Spotted deer, also known as white-spotted deer and flower deer, native to the forest regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and India, are the most common deer species in the region. Their belly is white, with a light reddish brown body, with white spots, looking very beautiful. The height at the shoulder is about 90 cm, the weight can reach 85 kg, the life span is about 20 to 30 years. Hawaii originally had only two species of mammals, the gray bat and the seal. After the Bosnians and Europeans arrived on the island, they respectively brought pigs, horses, sheep, goats, cows, rats, rabbits and other mammals; coupled with the fact that Hawaii was an important shipping hub and at the time, species from all over the world were brought ashore by smugglers’ ships, and apparently these exotic species later that have invaded the territory and food of native species and caused many of them to become extinct. According to a 2017 study published in the journal “Nature-Ecology and Evolution,” Hawaii and Florida in the United States are home to the largest numbers of invasive species in islands and continental coastal areas, respectively. globally. The growth and development success of spotted deer in Hawaii can be said to be a model of the invasion of alien species, according to experts’ estimates, there are about 70,000 spotted deer on Molokai Island in when the inhabitants there were only about 7,000 people; The second largest island is Maui, which has about 70,000 spotted deer, while in the other small islands there are about 50,000, the main island of Hawaii is only 16,000 square kilometers but has at least more than 100,000. The reason spotted deer is so successful in Hawaii is because of the vegetation here that the fauna is here – like protozoa, native species lead a very comfortable life, they are stupid and fearful, even they have not yet evolved any defensive skills, such as stinging and venom, which has allowed invaders such as spotted deer, wild boar, and goats to freely forage and reproduce without have any concerns. In addition, there are no aggressive predators and predators here, so spotted deer are not threatened at all, they did not even choose the breeding season, instead young deer were born. year round. This makes their growth almost unrestricted. This led to the ecological destruction of Hawaii by spotted deer. The birds that nest on the ground always have their nests destroyed, the green leaves and young shoots of the plants are also their delicious meal, the fruits, vegetables and sugarcane of the farmers have the same fate. The destruction of green vegetation by spotted deer has increased the fragility of the natural environment on the Hawaiian Islands, the land being washed into the sea, which in turn leads to the degradation of coral reefs. Moreover, spotted deer also provide food for another invasive species, mosquito, and threaten human health and safety; when they die and there are no animals to eat them, this will pollute the environment and form harmful risks to human health. The fragile aquatic environment on the archipelago is also greatly impacted; Spotted deer also love to wriggle across the road, which is also a fatal threat to motorists. Although sacred to Hawaiians and important to the local water supply, Hawaii’s endemic plant species ironwood (Hawaiian apricot tree) that grows in tall forests is also threatened by spotted deer. This plant can take root in volcanic rocks 20 to 25 meters high, when surrounded by clouds and fog, water will condense on the leaves and fall to the ground, condensing into droplets into the reservoir. In fact, ironwood trees are susceptible to two types of fungal infections, forming scars on the bark, before the tree can heal these scars on its own to avoid fungal infection, spotted deer will bite and rub the bark causing the wounds. wounds take longer to heal, eventually causing fatal injuries to the plant. It seems that the spotted deer invasion was really a big deal, although Kamehameha V is hailed as the last emperor of the Kamehameha dynasty, revered as much as the first, but at this point he has clearly created a crisis for the archipelago and has left a big problem for generations to come. Because spotted deer have no natural enemies, the Hawaiians have to hunt deer and consider it a part of traditional culture, especially in rural areas, many families have additional cold storage to store spotted deer meat. . However, most spotted deer in Hawaii live on private land, although a deer hunting license costs as little as $20 a year and can be obtained online, the procedures and processes involved in hunting are complicated. Shooting made the deer hunting efficiency very low. In addition to reaching an agreement with the landowner, each hunter must be accompanied by a Department of Agriculture inspector to conduct a medical examination of wild spotted deer after hunting. There is also another rule that hunters must always follow in terms of humane issues, which is to only fire a single shot against a spotted deer, this bullet must make the prey immediately unconscious. ie, which means you have to shoot at its skull. If you can’t do it, you can only wait until evening, bring military-grade night vision goggles, even use a drone to find the deer you want to hunt, to be able to do this humanely. In addition, US law allows you to provide game meat to people who need it, after which you must pass a few meat tests before you can enjoy them. But Hawaii does not have a legal venison slaughter operation, so even if a commercial deer hunter wanted to sell spotted deer, they would have to transport the spotted deer to the United States for processing, then then shipped back for sale, which makes spotted deer meat here commanding a hefty price tag. Spotted deer are good runners, smart and resilient, so Hawaii plans to build fences in 30% of key areas to protect endangered species from spotted deer – need to build fences nearly 4 meters high to be able to completely stop them, this is certainly a huge investment, difficult to make. Looking at this you might think it’s too complicated, but if Hawaii is located in China, the problem is much simpler, gourmets can quickly return the spotted deer herd to the state it was when they invaded 150 years ago for a short while.

