet. While some groups appear to specialize on certain prey, as a whole, they’ve been documented hunting everything from whales and dolphins to sharks, rays, sea turtles, and of course the largest bony fishes in the world, the sunfishes,” says Ayres. “They’re still a relatively understudied orca population, so every new observation helps fill in another piece of the puzzle.”

These new observations are based on two independent hunting events that occurred about one year apart. In July 2024, Ayres saw how a group of orcas, including one juvenile, interacted with a dead sharp-tail sunfish (Masturus lanceolatus) that the group had previously killed. A female orca held the sunfish by its tail fin while a male orca accelerated and swam toward both.The female released it shortly before the male rammed into it. The juvenile then ate the smaller bits of sunfish that had exploded due to the impact, while the adults fed on what remained of the body, but did not consume the smaller sunfish fragments. 

A similar event in September 2025 was filmed by Héctor Franz and had that same hold-to-ram technique and feeding behavior.

A family meal

Ramming like this has not been previously described as a predation method by orcas  Since the sunfish were already deceased in both events, the ramming may be a processing technique instead of a way to deliver a killing blow.

“The most surprising part was how coordinated they were. One orca held the sunfish in exactly the right position and let go at the perfect moment for the other to strike it with incredible force,” says Ayres. 

The gelatinous layer that covers sunfish is called a capsule, and their skin hosts all kinds of distinct microorganisms. If this tissue is shattered, all of the microbes inside of it spread into the water and change the nutrient composition. The team believes that the tissue fragmentation could facilitate contact between sunfish and orca microbiomes. These meeting of the microbiomes could give the orca nutritional or other benefits including immune regulation.

The ramming behavior may also be a form of parental investment. Dividing the carcass into more manageable pieces for the younger whales aligns with previously observed behaviors.

“It was also really lovely to see the young orca taking advantage of the smaller pieces, which raises interesting questions about whether the adults were making the prey easier for it to eat,” Ayres recalls. 

Playing with their food

While this could be a way to boost immunity and help feed their young, ramming simply may be a fun game for these highly social whales. 

For the sunfish, the interaction could provide new insights into their anatomy and other physical characteristics. So far, fragmentation of tissue has only been documented in sharp-tail sunfish. This suggests that tissue disintegration may be a species-specific structural response to high-energy impacts. The tissue in larger sunfish species may not necessarily disintegrate this way, but we will only know that from future study.   

It’s also unclear if the same orcas were involved in both events. More high-quality footage that captures the orca’s dorsal fins and signature eye patches can help identify individuals. 

“Seeing orcas here is a real privilege and a relatively rare experience. Although there are now regulations, we’re seeing an increase in boats searching for them in the hope of getting people in the water and sometimes forcing encounters,” Ayres concludes. “I think it’s important that visitors come with realistic expectations and appreciate these animals in their natural environment and not just as an opportunity for a photo or social media post.”

The post Orcas smash dead sunfish into bite-sized pieces appeared first on Popular Science.

It’s already been a brutal summer by pretty much any metric, with record-breaking temperatures affecting millions of people across the United States and parts of Europe. Although predicting the forecast for any given week is becoming increasingly difficult due to climate change, historical data can still point us in the right direction. Barring all the chaos, when can someone expect to endure the season’s most sweltering conditions?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac recently delved into nearly 30 years of meteorological data to determine the country’s hottest day of the year—and the answers may vary more than you might expect. July predictably contains peak temperatures for most of the U.S., but certainly not all of it.

“Many regions in the United States—from the Rockies to the East Coast—follow this pattern,” they explained. “However, this isn’t true for all regions.”

The hottest day of the year could occur anytime between June and October, depending on where you live in the United States. Credit: NOAA

Northern areas of the country typically hit their top temperatures between mid-July and mid-August. Much of the western states experience their hottest days during early August. Most of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma are likely staring down even more intense heat in the weeks to come, possibly towards the end of August.

There are some notable exceptions to these temperature trends. While most of the U.S. begins feeling some relief from the summer heat come August, ocean waters typically continue warming well into September. The majority of the West Coast and southern Alaska also see cooler Pacific air roll over the warmer land, creating a thick fog that can lower summer month temperatures. Anyone living there shouldn’t expect peak heat until September or even October. The same is true for most of Hawaii and Puerto Rico, as well.

The bottomline? Keep hanging in there, and keep hydrated.

The post Is today the hottest day of the summer? The ‘Old Farmer’s Almanac’ has 30 years of data for an answer. appeared first on Popular Science.

Airplane seats can feel ridiculously small. It’s gotten to the point where I, a small woman of average height, have trouble even reaching under the seat in front of me. But have airplane seats always been so dang squished? The short answer, which we explore in a new episode of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything podcast, is a resounding no.

Ask Us Anything answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. So, yes, there’s a reason why most people are right handed and no, not all cats hate water and that’s okay. If you have a question for us, send us a note. Nothing is too silly or simple.

This episode is based on the Popular Science article “Why are airline seats so small? It all started in 1978.”

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Full Episode Transcript

Sarah Durn: You finally make it onto the plane. You shuffle down the aisle trying not to hit anyone with your roller bag and overflowing personal item. You find your row. You squeeze into your seat. Your knees are almost touching the seat in front of you. Your elbows are tucked in, and now you and the person next to you are silently battling over that one precious armrest.

You haven’t even taken off yet, and you’re already uncomfortable. You can’t help but wonder: Surely, planes haven’t always been so cramped? And you’re totally right. Airplane seats really have gotten smaller. So how did we get here? And why are we all squeezing ourselves into tinier and tinier spaces at 35,000 feet?

Welcome to Ask Us Anything from the editors of Popular Science, where we answer your questions about our weird world, from why are most people right-handed to why can’t we remember being babies? No question is too offbeat or mundane. I’m Sarah Durn, an editor at Popular Science.

Annie Colbert: Hello, I’m editor-in-chief, Annie Colbert.

SD: Here at PopSci, we’re always pondering quirky questions.

AC: And this week we’re wondering why are airplane seats so small. All right, Sarah, am I imagining things or were airplane seats actually bigger in the past?

SD: You are not imagining things. Experts say seats really have gotten smaller over the past several decades.

AC: I knew it.

SD: I know. Some major airlines have lost several inches of precious leg room compared to what passengers had in the late ’90s.

AC: All right. So what happened? Did airlines just wake up one day and decide, “You know what passengers would love? Less space.”

SD: Not exactly. The story actually starts with a huge change to the airline industry nearly 50 years ago.

AC: Ooh, historical twist.

SD: Exactly. Flying used to work very differently. Tickets were more expensive, airlines were regulated differently, and the entire experience looked nothing like it does today. Then everything changed.

AC: I’m guessing that change eventually led to my knees banging the seat in front of me.

SD: Yeah, it did. And here’s the other part, seats have been getting smaller at the same time passengers have also been getting larger.

AC: Hmm. That feels like a bad combination.

SD: Yeah, very bad. And some experts say this isn’t just about comfort. It could raise questions about passenger health and safety.

AC: All right. Now I’m intrigued.

But before we get to how flying went from spacious cabins to fighting over armrests, we wanna hear from you. What questions are taking off in your brain? If there’s something you’ve always wanted to know, submit your question by clicking the “Ask Us” link at popsci.com/ask.

SD: Send us your questions.

AC: Send them. All right. Coming up, we’ll look at how airplane seats started shrinking.

SD: And the nearly 50-year-old decision that changed the way we fly.

AC: That’s after this quick break.

SD: Welcome back. So Annie, before we get into the history here, I feel like we need to acknowledge that flying today can be a lot.