According to scientists, the reason farming has to use Neonicotinoids is to combat the many predators that are ready to pounce on corn or soybean seeds, every time they are sown in the ground. Seeds are impregnated with drugs before sowing. Photo: Scientific Beekeeping What are neonicotinoids? Neonicotinoid has been banned for use in Australia and Europe since 2013. This is a pesticide derived from nicotine (the addictive substance found in tobacco), the way to use is to dissolve in water and spray on plants. for the plants to absorb themselves, forming an artificial “immune system” to protect the crops. Neoincotinoids are thought to be effective against pests and insects, but are safe for mammals. However, because of its strong effect on insects, it also affects bees directly, reducing the number of pollinators. This pesticide is said to reduce the sperm count of male bees by up to 40%, as well as reduce their lifespan from an average of 22 days to 15 days, thus reducing the chances of male bees fertilizing the queen bee. also decreased. Besides disease, soil-dwelling pests such as helminths and larvae can also damage seeds and seedlings, along with terrestrial insects such as bean leaf beetles and aphids. seeds and saplings. Therefore, in the field of seed treatment against insects and diseases, farmers often treat seeds in combination with fungicides (IST) to help plants sprout straight and grow early. It is easy to mention some of the popular Neonicotinoid IST methods such as Imidacloprid (Gaucho, Bayer Crop Science), Clothianidin (Poncho, BASF) and Thiamethoxam (Cruiser, Syngenta)… Seth Naeve, an agronomist specializing in soybean research at the University of Minnesota Extension (USA), said that Neonicotinoid insecticides are highly water-soluble, helping to activate protection from insects. Great early season. Shawn Potter, Syngenta’s head of seed care product marketing, said that the growth of the seeds after treatment was driven in part by previous seasons. “Early seeding from a wet, cool, or both, seeds and seedlings will be exposed to various diseases. “Without seed treatment, crops could be damaged early on,” said Mr Potter. Nick Tinsley, BASF technical specialist, added: “Farmers and retailers alike can easily treat corn and soybean seeds with Neonicotinoid insecticides as well as fungicides from the company. producers to protect crops”. For decades, seed companies have treated corn with fungicides. However, IST only started to be added to the fungicide seed treatment of soybeans in the early 2000s. Studies have demonstrated that a combination of seed treatment with both fungicides and insecticides increases soybean yield per acre by 2 bushels (equivalent to 72.74 kg/0.4 ha). According to Mr. Potter, in general, each “shift” of treating soybean pest/mushroom combos will cost from 10 to 12 USD per seed unit (ranging from 80,000 to 140,000 seeds/0.4 ha). That’s because 70% of treatment costs go to pesticides, while the profit-taking rate per acre is between $16 and $17. This assumes that soybeans cost $12 per bushel and that the cost of the pesticide seed treatment is between $7 and $7.50 per seed unit. Entomologists in the Midwest and South America have also observed that the average soybean yield spike of 2 bushels per acre from this combination. “Some years are higher, some years are lower,” says Sebe Brown, an entomologist at the University of Louisiana. Responses tended to be higher in cases where soybeans were planted early, two crops, or planted after a cover crop.” Gus Lorenz, a scientist at the University of Arkansas, adds: “Companies have provided growers with insurance to maintain good standing. At current seed prices, the cost of treating seeds with pesticides is a good investment.” A synthesis of studies in a 2019 report representing agronomists and entomologists from 14 universities found that the best recorded soybean yield was an increase of 3.3 bushels per acre. after using the combined seed treatment solution. However, in some cases in Minnesota, the benefits are so small that it is argued that farmers should not be encouraged to use seed treatments or should apply them selectively. Concerns Previously, scientists believed that neonicotinoid pesticides were the main cause of the decline in bee populations and pollinators worldwide. A few years ago, the United Nations published alarming figures: In the first 10 years of the 21st century, the number of bees in the world has decreased by 85% in the Middle East, about 30% in the US and Europe. Neonicotinoids are likened to “birth control pills” for bees and reduce the population of bees. Photo: GCM Bees are the intermediate species that help pollinate more than 75% of the world’s food and fruit crops, so a decrease in the number of bees also means a reduced crop or even a crop failure. However, long-term studies by Syngenta suggest that the health effects of bees are negligible when using Neonicotinoid seed treatments to kill insects. According to Mr. Potter, what many experts agree on is that the health of bees depends on the interaction of factors such as parasites, disease, nutritional health and weather phenomena. A 2019 study published in the journal Scientific Reports detailed the effects that imidacloprid had on white-tailed deer. When imidacloprid (an insecticide that acts as an insect CNS toxin, belonging to the genus Neonicotinoids) was increased in the animal’s spleen, factors such as progeny viability, length of jawbone, body weight and visceral weight all decreased. Records show that at least 60% of white-tailed deer killed indicate the presence of Imidacloprid. According to expert Jonathan Lundgren, all insecticides can negatively impact mammals and bees. “The use of insecticides is so widespread these days that they are present in almost every growing system across the United States and are truly binding. These insecticides are affecting ecosystems in ways that we could not have foreseen.” Meanwhile, the companies that manufacture and trade in Neonicotinoid seed treatments have always denied this and asserted that “the products are safe if used according to the instructions on the label”. Compounds such as polymers coat the seeds or products like Bayer Fluency Agent Advanced to help prevent release into the environment, said Chip Graham, Bayer Crop Science’s North American director of seed development. “Initially we had really low dust levels, but these products ensure that pesticides remain on the seeds and reduce contamination levels during the growing process,” said Mr. What is the future of farming? Instead of treating seeds with neonicotinoid insecticides, Mr. Lundgren called for regenerative methods, such as tilling and changing seasons, increasing crop diversity as well as reducing pest pressure. bugs, insects. “Farmers need to understand that these seed treatments really don’t help them much,” said Lundgren. Neonicotinoid pesticides are believed to reduce bee pollinators, threatening food security. Photo: TN Meanwhile, expert Graham said that banning this seed treatment would be detrimental to farmers because “there are currently no foliar sprays to treat early-season insects as a rescue application”, so ” Seed treatment in this way is most effective to provide activity against early-season pests of maize and soybean.” Agronomist Naeve said: “They’re a good example of how the best tools we’ve ever had in agriculture, but it’s not a good idea to treat the entire soybean acreage. They can be a double-edged sword.”

Healthy mice were created from freeze-dried sperm stored for 6 years in space. Photo: Teruhiko Wakayama. A new study shows that rat sperm that was freeze-dried and stored on the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly six years didn’t suffer any DNA damage and went on to produce “mice pups” healthy”. The study was published June 11 in the journal Science Advances . According to the scientists, this discovery sheds more light on whether mammals, including humans, can reproduce in space. Combined with ground-based experiments exposing mouse sperm to X-rays, the study found that mammalian sperm cells can be preserved on the International Space Station for up to 200 years. Researchers have long thought that exposure to space radiation can damage the DNA in cells and lead to the possibility of passing mutations on to offspring. The lack of freezers on the ISS has prevented long-term research into living cells. To overcome these limitations, the researchers frozen dried sperm samples from 12 mice and sealed them in small, lightweight tubes and transported to the ISS by rocket without the need for a freezer. Mouse sperm were freeze-dried in glass tubes and stored on the ISS . Photo: Teruhiko Wakayama. Because of the complex mix of different types of radiation in space, scientists say, only simulation experiments to assess DNA damage on Earth cannot capture the reality of conditions. outside our atmosphere. Dr. Sayaka Wakayama, Yamanashi University, Japan, lead author of the study told The Independent : “There are different types of radiation flying around in space, unlike on the ground. For example, there are heavy ions, protons and electromagnetic waves from the rays of the sun.” “It’s very difficult to irradiate and reproduce all these types of radiation at once on the ground, so I think DNA damage in biological samples can only be measured in space,” he explains. . Scientists periodically test small portions of the sample. The samples returned to Earth after 9 months, 2 years 9 months, and 5 years and 10 months, respectively. Mouse embryos developed normally in the laboratory after fertilization with freeze-dried sperm and stored in space. Photo: Teruhiko Wakayama. When the researchers examined the samples using instruments that measured how much radiation they had absorbed and performed tests to assess DNA damage in the cell nuclei, they found a long stay. Long duration on the ISS did not result in DNA damage to freeze-dried sperm. Dr Wakayama said: “The total amount of space radiation absorbed by the ISS, as measured by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is 0.41 milli Gray (mGy) per day. Meanwhile, typical radiation doses used to treat cancers such as solid epithelial tumors range from 60 to 80Gy. “The results of the ground X-ray experiment show that freeze-dried sperm can withstand up to 30 Gy and still be able to produce the next generation,” added Dr Wakayama. The freeze-drying process used in the study is “similar to instant coffee, or freeze-dried fruit,” explains Dr. Wakayama. With food, just adding water can be used “instantly”. The freeze-drying process kills sperm, but when rehydrated and injected into a mouse egg, the sperm can still fertilize the egg, then develop normally. The rehydrated sperm cells, when injected into fresh ovarian cells and transferred to female mice, resulted in the birth of “healthy pups”. Mouse sperm that has been preserved in space for years is injected into egg cells. Photo: Teruhiko Wakayama. Although there is a difference between DNA damage caused by X-rays and space radiation, it can be roughly predicted that freeze-dried sperm can be preserved on the surface of the body, the scientists wrote in the study. ISS for over 200 years”. According to the scientists, a total of 168 mice were born from sperm kept in space for six years, all of which were normal in appearance and had no abnormalities in their gene activity patterns. compared with control mice born from sperm preserved on Earth. Some of these mice were raised to adulthood and were able to produce healthy offspring. Scientists believe that more studies from similar experiments could shed more light on radiation effects and the tolerance of life forms for long periods of time in space. Scientists are also conducting research to find out whether mammalian embryos can develop in zero-gravity conditions. Proposals for this experiment were approved by NASA and JAXA in 2015. In August, frozen mouse embryos will be launched to the ISS, where astronauts will thaw and culture in zero gravity.

Some of the first COVID-19 infections were linked to the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China. Photo: Simon Song. According to the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong, China), a study by scientists from West China Normal University and Oxford University recently shed light on the wildlife trade. in Wuhan City, which has long been considered a potential source of the spread of COVID-19. In the most detailed record of the wildlife trade yet to be released, scientists estimate that more than 47,000 wild animals were sold in the city’s markets in the two-and-a-half years before the outbreak. disease outbreak. According to the study, up to 38 animals were sold at 17 stores in four markets in Wuhan city between May 2017 and November 2019. These include mammals such as civets, ferrets and raccoons, which are known to be susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, along with squirrels, badgers, foxes and porcupines, as well as birds and cows close. However, the researchers did not find any evidence that bats or pangolins – considered two sources of SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission – were commercially available. Seven of the wildlife shops are at the Huanan seafood wholesale market, which has been linked to several COVID-19 cases in late 2019. On average, about 1,100 animals are transported throughout the city’s markets each month, in a trade that the researchers describe as qualifying for disease spread and “essentially any legal”. “Almost all the animals for sale are alive, caged, crammed and in poor condition. Most of the shops offer butchering services, which are performed on site, which does not guarantee food hygiene or animal welfare,” the researchers said. Huanan Seafood Market, Wuhan, closed last January. Photo: Simon Song/SCMP Veterinarian David Hayman, a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) team visiting Wuhan in early 2021, said the study confirmed that live wild mammals were for sale. in Wuhan, which the WHO team suspected, but could not verify. The study also provides clear evidence that several species that are susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been “continuously marketed,” Hayman said. The origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 epidemic is still unknown. Scientists as well as governments in many countries have called for further investigation into whether the virus came from the wild or leaked from a laboratory, a theory that China has repeatedly denied. The wildlife trade has been identified as a possible route of transmission of the virus, which is believed to have originated in bats. Most of the first cases were linked to the Huanan Seafood Market, and a subsequent analysis found that more than half of the first cases in December 2019 were in contact with this market or markets. other in the city. However, no link was found between commercially available animals and the virus. Earlier, a report by the WHO team, based on information from Chinese authorities, said that only snakes, crocodiles and salamanders, which are less likely to contract SARS-CoV-2, were sold directly. continue at the market at the end of December 2019. “It is important that mammals that are alive and being sold in markets in Wuhan just before the first cases of COVID-19 were recorded, are very contagious with the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Daniel Lucey. , an infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University Medical Center (USA), said. Meanwhile, Zhou Zhao-min, co-author of the study, hopes the newly published data can be useful in tracing the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