AC: Yes, it really can. And I will say from experience, flying with kids is a whole different level. I have a nine-year-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old, and traveling with them, it basically feels like packing up your entire house and trying to fit it into one tiny airplane row.

SD: Oh my gosh.

AC: You have snacks and toys and water bottles and jackets and stuffed animals, and whatever random object my toddler decided to pick up along the way that she had to bring. And then you get on the plane, and you’re like, “Wait, where is all this stuff actually gonna go?”

SD: Yeah. I can’t even imagine.

I don’t have kids, but I have flown a couple of times with my cat.

AC: Yeah. I mean, that feels like its own challenge.

SD: It is and was. Yeah, a lot of times your cat counts as your personal item, so then I have all these odds and ends I’ve tried to stick into my cat carrier’s very tiny little side pockets.

My cat is meowing at my feet. I’m trying to figure out where to put my jacket, and suddenly I’m just sitting there like, “Where do my feet go?” You know?

AC: I mean, who needs feet really?

SD: Apparently not airplane passengers. I had one particularly wild experience flying with my mom and sister in Europe. We were running late to a connection after our original flight was oversold.

We finally get to the plane and, of course, the overhead bins are full, and mind you, we all have carry-on suitcases with the, you know, rolling wheels and massive personal items.

AC: Oh no.

SD: And the flight attendants told us to just put our rolling suitcases under the seat in front of us.

AC: Wait, your actual rolling suitcases?

SD: Our actual rolling suitcases. So the whole flight we had our feet sitting on top of our luggage because there was literally nowhere else for anything to go. Sounds horrible, but also a safety hazard. I honestly don’t even know how they allowed it. It was one of the most uncomfortable flights I’ve ever been on.

But I think everyone has some version of that moment where they sit down and think, “Was flying always this cramped?”

AC: Okay, so that’s the big question. Were airplane seats actually bigger in the past?

SD: It’s not just in your head. According to experts interviewed by Popular Science, airplane seats and leg room really have shrunk over the past several decades.

AC: How much are we talking?

SD: So William McGee, a senior fellow for the American Economic Liberties Project, has tracked seat sizes for years, and McGee says major US carriers like American, Delta, Southwest, and United have lost somewhere between two and five inches of leg room since the 1980s. They’ve also lost around two inches of seat width.

AC: Okay, that’s a lot.

SD: It really is. Today, the average leg room on those airlines is about 31 inches. Back in the late ’90s, it was closer to 35 inches. That’s more than even some economy premium seats today. And on some budget airlines, seats can be even smaller, around 28 inches of leg room.

AC: So what happened? Because flying used to have this reputation of being glamorous. You see these old pictures of people dressed up on planes.

SD: Totally. Flying used to be a very, very different experience, and to understand how we got from there to fighting over armrests, we have to go back to 1978.

AC: The plot thickens.

SD: Indeed. So before 1978, the airline industry was heavily regulated. The government controlled things like which airlines could fly which routes and how much tickets cost. Flying was basically seen by the government as a utility.

On average, flying was more expensive, but passengers got a lot included in that price, things like checked bags, meals, and much more space.

AC: Mm. So what changed?

SD: So in 1978, Congress passed the Airline Deregulation Act. The idea was that if the government stepped back, more airlines could enter the market, there would be more competition, and ticket prices would go down. And at first, that did happen.

AC: So more people could afford to fly.

SD: Exactly, and this is, this is a really important part of the story.

Air travel became way more accessible to way more people. But over time, the industry changed again. There was a wave of consolidation, and today, the biggest airlines dominate most of the U.S. market.

AC: And somewhere along the way, the seats started shrinking.

SD: Exactly. Airlines realized that if they could fit more seats onto each plane, they could sell more tickets. More passengers per flight means more revenue.

AC: Which makes sense from a business perspective.

SD: Totally. And airlines would argue that these changes helped keep basic fares cheaper, but the trade-off is that passengers have way less space.

AC: And at the same time, humans have changed too, right?

SD: Exactly. Seats have gotten smaller at the same time that Americans, on average, have gotten larger.

According to the CDC, the average U.S. adult weighs about 15 pounds more than they did 30 years ago. People have also gotten slightly taller, though those increases have leveled off more recently.

AC: So people are getting bigger.

SD: And the seats are getting smaller.

AC: Not ideal.

SD: Not ideal. Paul Hudson, the president of the passenger rights organization Flyers Rights, told Popular Science that what’s unusual is that most other seating has adjusted over time.

Movie theater seats, car seats, other venues. Those seats have generally gotten bigger, but airplane seats have gone the opposite direction.

AC: Okay, but there are rules about this? Like, is there a minimum size an airplane seat has to be?

SD: Surprisingly, no. The FAA does not currently set minimum seat requirements.

AC: Really?

SD: I know. It’s kinda shocking. The FAA could set minimum seat dimensions if it determined that smaller seats created safety risks, but so far the agency has said no new rules are necessary for passenger safety.

AC: I’m guessing not everyone agrees with that.

SD: You guessed correctly. Some passenger advocates argue that smaller seats are not just uncomfortable, they could be dangerous.

AC: Like how?

SD: One major concern is health. On long flights, sitting still in cramped conditions can increase the risk of blood clots for some passengers. The CDC recommends getting up and moving around every couple hours on longer trips.

AC: Which is sometimes easier said than done.

SD: Right. If the seatbelt sign is on for turbulence or you’re stuck in the window seat and two people next to you are asleep.

AC: Ah, yes, the classic airplane dilemma.

SD: Exactly. The other big concern is emergency evacuations. FAA rules say a full airplane needs to be able to evacuate within 90 seconds.

AC: That sounds very fast.

SD: It is very fast, and some experts worry that smaller seats, fuller flights, more carry-on luggage, and changing passenger demographics could make that harder.

AC: But has the FAA tested this?

SD: They have. The FAA conducted evacuation testing and concluded that seat size and spacing did not negatively affect emergency evacuations.

AC: Hmm.

SD: Right. But critics have pushed back on those tests.

AC: Mm-hmm.

SD: For example, Paul Hudson from Flyers Rights, who actually observed one simulation, argued that the testing didn’t fully reflect real-world flying.

He pointed out that it didn’t include children, older passengers, or people with physical disabilities. The testing also didn’t happen on an actual plane, but in a parking lot with seats set up.

AC: Those feel like very large blind spots. I’m thinking of tiny toddler legs, and they do not move quickly. Plus, you think of the stress of an actual emergency, and, ugh, it’s very scary to think about.

SD: Yeah, very scary, and for now it doesn’t look like airplane seats are going to get suddenly bigger.

AC: So what can people actually do, besides magically getting upgraded to first class?

SD: Right, if only. Experts say if you can afford extra leg room on longer flights, it can be worth considering. And especially on long flights, try to move around when you can.

Hudson from Flyers Rights actually said he gets up whenever someone else in his row does, even if he doesn’t need to, because you don’t always know when you’ll get another chance.

AC: I mean, good advice.

SD: Right? And maybe my personal advice: Be very thankful whenever the overhead bins have room…

AC: because otherwise…

SD: you might end up using your suitcase as a footrest.

AC: The world’s least comfortable ottoman.

SD: Least comfortable.

If you wanna read more about why airplane seats have gotten smaller, check out our full story on Popular Science. We’ll link it in the show notes.

AC: And with that, we’ll be right back after this quick break.

SD: When we come back, we’ll answer another airplane mystery: Why do we still have to use airplane mode when we fly?