We all know the ancestors of whales are small land mammals, after starting to live in the ocean, they went through more than 50 million years of evolution and eventually became a family of marine mammals. have the most diverse and popular breasts today. The whale suborder includes not only giant blue whales, sperm whales, and bowhead whales, but also many different species of dolphins. Species in the suborder whales still exist on Earth today. The “whale” Pakicetus is one of the earliest known ancient whales, this animal that lived 50 million years ago looked like a dog with long limbs and fur. If you look closely at the Pakicetus whale, you will see that its nose is located in the front of the head, like today’s mammals. Because the nostrils of Pakicetus whales are located in front of the mouth, when swimming they will look like dogs today because underwater, they have to almost raise their heads out of the water when swimming. Pakicetus is an extinct genus of cetacea, found in Pre-Eocene rocks in Pakistan. The strata where the fossils were found were then part of the coastal Tethys Sea. .As the ancient whales gradually entered the ocean, their body structure began to evolve in a way that was adapted to aquatic life, including the position of the neck, the nostrils gradually moving to the top of the head, Below are pictures of the primitive whale (Protocetus) and a restored image of the Basilosaurus whale, both of which show their nostrils gradually turning upward. Protocetus is one of the most ancient whale genera, which lived in the middle of the Meridian period 45 million years ago near Cairo, Egypt. It was one of the first genera of whales to have fully adapted to aquatic habitats. They are quite small, only about 2.5 m long, on the body still keep the traces of limbs with fingers connected by swimming membranes with the hind limbs smaller than the front limbs. Jaws long, with sharp teeth. The front teeth are used to catch prey and the back teeth are used to cut meat. Unlike the older predecessor Pakicetus, which lived a semi-aquatic lifestyle, Protocetus was able to develop ear canals and hear underwater sounds (but it is unclear whether they developed sonar or sonar). not yet) and developed a flattened tail like today’s whales. Their nostrils are still located on the head, they still do not have a stoma on the top of the head and rely more on eyesight for food. Basilosaurus is one of the primitive whales that evolved from land mammals and later evolved into modern day whales. Basilosaurus averaged about 18 – 20 m long and weighed about 15 tons, once distributed in North America, North Africa and Central Asia and was considered the largest animal that ever lived in its time. The ancient whale species mentioned above all belong to the ancient whale suborder, the baleen whales and the toothed whales in the ocean today all evolved from the ancient whale suborder. They appeared in the middle Oligocene, about 30 million years ago. Compared to today’s whales, their appearance is quite similar to ancient whales, but the evolution to change the position of the nostrils took quite a long time – about 20 million years. Diagram of the evolution of ancient whales. Schematic diagram of the evolution of modern whales. Modern whales have evolved to move the nostrils from the front of the mouth to the top of the head. It’s not just a change of location. The esophagus and trachea of ​​today’s terrestrial mammals are interconnected, so if our noses are blocked by a cold, we can still use our mouths to breathe instead of our nostrils. In addition to breathing, our nose also has the function of smelling. But modern whales are different, and the changes in the position of the nostrils and the changes they made to aquatic life have caused the trachea and esophagus to separate. The nostrils connect to the lungs and the esophagus connects to the digestive system, so their noses are only used for breathing, not for smelling. The nostrils of modern whales located at the top of the head actually help them survive more effectively and safely than the holes in the front of the mouth when in the ocean. But even if their nostrils are at the top of their heads, when they dive into the ocean, their noses are still underwater, how can modern whales ensure that they won’t choke? In fact, under the nostrils of whales have a very strong muscle group, they can completely close their nostrils when diving, avoiding the risk of choking on water. The separation of the esophagus and trachea also ensures that modern whales will not choke on water while hunting in the ocean. Large nostrils of baleen whales. The nostrils of a blue whale when diving into the water. In fact, all baleen whales still have two nostrils, while toothed whales have only one. The jets that whales spit out of the water are not water in their noses, but rather accumulations of water remaining in the “pits” of the nostrils, which are formed under the action of sub-lower pressure. Ocean. This prevents water from entering the nostrils, improving the safety and efficiency of breathing. However, the water column due to the whale’s breathing process once brought them great danger. In the era of whaling, sailors often relied on these water columns to locate the schools of fish. elephants. Killer whales belong to the toothed whale subspecies with only one nostril. Gray whales belong to the subspecies of baleen whales that spray water with a pair of nostrils.

Primates make laughter when they play. However, laughter in animals often means an invitation to mate, join a herd, or find food. The meaning of animal laughter Laughing together helps people connect and bond. Although the reason for laughing can vary widely between individuals and groups, this sound can still be distinguished from crying, screaming, groaning or shouting. In humans, laughter expresses a wide range of emotions, from positive such as amusement to negative such as annoyance. People laugh when they hear an interesting story or when they see funny things. But what about animals? Do they laugh and is the reason they laugh the same way humans laugh? It’s hard to tell if animals have a sense of humor like humans. A study published in the journal Bioacoustics in April 2021 found that when communicating, animals sometimes make sounds that have a comforting, pleasant nuance. Sasha Winkler, lead author of the study, at the University of California, Los Angeles (USA), said that rhesus monkeys (scientific name Macaca mulatta) often pant when playing. This is the inspiration for her and her colleagues to expand their research on animal laughter. They looked to see if other animals let out gasps like rhesus monkeys during play. The researchers say that such sounds closely resemble human laughter. They continued to study the prevalence of laughter among animals. The team identified 65 species that “laughed” while playing, most of which were mammals. Some birds also make cheerful sounds. This analysis helps scientists go back to the evolutionary origins of laughter in humans. When playing, animals may cry or laugh to keep interactions at a harmonious level, not becoming aggressive. Unlike fighting, the concept of play in animals is often mating, foraging. Play can be clearly seen in primates because their facial muscles show human-like expressions when playing. The study grew out of an experiment from 2017 on kea parrots living in New Zealand. Experts recorded the laughter of the kea parrots and played them back for others to hear. As a result, these parrots will play together relatively closely. This study shows that the laughter of kea parrots is like an invitation to others to join the flock or to feed together. Investigation results show that mammals, especially primates, rodents, carnivores and cetaceans emit similar sounds. These sounds are only emitted when playing, such as the whistle like the whistle of a bottlenose dolphin (scientific name is Tursiops truncatus), the hiss of a mouse. Most primates, including chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, and baboons, exhibit laughter by: panting, smirking, chuckling to “click, clack” and loud cries. . Birds emit laughter to attract their fellow humans. Laughing is not just for fun Research also shows that fish, amphibians and reptiles do not produce laughter because this group may not organize play activities. However, laughter between humans and animals is quite different. Usually, people’s laughter shows that they are having fun or sharing their joy with those around them. People also put laughter into communication to express their attitudes and feelings towards the behavior of people around them. For example, smirking, sarcastic laughter, sarcastic laughter to express a reaction of praise or disapproval of the actions of people around. But in some animals, laughing is not synonymous with cheerfulness. For example, hyenas often laugh when feeling dangerous, threatened, attacked or simply upset. Human and animal laughter also differ in volume. For example, older hyenas often laugh at a low pitch while young hyenas’ laughter is high, even shrill. Some species laugh very softly, just enough for the other person to hear. While human laughter is loud, loud and nuanced. Before Winkler, in 2000, Jaak Panskeep, a psychologist and neuroscientist working at Washington State University, USA, discovered that tickled rats emit chirping sounds similar to the sounds they make when they play. Some lab rats liked to be tickled so much that they simulated this amusing activity. From there, Panskeep and his colleagues began to seriously study the play of animals. He identified seven basic emotional expressions activated by the mammalian brain. Since then, he has applied this result to the study of human emotions and found a treatment for depression in humans. Panskeep has clinically developed an antidepressant, named GLYX-13. He considers this modulation product to be proof that scientists should seriously evaluate the emotional state of animals. Animal studies could pave the way for the development of psychopharmaceuticals for humans. He also added that we think rats and monkeys can laugh because they are smart. But in fact, intelligence is not a funny factor. Play in any animal can stimulate laughter, increase cognitive ability.

The researchers found that from their first flight, these echolocating mammals somehow knew exactly how long it would take for the sound waves of their calls to echo from their prey. again. An innate reference point related to the speed of sound allows bats to judge distance in units of time, as opposed to spatial units like humans. Unlike humans who rely heavily on sight, various types of bats “see” the world around them with their ears. However, just as our eyes can fool ourselves, bats don’t always decode their echoes correctly. Illustration. For the test, the team housed six newborn bats in normal atmospheric conditions, as well as five newborn bats in helium-enriched air. This will increase the speed of the sound. These two groups were then tested for echolocation in their respective environments. When approaching a food target, helium-enriched airborne bats displayed echolocation patterns and normal airborne bat-like flight behavior. When a bat flies and lands somewhere, it requires precise coordination between its call to attract and its body. As the creature gets closer to its target, the bat’s echolocation speed increases, and when landing slows, it rolls its body, straightening its legs. However, in an environment where the speed of sound travels faster, this all happens much faster, causing the bats to land ahead of their target. Despite many attempts, the bats still managed to approach the target using the normal sound reference speed. The problem is that bats never learn from their mistakes. Even when adult bats were conditioned in a helium-enriched environment for several days, the researchers found that they were unable to change this fixed reference point. This is surprising, since sensory learning is an advantage for many animals, especially those with the ability to change conditions. Little known secrets about bats According to the analysis results of scientists, in the feces of bats there is a lot of potassium nitrate salt, also known as salt pepper. This chemical is the main ingredient in many fertilizers. At the same time, it is also used to make explosives and detonators. In the past, especially during the American Civil War, bat droppings were considered an important resource for both sides. Because from this waste, one can extract salt and pepper (which is quite scarce) to supply the army. When it comes to bats, most of us probably think of animals with a “unique” way of sleeping upside down. According to scientists, this unusual sleeping position of bats actually has its own purpose. Specifically, unlike birds or insects, the leathery wings of bats are not strong enough to easily lift them from the ground to the air. Therefore, when resting, bats always choose an elevated position so that when they need to fly, they just drop down, taking advantage of air resistance to support take-off. However, according to statistics, there are 6 species of bats that do not hang upside down when sleeping. Most of them have suckers on their limbs, allowing them to cling to leaves or other flat surfaces to sleep. In fact, only small bats (suborder Microchiroptera) have poor eyesight and must be located using sonar. Meanwhile, the larger representatives (of the suborder Megachiroptera) possess excellent eyesight. Even the vision of these bats is better than that of humans. However, in exchange for “bright” eyes, members of the suborder Megachiroptera do not know how to use ultrasound waves.

The scientific experiments were led by Leibniz Institute of Animal and Wildlife (Leibniz-IZW) and chaired by Professor Richard A. Holland (Bangor University, UK) and Dr. Gunārs P ē tersons (Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology). It shows that now the cornea of ​​the eye is the site of an important sense in bat migration. A bat’s directional sense is its eyes. If the cornea is anesthetized, the otherwise reliable sense of orientation will be disturbed while the ability to detect light remains unaffected. The paper was published in the scientific journal Communications Biology. In the bats of one experimental group, the scientists locally anesthetized the cornea with a drop of oxybuprocaine. This surfactant is widely used in ophthalmology, where it is used to temporarily desensitize the cornea when the human or animal eye is over-irritated. However, an effect on orientation has not been noted before. In another experimental group of bats, the team anesthetized the cornea of ​​one eye. Individuals in the control group were not given anesthesia, but were instead given isotonic saline as eye drops. All animals in this scientific experiment were captured in a migratory corridor on the Baltic coast and released individually in the open field 11 km from the place of capture. First, the scientists used bat detectors to ensure that no other bats were in the field at the time of releasing the test animals. The direction of movement of the released bats was observed without knowing how the bats were treated experimentally. Dr. Oliver Lindecke, first author of the paper, explains: “The control group and the anesthetized group with unilateral corneas clearly oriented to the expected south, while the bats with corneas were anesthetized. both sides fly in random directions.” He added: “This clear difference in behavior suggests that corneal anesthesia has disrupted the sense of direction, but orientation seems to still work well with one eye. The corneal treatment wore off after a short time, and the bats were able to continue their journey south after the trial.” To rule out the possibility that an irritated cornea also affects visual sensation and that the scientists could therefore draw erroneous conclusions, they performed an additional test. Again, they examined whether the bats’ response to light changed after anesthetizing the corneas on one or both sides. “We know from previous research that bats prefer a illuminated exit when leaving a simple Y-shaped maze,” explains PD Dr Christian Voigt, head of the Leibniz-IZW Department of Evolutionary Ecology . “In our experiment, animals that were anesthetized either unilaterally or bilaterally also showed this preference; we can therefore rule out that light vision has been altered after corneal treatment. The ability to see light will of course also affect long-distance navigation. ” For instance, many vertebrates such as bats, dolphins, whales, fish and turtles can safely navigate in the dark, whether it’s under the open night sky, when it’s cloudy at night or in caves and tunnels as well as in the depths of the ocean. For decades, scientists have searched for a sense or a sensory organ that enables animals to perform navigational and orientation tasks that seemed unimaginable to humans. Magnetic sensation, so far only demonstrated in certain mammalian species. Experiments show that iron oxide particles in cells can act as “microcompass needles”, as is the case with some species of bacteria. The team’s experiments on Lindecke and Voigt provide for the first time reliable data for determining sensory orientation in migratory, free-migrating mammals. Exactly what a bat’s cornea looks like, how it works, and whether it is a long-sought magnetic sense need to be pointed out in future scientific investigations.