Welcome back. So, Annie, we all know how flying goes. You sit down, you buckle your seatbelt, you’re ready for takeoff, and then you hear, ding, “Please switch your devices to airplane mode.”

AC: Of course, very familiar. But do we really need to be switching our phones to airplane mode? Are we gonna bring down an entire jet if we accidentally get a call?

SD: Yeah, so the short answer is no. At least on modern airplanes, experts say the chance of your phone interfering with navigation equipment is extremely, extremely low.

AC: Mm.

SD: Like, basically non-existent.

AC: Got it.

SD: But the original concern actually goes back decades.

AC: Of course it does. Another airplane history lesson. Let’s hear it.

SD: I know. There is a lot of aviation lore in this episode. But back in the 1960s, before iPhones and Walkmans, the only way to actually listen to something on a plane was on a little portable FM radio, and there was a real concern with those radios interfering with airplane communication systems.

And that made more sense because those signals use very similar frequencies, but today’s cellphones use completely different frequencies.

AC: Then what is my phone actually doing when I put it into airplane mode?

SD: Basically, it stops your phone from constantly communicating with cell towers. Normally, your phone sends and receives signals using something called radio frequency energy, or RF energy.

RF energy isn’t as powerful as things like X-rays or UV rays from the sun, but this is what allows our phones to actually make calls. When it comes to flying, the rule is mostly a precaution. There’s very, very little chance that your phone could actually interfere with the plane’s communication system.

AC: Great. Well, that’s a relief because I feel like I’ve definitely forgotten to turn on airplane mode on a flight before.

SD: Same, all the time.

AC: Yes.

SD: Sorry, United. But even though the danger is basically next to zero, there’s another reason people have suggested keeping airplane mode around. Okay, imagine this. You’re stuck in one of those tiny airplane seats we just talked about, and now imagine everyone around you taking phone calls for six hours.

AC: Absolutely not.

SD: Right. The safety concern might be smaller today, but the do we really want an entire plane of people talking on the phone? That concern?

AC: Still very real.

SD: Very, very real.

AC: Honestly, airplane mode might be protecting all of us after all.

SD: Just maybe not in the way we originally thought.

AC: And that’s it for this episode. But don’t worry, we’ve got more episodes of Ask Us Anything live in our feed right now. Follow us or subscribe to Ask Us Anything by Popular Science wherever you enjoy your podcasts. And if you like our show, leave a rating and a review.

SD: Our producer is Alan Haburchak. This week’s episode was based on stories written for Popular Science by Mack DeGeurin and Tom Hawking.

AC: Thank you, team, and thank you everyone for listening.

SD: And one more time, if you want something you’ve always wondered about explained on a future episode, go to popsci.com/ask and click the “Ask Us” link.

AC: Keep the questions coming.

SD: Until next time, may your flight be smooth.

AC: Your middle seat stay empty.

SD: And your leg room be plentiful.

AC: Whoosh.

SD: Oh, that was good, Annie

AC: Thank you. These are airplane takeoff sounds, everyone.

SD: I know. I like that we, uh, both started using the hand to, like, help that.

AC: Oh, that really helps.

SD: Yeah, you can’t, you can’t make the noise without the visualization of the hand. It doesn’t work.

The post Airplane seats really are getting smaller appeared first on Popular Science.

Broadly speaking, our solar system is simply a collection of planets, their moons, and other cosmic objects like asteroids existing in gravitational orbits around the sun. There are countless systems out there like it, too. But one stellar system about 72 light-years from Earth isn’t quite like anything else researchers have ever seen. In fact, astronomer Kevin Hoy would go so far as to describe CD-35 2722 as “super weird” compared to our corner of the galaxy.

“The system is somewhat hard to define using solar system-based words like ‘planet’ and ‘moon,’” the astronomer from Chile’s Universidad Diego Portales and the Millennium Nucleus of Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS) recently said in a statement.

The system is detailed in a study co-authored by Hoy and recently published in the journal Nature.

Hoy and colleagues recently aimed the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) at the young oddball system CD-35 2722 that centers on a star about half the mass as the sun. Orbiting this star is a brown dwarf, which is a type of gas giant that is larger than a planet, yet smaller than a star. In this case, the brown dwarf is about 30 times more massive than Jupiter—but it’s not alone. Orbiting that object is yet another entity with a mass equivalent to Jupiter itself. 

“The exosatellite is clearly massive enough to be a planet, but it does not orbit a star, though it orbits an object that orbits a star,” said Hoy.

So is it a moon, or not?

“We have a clear delineation between the planets and the sun in the solar system, so defining things like moons is simple,” added YEMS director and study-coauthor Alice Zurlo. “In the CD-35 2722 system, where we are blurring the lines between stars, planets, and moons, the whole thing becomes more complicated to describe.”

According to their study, Hoy, Zurlo, and their team suspect their mystery may be an exosatellite or exomoon. These are naturally occurring planetary satellites located outside the solar system. Although researchers have documented over 6,000 exoplanets throughout the cosmos, the handful of exomoon candidates still lack enough evidence to prove their identities. If true, it would be the first of its kind ever confirmed by astronomers. For now, more observations are needed before astronomers can definitively classify the strange entity—but it’s also a matter of scientific semantics.

“Being the third wheel in this system makes us want to call it a moon, even if it is nothing like the small, rocky moons we have in our system.”

Regardless, the latest exomoon suspect marks a major moment in exploring the universe.

“As exotic as it is, this system is truly unique and represents a breakthrough: the first plausible detection of an exosatellite,” said Zurlo.

The post ‘Super weird’ object may be space’s first confirmed exomoon appeared first on Popular Science.

About 5,000 years ago, avocados went on an excellent adventure. Humans migrating north towards Nicaragua from parts of South America brought avocado seeds and then planted the fruit in Central America’s humid lowlands. The avocados then hybridized with the native varieties, producing a wide range of avocados that are large with smooth skin, and still enjoyed in the region today. 

While they may look like the avocados we love in our guacamole, these are genetically distinct from the commercially grown fruits found at your local grocery store. This genetic difference and migration is detailed in a study published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, and shows the vast diversity of these delicious green fruits.

“What’s pretty fascinating about Nicaraguan avocados is that they look pretty darn similar to ones you might find in supermarkets in humid areas across the globe, like in Florida or the Caribbean,” Kevin Wann, a study co-author and archaeologist with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, tells Popular Science. “Despite their apparent similarity to other tropical avocados, the ones that I collected comprise a completely different genetic lineage.”

That guac is made of clones

Avocado trees (Persea americana) naturally extend from Mexico south to Peru. For over 10,000 years, humans have eaten the plant’s fruit that is loaded with vital nutrients and fats. Considered a “superfood,” avocados are now cultivated around the world. Growers produced more than 11 million metric tons of avocados in 2024 alone.

Over 80 percent of these avocados were a single variety known as the Hass avocado (Persea americana ‘Hass’). The large and long-lasting avocados are produced through a process called clonal grafting. A branch is removed from one Hass avocado tree and then attached to another tree to bear the same fruit. As a result of this cloning process, most avocados you see in a grocery store or restaurant are genetically indistinguishable. This lack of genetic diversity makes Hass avocados vulnerable to the same threats. One disease or change in temperature or rain patterns can wipe out an entire population of Hass avocados.

Increasing this genetic diversity of avocados is crucial to protect this multi-billion-dollar industry. To find genetically different varieties, Wann points to the muggy lowlands of Nicaragua and Honduras. Over thousands of years, traditional agricultural practices have fine tuned the region’s native avocado varieties, also known as landraces.