Dolphins evolved from a terrestrial animal Dolphins evolved from a terrestrial animal Dolphins are mammals, closely related to whales, often living in the shallow seas of the continental shelf. Dolphins have the ability to understand simple human behavioral language. With their inherent magical ability, dolphins can understand and organize common objects into groups together. They understand both sounds and images, and even respond to images just like humans. Explaining this, scientists have confirmed that dolphins are the most intelligent animals in the world (while humans are only third in intelligence). Millions of years ago, the ancestor of the dolphin did not swim in the water as we know it today, but was a carnivore that lived entirely on land. However, about 50 million years ago, a mysterious event happened that forced them to adapt to the underwater environment, and gradually evolved into a mammal like today. Although they are considered extremely friendly animals, dolphins also have creepy habits, typically juggling their young out of the sea. This sounds like a very funny joke, but in reality, it is one of the ways adult males are killing their young so their mothers can return to mating. Dolphins can’t sleep for weeks at a time A recently published study has revealed the surprising ability of dolphins: They can stay awake for days or weeks at a time without sleep. So how can they survive without sleep? Dolphins possess a very special sleep mechanism, they can let half of their brain rest at a certain time while the other half is still awake – a process called “Unihemispheric sleep”. This special sleeping mechanism not only keeps dolphins from drowning, but also allows them to stay alert to any danger and even encourages brain development. Most dolphins don’t chew their food Dolphins do not chew food, or rather they cannot chew. Dolphin’s teeth are developed for the purpose of gripping prey. Sometimes they will shake or rub the food on the ocean floor to tear it into smaller pieces that are easier to swallow. One theory is that dolphins’ prey are mainly small fish, and they need to quickly grab the prey in their mouth before their meal can swim away. Skip the chewing process to make sure the prey can’t escape. Dolphins call each other by their own names, forming friendships through shared interests Researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Zurich and Western Australia have found that dolphins living in the Shark Bay area form friendships based on shared interests – in this case, the habit of using foam. sea ​​to hunt. This tool-using trait is found mainly in female dolphins, but by studying the behavior of a few expressed male dolphins, researchers have found a new discovery: The relationship of dolphins is formed through general tooling techniques. Dolphins have their own names and they will respond when called. Dolphins in each population possess their own “characteristic whistle”, just like a name, and other dolphins can use that distinctive whistle to get the attention of their mates. In fact, dolphins are also an extremely social species. The discovery opens up entirely new questions about how dolphins communicate and their “vocabulary,” and may reveal clues about the evolution of our own language skills. Dolphins use prey’s toxins as ‘addicts’ We know that puffer fish have strong toxins. Apparently dolphins know this too, but they use it for ‘high’ purposes. Usually, the puffer fish toxin is deadly. However, in small doses, it can act as a narcotic. The BBC once filmed a video in which dolphins gently play with a puffer fish for 20 to 30 minutes, then hang around and behave “weird”. Dolphins possess great “teamwork” ability A team of researchers from the University of Bristol recently discovered that male dolphins can work and work together as a team – an attribute previously thought to be unique to humans. Observing the behavior of male dolphins as they coordinated courtship with female pigs, the researchers saw cooperation rather than competitive behavior, which is particularly unusual in mate-finding in the animal kingdom.

Mayflower 400 is a 3-hull ship, weighing 9 tons, 15m long, equipped with a fully automatic navigation system, AI technology and mounted many solar panels. During this journey, the smart ship, covered with solar panels, will study marine pollution and analyze the plastic in the water, as well as monitor aquatic mammals. With 80% of the world under the ocean undiscovered, the Mayflower 400 will have a lot to do. This self-propelled vessel will collect information and data, especially useful for commercial ocean shipping. Brett Phaneuf, the creator of the Mayflower 400 project, believes that the ocean is the place with the strongest impact on the global climate, so investing in this environmental research will be of great help in the fight against climate change. Rosie Lickorish, a new technology expert at IBM, partner in the Mayflower 400 project, affirms that the unmanned ship will bring a great advantage for exploring unprecedented environments, especially distant seas. Many technology and service providers, hundreds of individuals from many countries such as India, Switzerland and the US have participated in this project. Initially, the project was estimated to cost about $ 1 million, but the cost increased by about 10 times. The non-profit venture will provide the data collected by the project at a completely free price. The information could be used specifically for the future of the commercial shipping industry. It is expected that the ship will depart on May 15 after being licensed by British officials, the destination is Plymouth, Massachusetts (USA). This is the journey that the first Mayflower in 1620 carried a group of pilgrims to find a new land – America. Mayflower 400 will make this itinerary in 3 weeks. While the Mayflower 400’s trip was delayed due to the pandemic, Phaneuf said at least no one would get sick during the trip. “No one will feel bored or tired or sick during this uninhabited journey. So the ship can do science for as long as you like, ”he said from British port. Meirwen Jenking-Rees, a 21-year-old engineering student, tested the ship’s engine before it went to sea trials. Manufacturing is automated from the robotic rudder to the solar-powered diesel generator in a year. Building an “intelligent captain”, artificial intelligence on board, takes even longer because computers have to learn to identify maritime obstacles by analyzing thousands of images. The Mayflower 400 must also be taught how to avoid a collision and set sail for the first time. Robot and software engineer Ollie Thompson says that, by running a number of “scripts”, the ship can learn “what is good action, what is bad, what is safe and what is not”. . So if it makes a mistake, the boat can repair itself and learn from experience. The automatic ship uses “eyes” and “ears” – a complex system of six cameras and radar – to continue self-study. Due to the lack of regulations surrounding the deployment of unmanned boats, the Mayflower 400 has yet to be tested in rough seas or storms, a situation Jenking-Rees describes as a “worst case scenario”. In the simulated settings, however, the smart boat was faced with waves as high as 50 meters. The boat’s artificial intelligence will play an important role in conducting scientific experiments, Lickorish explained. The group will monitor the ship 24/24 from the UK, ready to intervene remotely in case of danger.

The bat’s sense of direction are the eyes. Mammals see with the eyes, hear with the ears, and smell with the nose. But which senses or organs allow them to direct their migration, sometimes beyond their feeding area and thus require extensive orientation? Scientific experiments led by the Leibniz Institute for Animal and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) led by Professor Richard A. Holland (Bangor University, UK) and Dr. Gunārs P ē tersons (Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technology). It shows that the cornea of ​​the eye is now an important sensory site for bat migration. If the cornea is anesthetized, another sense of reliable direction is disturbed while its ability to detect light remains unaffected. The article was published in the scientific journal Communications Biology. In the bats of an experimental group, the scientists localized the cornea with a drop of oxybuprocaine. This surface anesthetic is widely used in ophthalmology, where it is used to temporarily desensitize the cornea when the human or animal eye is overly irritated. However, the influence on the orientation has not been noted before. In another group of experimental bats, the team anesthetized the cornea of ​​one eye. Individuals in the control group received no anesthesia, but instead received an isotonic saline solution as eye drops. All animals in this scientific experiment were caught in a migration corridor on the Baltic coast and released individually in open fields 11 km from the capture site. First, scientists used bat detectors to ensure that there were no other bats in the field at the time of releasing the test animals. One observes the movement of the released bats not knowing how the bats have been treated experimentally. Dr. Oliver Lindecke, the first author of the paper, explains: “The control group and the one-sided corneal anesthetic group had a clear orientation to the expected south, while the bats with the cornea were anesthetized. the two sides fly in random directions. ” “This obvious difference in behavior suggests that corneal anesthesia disrupted the sense of direction, but the ability to orient seems to still work well with one eye,” he added. After a short time the corneal treatment ended, the bats were able to resume their journey south after the test. ” To rule out the possibility that an irritated cornea also affects visual sensations and so scientists could have come to the wrong conclusion, they performed an additional test. Again, they tested to see if a bat’s response to light changed after anesthesia on one or both sides. “We know from previous research that bats prefer a illuminated exit when leaving a simple Y-shaped maze,” explained PD Dr. Christian Voigt, head of the Leibniz-IZW Department of Evolutionary Ecology. . “In our experiment, animals under one or two side anesthesia also showed this preference,” he said; we can therefore rule out that light vision has been altered after corneal treatment. Light visibility will of course affect long-distance navigation as well. ” For example, many vertebrate species such as bats, dolphins, whales, fish and turtles can navigate safely in the dark, whether it is under the open night sky, when it is cloudy at night. or in caves and tunnels as well as in the depths of the ocean. For decades, scientists have been searching for the senses or a sensory organ that makes it possible for animals to perform navigation and navigation tasks that seem unimaginable to humans. The magnetic sensation has so far been demonstrated only in some mammals. Experiments have shown that iron oxide particles in a cell can act as “microscopic compass needles”, as is the case with some species of bacteria. The team’s experiments on Lindecke and Voigt provide, for the first time, reliable data for the determination of sensory orientation in free-migrating, migratory mammals. Exactly what a bat’s cornea looks, how it works, and whether it is a long-sought magnetic sense needs to be pointed out in future scientific investigations.