“As I began learning more about the interplay between culture and genetics as it pertains to domestication, it became increasingly obvious that our understanding was biased by only looking at commercial cultivars and ignoring the significance of landraces,” Wann explains. 

Food poisoning, a wasp sting, and an exciting first

Wann and a team collected leaf samples from several varieties in southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and coastal Honduras. And his work took dedication. Wann had bouts of food poisoning and was even stung in the face by a wasp during field work in southern Mexico. 

However, he also ate an avocado for the first time. A farmer giving the team a tour of a grove in Nicaragua offered him a piece of the fruit.

“I wanted to see how far I could go into my dissertation studying avocados without ever eating one,” he said. “I made it four years, but when one of the native farmers offered me one, I couldn’t turn him down.”

The team also interviewed local gardeners and rural farmers in Nicaragua and Honduras to learn more about the native avocado varieties they cultivate. This agricultural perspective was crucial, according to study co-author Logan Kistler.

“You can’t think about biodiversity without considering agriculture, because it’s one of the most impactful ecological activities we do,” Kistler, the museum’s curator of archaeobotany and archaeogenomics, said in a statement. “Traditional agricultural practices have shaped these plants for thousands of years.”

The local farmers confirmed that these lowland avocado landraces had not experienced root rot, which is the most common disease affecting commercial avocados. Some Nicaraguan farmers will also graft commercial avocado branches onto native avocado trees, since the native trees are better adapted to the local environment.

Researchers traverse a cloud forest next to a coffee farm near Jinotega, Nicaragua. The muggy lowlands of countries like Nicaragua and Honduras are rich in avocado diversity. Here, traditional agricultural practices have honed the region’s native avocado varieties for thousands of years. Image: Kevin Wann, 2024 Nejapa Archaeology Project. Genes point to a major migration

Back in the lab (and away from wasps), the team extracted and analyzed DNA from their harvested leaf samples. They collected DNA from 47 native avocado landraces (32 of which came from Nicaragua) and compared the DNA from the various landraces with available genetic data from more than 200 other avocado lineages.

The team found that the avocado samples collected in southern Mexico were closely related to the ancestral highland avocado populations found in other parts of Mexico and in commercial varieties. By comparison, the landraces found in Nicaragua’s lowlands were genetically tied to avocados that are found further south, including along the coast of Colombia.

This genetic data revealed that the local landraces in this part of Central America are planted from fruits originally grown in South America. The team believes that human populations brought their local avocado varieties with them as they migrated throughout the Americas. The avocado relocation likely occurred around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, which is about when other South American crops, like chocolate and some maize varieties, appear in the Central American archaeological record.

“Interactions between cultures across Central and South America skyrocketed [at this time], mostly thanks to increased corn farming,” says Wann. “This sparks a mass exchange of plant resources throughout Latin America, and this is an ongoing process, not just a single movement. Unfortunately, Central America is an under-explored area archaeologically, mostly thanks to a tropical setting for poor artifact preservation and a scholarly preference for Mexico and South America.”

Protecting a popular fruit 

This ancient avocado diversity preserved in Central America’s lowlands could help protect today’s crops. Other clonal crops—those cultivated asexually from cuttings or grafting rather than from seeds—have been devastated by fungal pathogens. For example, bananas could go extinct from a fungal disease called Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), which blocks the flow of nutrients and makes them wilt. The pathogen even made Gros Michel bananas functionally extinct in the 1950s. 

The region’s local landraces are also adapted to warmer and wetter climates, which are both increasing due to climate change. 

“A plant like the avocado, which is so important to our global diets, is always subject to climate change, particularly with a fruit whose main exports come from a single clone,” says Wann. “History has shown us that just one new disease is enough to devastate a plant’s entire market when there’s an over-reliance on such a small genetic diversity. Conservation of genetic resources is the best counter to unknown climatic threats, and its awareness is always a great first step.”

The post Humans packed avocados before migrating across the Americas 5,000 years ago appeared first on Popular Science.

You’d have to be living under a dumpster not to have heard of Jimothy, Seattle’s favorite raccoon and the internet’s newest folk hero. He’s inspired nicknames like ‘King Jimothy,’ as well as fan art, tattoos, and even his own meme, ‘Hot Jimothy Summer,‘ after racking up millions of views this month. Beyond the basic masked bandit cuteness of his species, Jimothy has become a sensation largely thanks to his compact, adorably round shape, the apparent result of a rare condition called short spine syndrome.

Jimothy first turned up near a Goodwill store in Ballard, Washington.

“I initially thought I saw a cat under a car and wanted to have a closer look,” Kiana Hall, the Seattle resident whose video introduced Jimothy to the world, tells Popular Science, “then realized it wasn’t the shape of a cat at all.” It wasn’t until Jimothy turned around that Hall noticed his telltale markings and realized he was a raccoon. As for the origin of his unusual name?   

“He just looked like a Jimothy to me,” says Hall.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kiana (@c1vrgr1)

Online, commenters have since compared Jimothy’s unusual appearance to a cryptid, evoking everything from Bigfoot to the chupacabra.

It’s Jimothy’s world, and we’re all living in it, but his fame raises some real questions about what causes short spine syndrome, why it’s so rarely documented in wild animals, and what it might mean for Jimothy’s future. 

So what exactly is short spine syndrome, and how did it leave Jimothy with that unmistakable, highly lovable, no-neck silhouette?

What’s wrong with Jimothy? Why does he look like that?

Short spine syndrome is a rare genetic condition, says Julian D. Avery, an ecologist at Penn State University. A faulty recessive gene causes the condition, meaning an animal needs two copies, one from each parent, for the syndrome to actually appear.

“The odds of putting two individuals together that have it are generally pretty rare,” Avery says, “and probably rare in part because the animals with this condition will have significantly more challenges than a normally formed animal would have in any kind of context.”

Short spine syndrome is a condition that affects the formation of a developing spine, leaving an animal with a shortened, compressed, or fused set of vertebrae. Avery likens the process to rolling out a long tube of Pillsbury dough, then pressing down at regular intervals to pinch off individual segments, roughly how a developing spine differentiates into distinct vertebrae. “That does not unfold properly in animals that have these faulty genes,” he says.

The added challenges for animals with short spine syndrome likely explain why cases like Jimothy’s are so rarely seen at all. Jimothy, though, seems to be one of the lucky ones.

“He seems to have made it through this developmental process in a way that allows him to be pretty successful,” Avery says. “He or she. I don’t think anyone knows whether it’s male or female.”

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Will Jimothy the raccoon be okay?

Despite his unusual shape and the difficulties it might pose, Avery says animals with short spine syndrome generally have normal brain function and internal organs.

“There’s no reason to think the lungs are compromised or the brain is compromised,” he says. “I would expect that Jimothy would have a normal life.”

Given how Jimothy appears in his viral videos, actively foraging, climbing, and moving with apparent ease, there’s real reason for optimism. Raccoons as a species tend to come equipped with this kind of adaptability, Avery says.

“Raccoons are crazy resourceful,” he says. “They’re one of those species that is generalized enough that they can make a go in many kinds of situations and be successful.”

The bigger risk to Jimothy isn’t his condition, Avery points out. It’s how people react to him. 

“When people start feeding wild animals, then they start hanging around in unsafe ways,” he says. Habituated animals become more likely to be hit by cars, or removed by wildlife officials once they are viewed as too tame. 

“They’re not wary enough of those threats coming at them, and then they suffer,” Avery says. 

Raccoons generally live up to three years in the wild, but can live as many as 20 years in captivity. Image: Julian Avery How we can help Jimothy

When it comes to intervening in situations like Jimothy’s, Avery recommends a strict hands-off approach. “I’m always on the side of letting wild animals run their course,” he says. “You want natural variation in a population.”