Information from Change and WildAid said that not only in Vietnam, the situation of hunting pangolin in the world is also very worrying, threatening the existence of this animal. In just 10 years, more than 1 million pangolins were illegally traded, making them the most trafficked mammal in the world. Vietnam plays an important role in the supply chain, always on the list of leading countries in the supply, import and consumption of pangolin products. The evidence is that only in 2019, Vietnam captured more than 8 tons of pangolin scales and became the world leader in the number of pangolin scales captured. Illegal hunting, trading and consumption of pangolins is always a hot issue for the wildlife conservation of the authorities. According to the WCS report, in the past three decades, Vietnam has lost about 80-90% of its pangolin population due to illegal hunting and consumption, despite Vietnam’s penalties of up to 15 years. imprisonment for these behaviors. There are 8 species of pangolin in the world, and all 8 species of pangolins are threatened with extinction by illegal hunting and trade. With the urge to act to protect pangolins, protect the country’s biodiversity, and bring the voice of the animal-loving community in Vietnam to the world, Quang Dang continues to accompany Minh Quan – My students contributed their efforts to the campaign through the charismatic dance “The pangolin is still the same”. The dance is not only invested in the content but also the costumes are carefully prepared. Sharing about the idea of ​​performing the dance, dancer Quang Dang said: “The images of the cute pangolins that I see are almost not in the wild, they appear in articles and launch. the: being locked up in cramped cages, injured, or even taken for life in frozen shipments … too heartbreaking. I don’t think too much, I just want to put what I want to say through the dance steps. Pangolins can’t speak, but we do. I believe that everything will have a positive change if everyone spreads together. A small change can also save a numb life. So if you can speak, can be shared, do it now. Or if you are not someone who can share through words, dance with me, give the message to more people by blowing soul into the dance. ” Clip pangolin dance choreographed and directed by dancer Quang Dang Within a few hours of its debut, this pangolin calling for protection quickly attracted the attention of many young people. Perhaps, never before has the public awareness of pangolin hunting, trading and consumption been expressed in such a creative way. WildAid is a non-profit organization with a mission to end the illegal wildlife trade. WildAid focuses primarily on minimizing the global demand and consumption for wildlife products, such as ivory, rhino horn and shark fin, through media campaigns and support for tightening regulations and strengthening law enforcement. With celebrity ambassadors and a global network of media partners, WildAid raises partner support with a media value of more than $ 230 million per year. with the simple message: “There are no buyers, no more killers”. Official information page: https://wildaidvietnam.org/ Change under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) is a Vietnamese non-governmental organization with a mission to raise awareness, change behavior and develop community capacity in solving problems. environmental issues, wildlife protection, sustainable development, climate change mitigation and adaptation. Pangolins are the only mammal in the world whose bodies are covered with hard scales. There are 8 species of pangolin today worldwide, 4 species in Asia and 4 species in Africa. Vietnam is home to two species: the Javan Pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Yellow Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), both of which are on the IUCN Red List of Critically Endangered Species and are subject to Vietnamese law. Male protection at the highest level. Any act of hunting, killing, raising, confining, possessing, transporting or illegally trading an individual, life part or product of an individual that has been considered for prosecution. criminal responsibility. Depending on the severity of the offense, the offender can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

However, one sense that humans can soon master, is bat-like echolocation. Sixth sense experiment According to the Popular Mechanics Scientists in Japan have tested this ability in a laboratory, proving that humans can use it echolocation , or the ability to sense echoes for navigation. This ability helps people recognize the shape and rotation of many objects. Thanks to that, people can “see” in the dark. When the volunteer presses the tablet, a synthesized echo is emitted from the amplifier speaker (red line). The sounds obtained with the binaural are 1/8 of the original pitch by reducing the sampling frequency, which is transmitted into the volunteer headphones (green line). Photo: Miwa Sumiya. As bats fly around objects, they emit intense sound waves from different angles and bounce off at isolated intervals. Thanks to that, this tiny mammal can determine the topography, texture or movement of an object. According to Dr. Miwa Sumiya, if humans were able to perceive the patterns of time-changing sounds similar to bats, they could see the world in new ways. Dr. Sumiya, a researcher at the Center for Nerve and Information Networks in Osaka, Japan and was the first author of a paper to appear on Plos One on this topic. “Testing that humans are capable of detecting multiple environments via sound waves could add a new step in understanding the complexity of the human brain,” Sumiya said. According to Sumiya, humans have the ability to further understand the perception of other species (such as bats) by comparing with knowledge gained in echolocation studies of humankind. To test this theory, Mrs. Sumiya’s group made a meticulous arrangement. In one room, the researchers gave volunteers a pair of headphones and two tablets, one that produced a calibrated signal using a synthesized echo, the other to listen to pre-recorded echoes. . In room 2, only the strangely shaped 3D axes stand in one place and rotate around themselves. When prompted, 15 volunteers turned on echolocation signals from their tablets. The sound waves emit each beat, travel to room 2 and hit the 3D axes. Participants need a little bit of imagination to convert sound waves into a certain object. Sumiya explained that the synthesized echo-locating signals used in this experiment were high-frequency signals up to 41 kHz, which cannot be heard by humans. Dolphins are also a mammal that uses echolocation to detect and hunt. Photo: Getty Images. Researchers used a humanoid (1/7 the size of a real skull) to “hear” the sound in room 2 before passing it on to volunteers. The fake head is equipped with 2 microphones attached to the two ears and creating a 3D resonance. The sound output is quite similar to the surround sound experienced in movie theaters. Reducing the frequency of the echoes in both ears enabled volunteers to hear “with the feeling of being heard in real space”. Many people like to listen to podcasts or watch videos with headphones to create surround sound and give a tingling sensation in their ears. This is called the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR. Result Finally, researchers and volunteers guessed whether echoes were coming from stationary or spinning objects. At the end of the experiment, the volunteers were able to accurately identify two pillars thanks to the time-varying echolocation signals emanating from them. Identifying clue is thanks to the pitch and timbre. However, it was difficult for them to discern the shape of the standing pillars. Sumiya’s group study is not the first to test the ability of human echolocation. Previous studies have shown that blind people can use mouth-clicking sounds to see 2D objects. However, Ms. Sumiya said her experiment was the first to specifically explore the ability of echolocation to change over time. The researchers said their work is evidence that both humans and bats are capable of decoding objects through sound. In the future, engineers could apply this technology to wearable devices such as watches or glasses to improve how visually impaired people can navigate the world, except for headsets.