That doesn’t mean you should stop admiring Jimothy’s adorably circular physique from a distance, though—quite the opposite.

“If more people are going to see Jimothy and doing so at a respectful distance, that’s awesome,” Avery says. “That’s more people that have seen a raccoon and are then going to get hooked on wanting to see a porcupine or robins nesting in their shrubs. Those sorts of things really get people invested and caring about what’s going wrong in the world around us.”

Washington’s own wildlife agency echoes Avery’s hands-off philosophy for Jimothy-watchers. In a written statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said, “We do encourage folks to leave the animal alone as it does appear to be getting around fine, unassisted, with the apparent congenital defect.”

That said, his fandom shows no signs of slowing down. On July 26, Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck plans to present an official proclamation in Jimothy’s honor, commemorating what she’s calling ‘Jimothy Summer,’ complete with a community art competition.

Amid all the fanfare, Hall says her hope is simple: That Jimothy keeps bringing people joy, and that people, in turn, look out for him.

“It has been so fun watching Jimothy bring some joy and silliness to the world,” she says, “and I hope this encourages people to go out for walks in their neighborhood and observe the wildlife around them.”

In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here’s what that means. appeared first on Popular Science.

Few people know of its existence, but Bobcat Cave in Huntsville, Alabama, is one of the most unique ecosystems in the United States. With a mapped length of nearly 1,490 feet, the underground limestone network is only passable through low, water-filled tunnels and mud-slick crawlways. Despite these claustrophobic confines, researchers have spent nearly 40 years regularly monitoring Bobcat Cave for its rare resident, the Alabama cave shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae). The tiny, extremely endangered species of nearly translucent freshwater crustacean is only documented in cave systems stretching between Alabama and Tennessee, making them invaluable to conservationists.

But after recent expeditions into Bobcat Cave, researchers now say the small shrimp lives beside an unexpected neighbor. According to their recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, biologists at Auburn University discovered a pale, eyeless fish measuring less than two inches long. Although diminutive, the new species now has an imposing name: the demon cavefish (Demogorgonichthys arcanus). What’s more, the subterranean dweller is so genetically distinct that it earned its own genus—and that likely makes it one of the rarest fish in the world.

“Most of the time when we discover new species, we are finding differences within organisms we already knew were there,” Jonathan Armbruster, a study co-author and curator of fishes at the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, said in a statement. “This was different. This was a new discovery that had not been seen before, and that is really rare.”

Distribution map, photos in life of ‘Demogorgonichthys arcanus’ gen. et sp. nov. and habitat. Distribution of D. arcanus gen. et sp. nov. from the type locality—Bobcat Cave—and occurrences of ‘Typhlichthys subterraneus’ in the Huntsville metropolitan area in north-central Alabama (A). The boundary of Redstone Arsenal is shown in red hatching. Photos of ‘Demogorgonichthys arcanus ‘sp. nov. in situ on 5 February 2025 at Bobcat Cave (B and D). Pools in the Shrimp Room at Bobcat Cave where ‘D. arcanus’ sp. nov. was discovered (C). Credit: M.L. Niemiller (B and D) / A. Hinkle (C)

The demon cavefish is related to the more common southern cavefish species (Typhlichthys subterraneus) as well as the harder-to-find Alabama cavefish (Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni). However, it possesses some key differences. Aside from its unique snout, body shape, and a lack of coloration, the demon cavefish lacks part of a key gene tied to light sensitivity.

“The Southern Cavefish clearly has some kind of response to light. With this fish, we don’t see that,” said Armbruster. “Part of the rhodopsin gene is missing, so it is no longer functional.”

The demon cavefish’s fearsome scientific name may recall the monstrous Demogorgon from Netflix’s hit series, Stranger Things, but the reference is actually even older. Study co-author and University of Alabama biologist Pamela Hart has long kept a running list of mythological, underground creatures as potential inspirations for future species names. The Demogorgon’s origins trace back not to 1980s Hawkins, Indiana, but to Ancient Greece. Seventeenth century poet John Milton even described it in Paradise Lost. 

Its specific name, “arcanus,” is Latin for “hidden” or “secret,” which is appropriate. So far, researchers have only seen around 20 demon cavefish at a time.

“It may have been living down in the aquifer and only recently made its way up,” Armbruster said. “Or it may have been there before, and we just never saw it.”

Like the Alabama cave shrimp, biologists are using the demon cavefish as another example of the importance of strengthening conservation efforts in these delicate and unique ecosystems.

“It may have been living down in the aquifer and only recently made its way up,” explained Armbruster. “Or it may have been there before, and we just never saw it.”

The post New eyeless ‘demon cavefish’ discovered in Alabama named after mythological Demogorgon appeared first on Popular Science.

The Ojai Raptor Center in Southern California is currently caring for Adult Bald Eagle 26-519, who is believed to be the internet-famous eagle mom named Jackie. On July 18, the San Dimas Raptor Rescue found the eagle weak, vulnerable, and unable to fly. The eagle was transferred to and is being evaluated by the Ojai Raptor Center’s veterinary team. 

The bird is underweight but alert, and is even perching and eating with assistance. Test results should come back within the next few days to confirm or rule out any suspected issues.

Adult Bald Eagle 26-519 is believed to be an eagle named Jackie. Image: Ojai Raptor Center.

“Wildlife medicine is different from working with domestic animals in many ways. Our patients don’t have owners or caretakers who can tell us what happened to them or what symptoms they’ve been experiencing in recent days,” the Ojai Raptor Center wrote. “Every case begins with many unknowns, and recovery depends on factors we’re still investigating, including bloodwork and toxicology results, which take time. Until we understand the full picture, we can’t responsibly predict a timeline or outcome. What we can promise is thorough, attentive care every step of the way.”

Millions around the world have watched the day-to-day lives of Jackie, her partner Shadow, and their current chicks Sandy and Luna via a 24/7 livestream of their nest. Shadow has been taking care of both Sandy and Luna in the meantime, ahead of their impending fledging. 

This story is developing and we will continue to monitor the situation. Viewers can continue to monitor Shadow, Sandy, and Luna via the eagle nest cam livestream.

Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 babies: Everything you need to know

It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched.

Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions. 

On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna.

How long will the chicks stay in the nest? 

Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age.

What challenges do the eaglets face?

Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.

During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill. 

Who are Jackie and Shadow? 

The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds.

What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 eaglets?

In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.

What happens after chicks fledge? 

Young eagles usually fledge–or leave the nest and fly–when they can flatten their wings and have feathers capable of flight. This typically occurs when the birds hit 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little sooner than females. 

According to FOBBV, fledglings from Southern California have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park.

About 70 percent of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not tag their eagles, so it’s not possible to follow the chicks’ journeys after they flee the nest.

Can I help Jackie and Shadow?

Yes. Environmental groups are currently fundraising $10 million to protect Jackie and Shadow’s foraging area from development. Learn more at SaveMoonCamp.org.

You can also help the rescue organizations helping nurse the eagle that is likely Jackie back to health by donating to Ojai Raptor Center’s Bald Eagle Recovery Campaign.

Why isn’t Jackie in the nest?

On July 18, the San Dimas Raptor Rescue found an eagle weak, vulnerable, and unable to fly after a reported encounter with other eagles. The bald eagle is believed to be Jackie.

The post Bald eagle believed to be Jackie healing in Ojai appeared first on Popular Science.

Eight grass-woven sandal remnants tossed into a trash heap over 2,000 years ago are new treasured finds for a team of archaeologists in Spain. Based on their exceptionally well-preserved conditions, researchers are now learning more about Iron Age life in the Iberian Peninsula at the cusp of the Roman Empire’s arrival into the region.

The footwear is documented in a recently published study in the journal Pyrenae, and come from excavations at Urium, an ancient mining settlement located in southwestern Spain about 55 miles west of Seville. Archaeologists found the shoes near a metallurgical workshop complex dating back to the mid-first century BCE. During its operations, the extensive site encompassed four work areas, 10 furnaces, and another 16 rooms with still-unknown purposes. The team didn’t locate the sandals in the workshop itself, but within adjacent courtyard ash deposits. Based on the additional scattered discardings like furnace leftovers and everyday items, these likely served as general trash heaps.

The sandal soles are made from a sturdy grass called esparto (Stipa tenacissima), with grooved textures and parallel fiber groupings that differentiate them from other textile plants like hemp and flax. Most of the esparto was used raw instead of softened through multiple soaking cycles, with artisans weaving them into flat, narrow braids that they then shaped into sole frames. A combination of thick cables and thinner strandwork was also carefully arranged depending on their usages. The heftier cords formed the weight-bearing parts of the footwear, while the more flexible twine made the joints and bindings. Each sole measured between 6.7 and 9.8 inches in length, with at least four of them clearly for the left foot.

These weren’t new sandals abandoned or lost by their owners. Instead, signs of heavy use coincide with where archaeologists found them. Most of them were missing their foot-securing cords by the time they landed in the trash, while damage to their forefoot sections showed longtime wear.

Their age ranges particularly surprised researchers, too. Radiocarbon dating traced one sole to the early Roman period (around 28–124 CE), while another example was constructed during the late Iron Age (360–205 BCE). A third sandal’s dating produced a broader time window, about 175–56 BCE. This implies Urium was repeatedly home to local workers over nearly 500 years. That said, the two oldest artifacts could have originated in earlier deposits that Roman residents later disturbed or discarded. Regardless, the style of esparto sandals were clearly worn for decades before the area was fully absorbed by the Romans in 19 BCE.

Plant-based footwear typically breaks down quickly, leaving little left for archaeologists to study. But thanks to the sandal soles residing amid the ashy furnace heaps for centuries, they remained comparatively stabilized. The organic preservation also preserved ropes and baskets made from similar materials found by researchers in the sediment.

Based on their state at the time of their disposal, it’s clear these esparto sandals weren’t casual accessories, ceremonial costume components, or luxury items. Instead, their worn-down state, broken straps, and muddy soles show the preferred footwear of laborers. It’s rare that remnants of such ancient people endure for millennia—and it’s even rarer for items crafted using such short-lived organic resources.

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Minnesota wildlife rehabilitator and ornithologist Foxfeather Zenkova trades sequins for imitation bird feathers when getting dressed up for a Saturday night. Recently, Zenkova donned an elaborate costume nicknamed “Ugly Mom,” all to care for an orphaned sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis). Outfits like Ugly Mom disguise human wildlife rehabilitators as adult animals, allowing them to care for orphaned animals and lessen the risk that the baby will imprint on a human before release.

“Many times a chick is found on its own, and a young sandhill should never be alone,” Zenkova, who runs Vulture Conservancy and Foxfeather and the Foxloft, tells Popular Science. “They stick like glue to their parents’ side, not straying more than a few yards from them until they’re basically full size and it’s time for migration in the fall.”

The puppets help cover up human hands during feedings. Image: Foxfeather Zenkova.

Sandhill cranes are one of the tallest birds in North America at nearly four feet tall with an impressive seven-foot wingspan. During the summer months, they are found in small bogs, marshes, and prairies across northern North America and the southeastern United States. During the winter, large flocks of sandhill cranes are found in Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.

“They move with a prehistoric elegance, and their loud, bugling calls can travel for miles across wetlands, sounding like something you’d hear in Jurassic Park,” Zenkova says.

Sandhill cranes are also fast learners, highly observant, have a great memory, and are considered highly intelligent. However, this intelligence and innate social behavior can be a challenge in a rehabilitation setting.

“Craving strong social bonds and with eager minds, young cranes can become attached to people surprisingly quickly,” Zenkova explains. “Because they learn social behaviors from the adults around them, human imprinting can make it difficult, or even impossible, for them to live a normal life in the wild. That’s why rehabilitators go to extraordinary lengths to keep human interaction to a minimum, using crane costumes, puppets, mirrors, and captive surrogate foster cranes to help chicks identify with their own species instead of people.”

Another rehabilitation challenge is more physical—and can get uncomfortable in the summer. Cranes also move a lot and can walk mere hours after hatching. After a few days, they cover miles a day with their parents. This movement is critical to a young crane’s health and development and they can grow up to one inch per day. 

“This requires a lot of dedicated space and also time, and here during an uncommonly hot Minnesota summer this year it means me slogging around in the sun in full ‘Ugly Mom’ costume for hours a day, foraging and exercising different babies,” says Zenkova.

Currently, Zenkova’s clinic is caring for four orphaned sandhills, with a fifth on the way. Most chicks are orphaned after one or both parents are struck and killed by cars while crossing the road.  

Young sandhill cranes are rarely orphaned on purpose. It is usually because one or both parents have been struck by a car. Image: Foxfeather Zenkova.

If you believe that you have found an orphaned sandhill crane chick, it’s important to keep your distance at first. It is rare that a parent will abandon a chick and they may be hidden in vegetation or nearby but out of sight. 

“One of our orphaned cranes came in this year because it was parked under someone’s bird feeder for two weeks with no parents in sight,” Zenkova explains. “The homeowners [understandably] thought maybe the parents just visited occasionally like a mother deer or rabbit would, but it’s not normal for a baby crane to stay in one place alone like that and it did need help.”

Since these are wild birds, do not attempt to care for one yourself or turn to the internet for advice. According to Zenkova, it is full of misinformation that can end up harming the bird since rehabilitation is more than just feeding the animal. Reach out to a licensed animal rehabilitation center in your area as soon as possible, especially if the animal has obvious injuries or is constantly calling out. Animal Help Now can help you find licensed rehabilitators in your area. Animal rehabilitators are also always looking for volunteers to learn how to care for animals, as well as the public’s support through donations. 

After orphaned or injured cranes successfully heal, complete swimming therapy to strengthen broken legs, or learn how to be social with other cranes, they can be released. In Minnesota, where Zenkova works, rehabilitated sandhill cranes can be released in the fall.

“Rehabilitating cranes is a ton of work, but watching a crane chick heal and thrive is a great privilege for me,” Zenkova says. “There’s nothing better than the feeling of seeing them re-join their counterparts once again and get a second chance at a wild life at release.”

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Walk your dog long enough and you’ll most likely see it: After peeing or pooping, you’ll see your trusty companion kick up a spray of grass and dirt with their back legs, sometimes in a real frenzy, then trot off. 

Some owners find it messy and tug their dog away. But the post-poop kick isn’t a bad habit to break or some quirky backyard dance. It’s a normal behavior, and there’s a real reason behind it.

It’s two signals in one

Dr. Carlo Siracusa, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania, says that the exaggerated kick is actually a way for a dog to leave a signal, or mark, for other dogs. “It’s a form of communication.” 

But this post-pee mark isn’t only about claiming territory. It’s also about presence and timing, a way of saying “I was here.” When a dog sniffs where another dog kicked the dirt or leaves, they can read the (sometimes literal) tea leaves and know how recently or long ago that other dog came by. That’s why dogs keep topping up their marks. A scent that’s a few days old provides different information from one laid down an hour ago. 

The kicked up mark carries two different pieces of information. There’s the smell, and there’s the scratching itself, which Siracusa describes as a visual signal on top of the scent. The kicking spreads the odor over a wider patch of ground and pushes some of it into the air, and it leaves a scuffed spot another dog can see. 

“If you are around, you can see me,” he says, speaking from the dog’s perspective. “But for those of you that are not yet here, you would smell that I was here.” He compares it to the way a cat marks, with a visible display in the moment and a scent that stays behind.

This little fluff ball is marking their territory and leaving messages for other dogs when they kick their legs back after peeing. Video: DOG KICK UP GRASS AFTER PEEING, @GhighiVlogs

Courtney Sexton, a postdoctoral researcher at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, lands on the same two-part explanation, though she notes that she hasn’t studied ground-scratching directly. Excrement and urine are loaded with information, she says, and the kick helps broadcast it. 

“If you’re kicking after you go, it’s just going to spread that scent around a larger surface area and increase the likelihood that someone [or, more likely, another dog] passing by is going to catch it.” Some of it drifts into the air, so a dog downwind catches it, too.

The habit goes back to wolves

Sexton traces this behavior to dogs’ wild relatives: wolves. For wolves, territory matters, and scent marks are how a pack signals that this is their turf and warns others to stay away. Other wolves can read stress hormones in a mark or work out what the other animal has been eating. 

Studies of free-ranging dogs show that dogs, like wolves, also leave marks to signal where their territory is. In a 2012 study of a free-ranging dog pack, researchers found the dogs used their marks, including ground-scratching, to set up something like a property line and to threaten rivals during fights. 

A 2024 study of free-ranging dogs found males were more territorial than females and reacted most strongly to the scent of males from neighboring groups.

Most dogs in the world aren’t household pets, Sexton points out. Many are free ranging, living in loose groups where territory still counts. For a dog asleep on your bed the stakes are lower, but it’s held onto the behavior anyway. Even your domesticated pup often will take the same walking route every day and at the dog park, leaving other dogs pee-mail in kicked up leaves.

For some dogs, it may be about nerves

Siracusa adds a second factor from his clinical work. Anxious dogs, especially in busy environments such as crowded cities, may mark as a way of reasserting themselves. The point, he says, is to get across a simple “I’m around,” so that the dog can avoid difficult encounters with other dogs. 

He doesn’t push the idea too far. There’s no data showing anxious dogs ground-scratch more than calm ones, he says, only a broader pattern he sees in the clinic that anxious dogs mark more in general. 

Ground-scratching is just one way dogs mark. Others include urine marking and overmarking, where a dog deliberately marks over another dog’s scent. 

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No one has studied what’s actually in the scent

Dogs also have scent glands in their feet, so scratching probably lets out some scent from their paws while also spreading the initial mark. But what those glands add to the message hasn’t been studied, according to Siracusa. 

“There are glands in the paws,” Siracusa says, but which pheromones they release, and what each one means, hasn’t been worked out. 

There is some research pertaining to the paw scent, though. A 2020 study found dogs can tell one dog’s foot gland scent from another’s, though it was unclear whether they can tell the depositor’s sex from it. 

When it’s worth paying attention

For owners, when your precious Lassie kicks up the dirt after peeing, it’s usually nothing to fret about. Siracusa says he can’t remember a single client who found it worrying, or even annoying. Not every dog does it, and a dog that does may not do it every time.

What’s worth watching is a change from your own dog’s usual pattern. A dog that always scratches and suddenly stops, or one that starts doing it in a strained, awkward way, could be dealing with pain, rather than sending a message, especially if it comes with other signs like whining during elimination. 

“I’m more interested in the change in the normal behavior of a dog,” Siracusa says, “rather than the individual behavior itself.”

For the vast majority of dogs, though, it’s nothing to fix. So, the next time your dog fires grass and dirt across the yard, let them. Just mind where you’re standing.

In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

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NASA’s asteroid-hunting Psyche spacecraft recently needed a little gravitational assist from Mars to keep speeding towards its intended target, but it didn’t leave the Red Planet empty-handed. While testing its various research instruments ahead of using them on the distant, metal-rich space rock 16 Psyche in 2029, the spacecraft snapped a travel album’s worth of flyby photos with its pair of identical cameras. 

NASA has released a compilation of the images taken during Psyche’s monthlong slingshot path in May. And unlike the thin crescent vantage point seen earlier, the stunning close-ups showcase the windswept surface, massive craters, and even the solar polar ice cap on Earth’s closest planetary neighbor.

“The imager performed brilliantly, delivering some rarely seen views of the Red Planet,” Jim Bell, Psyche’s imager instrument lead at Arizona State University, said in a statement.

In addition to the pictures themselves, the team successfully tested Psyche’s camera calibrations and scattered light sensitivity. These trial runs also included highlighting Martian moons Phobos and Deimos—a process that will be repeated at the asteroid to hopefully locate any potential orbital moonlets. Meanwhile, mission specialists tested Psyche’s neutron and gamma-ray spectrometer. Planetary bodies and asteroids emit neutrons and gamma rays while absorbing waves of high-energy cosmic rays. Researchers can then use these waves to match with known elements to determine the object’s chemical makeup. At its closest flyby altitude of 2,864 miles, Psyche remained too far away to pick up any Martian gamma rays, but the team hoped to possibly flag neutrons as they left the planet.

“Around the time of Mars’ closest approach, the neutron spectrometer detected a count-rate enhancement close to what we anticipated. It was very gratifying to see,” said spectrometer science lead David Lawrence.

Then there is Psyche’s magnetometer. The instrument will eventually analyze the asteroid’s core, whose metal composition will reveal if it’s a rocky planet building block known as a planetesimal. Psyche’s magnetometer will still be a very useful tool before it reaches its target. It has been running ever since the spacecraft’s launch in 2023 so that researchers can measure solar winds. As it approached Mars, the equipment relayed a huge increase in its magnetic field that aligned with an area of the planet that absorbs the most solar wind known as the bow shock region.

“We didn’t anticipate big discoveries, given how extensively the planet has been studied, but we did complement Mars science with the data we collected through Psyche’s unique perspective,” said Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Psyche’s principal investigator at the University of California, Berkeley.

With Mars in the rear view mirror, Psyche is now continuing along its 2.2-billion-mile journey to its diminutive asteroid, with even more work to do.Next up is restarting its solar-electric propulsion system to supply sustained thrust, which specialists expect to handle later in the year.

The post Mars’ desolate desert landscape captured by asteroid-bound NASA spacecraft appeared first on Popular Science.

UPDATE, July 20, 2026, 3:21pm EDT: Friends of Big Bear Valley posted an update Monday afternoon confirming it was in contact with the rehabilitation center where Jackie is receiving treatment. In a Facebook post, they wrote: “Jackie is stable and they are waiting on diagnostic results that can take several days. When we have additional information, we will post it here. Jackie is a strong eagle and we as a community will get through this.

Meanwhile, Shadow is an excellent mate and father, he continues to care for Sandy and Luna while protecting the nest and territory.”

An adult bald eagle recently rescued by the Los Angeles County Parks San Dimas Raptor Rescue is likely an internet-famous eagle mom named Jackie. Millions around the world have tuned into the day-to-day lives of Jackie, her partner Shadow, and their current chicks Sandy and Luna via a 24/7 livestream of their nest. 

According to Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), they are in touch with the rescue organization and other facilities involved in the eagle’s care.

“She is in the best place she can be and getting the care she needs. We have not received any updates but were assured by the facility they will contact us when they have information,” FOBBV writes, while sharing video of the rescue from the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation.

On July 17, an adult bald eagle was found on the ground near Dana Point Park. The same bird had been observed there the previous day as well. The eagle was also seen during a short altercation on the ground with two other subadult eagles. Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using its talons, but could not fly away. The LA County Parks San Dimas Raptor Rescue then picked up the eagle and it was transferred to an unnamed specialty care facility.

At the same time, FOBBV reported that it had not seen Jackie on their cameras for several days. However, it is not clear how many visiting eagles are currently in the area around Big Bear Lake and she is not banded, so it has been difficult to officially confirm if it is Jackie. 

This story is developing and we will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates. In the meantime, viewers can monitor Shadow as he cares for Sandy and Luna ahead of their impending fledging. 

Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 babies: Everything you need to know

It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched.

Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions. 

On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna.

How long will the chicks stay in the nest? 

Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age.

What challenges do the eaglets face?

Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.

During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill. 

Who are Jackie and Shadow? 

The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds.

What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 eaglets?

In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.

What happens after chicks fledge? 

Young eagles usually fledge–or leave the nest and fly–when they can flatten their wings and have feathers capable of flight. This typically occurs when the birds hit 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little sooner than females. 

According to FOBBV, fledglings from Southern California have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park.

About 70 percent of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not tag their eagles, so it’s not possible to follow the chicks’ journeys after they flee the nest.

Can I help Jackie and Shadow?

Yes. Environmental groups are currently fundraising $10 million to protect Jackie and Shadow’s foraging area from development. Learn more at SaveMoonCamp.org.

The post Bald eagle Jackie rescued after fight with other birds appeared first on Popular Science.

Only a handful of species apart from humans are known to understand geometry. It’s considered so rare among other animals that most scientists have long assumed even our closest non-human primate relatives struggle to grasp the concept of shapes and space. But according to a new study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, some monkeys may not only have a solid handle on geometrical ideas—they cognitively process them in the same way as humans.

“What surprised us wasn’t just that monkeys could do the task. It was that monkeys, children and adults seemed to think about geometric relationships in fundamentally the same way,” Jessica Cantlon, a study co-author, a cognitive neuroscientist at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), explained in a statement. “That suggests these intuitions are part of the basic architecture of the primate mind.”

Canton and colleagues designed an experiment focusing on olive baboons (Papio anubis) and Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) living at the New York’s Seneca Park Zoo’s Primate Portal, an ongoing project overseen by CMU researchers and the Rochester Institute of Technology. There, primates are allowed to freely interact with a touchscreen offering various customizable cognitive-based tasks. Data, code, and video of those results are then made publicly available as open access information.

In this case, the baboons and macaques were offered fruit for participating in a two-dimensional geometric shape matching game. Cantlon said that although the concept may sound simple, it’s deceptively more difficult because the objects don’t feature particularly distinct attributes across form, size, and color.

“You’d get tripped up, too,” she warned.

To measure the primates’ results, the team then offered the same game to preschoolers, 21 American adults, as well as nearly 80 adults from the Tsimane’ people. The Tsimane’ are an Indigenous subsistence agrarian group living in the tropical lowlands of Bolivia, and do not receive formal education like most other present-day societies. This helped Cantlon’s team to better separate factors like age and culture.

“Sometimes when you’re trying to study something in children, it can be difficult to untangle whether their ability is developmental or something learned from education or experience,” she explained. “So if we want to understand how children learn geometry, we need to understand what they bring to the table before formal instruction begins.”

Including the Tsimane’ proved crucial. The range stretching from the two primate species to human children and adults from different educational and cultural backgrounds showed a clear spectrum of understanding when it comes to basic geometry. The study results strongly imply that human children are born with evolutionary intuitions around space and shape. Instead of structured geometry education beginning from nothing, the lessons are built on those existing and innate principles.

Some of humanity’s most ancient artifacts support the argument that our species (and our evolutionary relatives) have long grasped Euclidean geometry. Inside the Blombos Cave in South Africa, paleoarchaeologists previously discovered a 70,000-year-old stone engraved with multiple parallel lines, as well as a 40,000-year-old mammoth tusk’s rows of notches in Germany.

“It’s one of the first things that humans wanted to write down. And those kinds of intuitions feel automatic to us, because we’ve encoded them so deeply,” Cantlon said.

However, it now appears that this encoding didn’t begin with us.

“One of the baboons, named Kalamata, was the hardest working monkey that I’ve ever seen,” added study co-author and CMU cognitive scientist Jialin Li. “He would come up to the screen and wait for me to turn the computer on, and then he’d just sit there for two to three hours just doing all kinds of mathematical tasks.”

The post Monkeys are surprisingly good at geometry appeared first on Popular Science.

A deep-ocean coral reef presumed dead for nearly 60 years off the coast of Benin was recently rediscovered and is teeming with life. A team of oceanographers led by Gérard Zinzindohoué at the Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin documented their findings in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, which highlights just how much is left to learn about West Africa’s underwater ecosystems.

Scientists first identified the possible location during the 1960s, while surveying potential fishing areas, but assumed that whatever reef resided along the seafloor was dead. After receiving grant funding to revisit the area, Zinzindohoué and his colleagues spent days searching over seven miles of the Gulf of Guinea using sonar equipment before finally flagging two signals large enough to match the potential reef remnants.

Mesophotic coral reefs live at deeper depths than typical, shallower coral. Credit: Gérard Zinzindohoué

“It was not an easy field campaign,” Zinzindohoué recalled in a statement. “It was a mix of long days at sea, technical problems, and a lot of uncertainty.”

Zinzindohoué’s team then deployed an underwater drone and the National Geographic Exploration Technology Lab’s Deep Sea Camera System to get a closer look. About 165 feet below the ocean surface, they spotted the unexpected—the reef was far from dead.

“I still remember seeing those first images. It was a mix of excitement and disbelief, because after all this time thinking about this reef, suddenly there was something real in front of us,” said Zinzindohoué.

Based on the depth, the team determined the formation to be a mesophotic coral ecosystem. These ecosystems generally exist in much deeper waters than typical shallow coral reefs. With more limited sunlight, mesophotic coral doesn’t necessarily grow as a single, continuous reef. Instead, it takes the form of patchier or more intermittent colonies.

However, that doesn’t mean there is little activity in mesophotic systems. The underwater survey positively identified eight coral types and eight different species of fish living among them, including Guinean angelfish (Holacanthus africanus), golden African snappers (Lutjanus fulgens), and the Monrovia doctorfish (Acanthurus monroviae).

Zinzindohoué believes their discovery is the first confirmed living mesophotic coral on the Gulf of Guinea continental shelf, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only one.

“I think what we found is probably not an exception. It is more likely a reflection of how little we still know about coastal regions in West Africa and elsewhere,” he added.

Much more research is needed to fully understand the rediscovered ecosystem. Credit: Gérard Zinzindohoué

At the same time, return visits are needed to better examine the delicate ecosystems and confirm their health, diversity, and size. Historical data indicates they only imaged a tiny portion of a continuous mesophotic reef spanning nearly 25 miles parallel to Benin’s coast.

“If I had all the grant money in the world, the first thing I would do is return to the site with a proper scientific diving and sampling program,” said Zinzindohoué. “These are ecosystems that are still poorly known in this part of the world, and every additional piece of information matters.”

The post ‘Dead’ coral reef found alive and thriving off West Africa appeared first on Popular Science.