Alabama: The square dance. Many states in the US consider it to be an official traditional dance. By order of the Governor of Alabama in 2018, there is one week in August called “Square Dance Week”. Alaska: The Bowhead Whale. The Bowhead whale was declared a symbol of Alaska’s marine mammal in 1983. Arizona: Lemon juice. In 2019, lemon juice became the official beverage icon of the state of Arizona. Arkansas: Tomatoes. While there’s always a debate over whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable, in Arkansas, it’s both. California: Denim fabrics. According to the California Library, denim has been part of state history since the “California Gold Rush,” when it was used to make clothes for working San Francisco residents. Colorado: Pet refuge. Colorado and several other states in the US have become home to many abandoned pets. Connecticut: Submarine USS Nautilus. Built in Connecticut, the USS Nautilus is the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, launched in 1954. Delaware: The Kalmar Nyckel. The Kalmar Nyckel was built in Sweden, but is famous for carrying settlers to North America in 1638 to establish New Sweden. Florida: Sea Cow. The sea cow became the symbol of Florida’s marine mammal in 1975. Georgia: Vidalia Onion. Vidalia onions are named after a town in Georgia where they were first grown. Hawaii: Surfing. With the advantage of beautiful weather, Hawaii is home to outdoor sports such as surfing or canoeing. Idaho: Blueberries. Idaho is famous for its variety of vegetables, but this state’s iconic fruit is the blueberry. Illinois: Popcorn. Joliet city elementary school students petitioned popcorn as the state’s official snack in 2003, and this was successful. Indiana: Wabash River. This river is more than 800km long, flows through many states and eventually empty into the Ohio River. Kansas: The Chambourcin grape. In 2019, the state of Kansas declared Chambourcin their official red wine grape and Vignoles as the official white wine grape. Kentucky: Chevrolet Corvette. Chevrolet Corvette has been produced in Bowling Green city since the 1980s, becoming the official sports car of the state. Louisiana: Catahoula leopard. The Catahoula leopard was a cross between a dog raised by an Indian from the Lake Catahoula area and a Spanish dog that arrived in Louisiana in the 1500s. Maine: Whoopie. This delicious cake has been made in Maine since the 1920s, and consists of two chocolate cakes with white cream filling in the middle. Maryland: Smith Island Ice Cream. This cake has very thin layers of cake and filling. This is considered a specialty of Smith Island residents. Michigan: Petoskey Stone. These patterned stones are the remains of fossilized coral. Michigan recognized it as the state’s official stone in 1965. Minnesota: Blueberry muffin. This cake became a symbol of the state of Minnesota in 1988. Mississippi: Teddy bear. Teddy bears have been with the state of Mississippi since the time of President Theodore Roosevelt, who hunted bears and refused to shoot a trapped bear. Teddy bears became the official toy of Mississippi in 2002. Missouri: Ice cream cone. 1904 World Fair in St. Petersburg Louis is the birthplace of this sweet dish. Ice cream cone became the official dessert of the state of Missouri in 2008. Montana: Grizzly Bear. Grizzly, also known as the North American grizzly bear, became an animal of Montana in 1982./.

Dolphins evolved from a species of terrestrial animal Dolphins evolved from a species of terrestrial animal Dolphins are mammals, closely related to whales, often living in shallow seas on the continental shelf. Dolphins have the ability to understand simple human behavioral language. With their inherent magical abilities, dolphins can understand and organize common objects into a group together. They understand both sounds and images, and even reflect images that are no different from people. Explaining this, scientists have confirmed that dolphins are the most intelligent animals in the world (while humans are only third in intelligence). Millions of years ago, the ancestors of dolphins did not swim underwater as we know them today, but were a predator that lived entirely on land. However, about 50 million years ago, a mysterious event happened that forced them to adapt to the aquatic environment, and gradually evolved into a species of mammal today. Although considered an extremely friendly animal, dolphins also have creepy behaviors, typically juggling young animals out of the sea. It sounds like a very interesting joke, but in fact, it is one of the ways the adult male is killing the young so that their mother can return to mating. Dolphins may not sleep for many weeks A recently published study has shown a surprising ability of dolphins: Can stay awake for days or weeks continuously without sleep. So how can they survive without sleep? Dolphins have a very special sleep mechanism, they can give half of their brain a rest at a certain time when the other half is awake – a process called “Unihemispheric sleep”. This special sleep mechanism not only prevents dolphins from drowning, but also allows them to stay alert to any danger and even encourage brain development. Most dolphins do not chew their food Dolphins do not chew food, or rather they cannot. A dolphin’s teeth are developed for the purpose of gripping prey. Sometimes they will shake or rub food on the ocean floor to tear them into small pieces to make them easier to swallow. One theory is that dolphins’ prey is mainly small fish, and they need to quickly grab prey in their mouth before their meal can swim away. Skip the chewing process to make sure the prey doesn’t escape. Dolphins call each other by their own names, forming friendships through common interests Researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Zurich and Western Australia have found that dolphins living in the Shark Bay area form friendships based on shared interest – in this case, a habit of using foam. sea ​​for prey. This tool-use trait is found mainly in female dolphins, but by studying the behavior of a few male dolphins that exhibit expression, the researchers have found a new discovery: Dolphin’s are formed through general tooling techniques. Dolphins have a given name and they will respond when called. Dolphins in each population possess their own “signature whistling”, as a name and other dolphins can use that particular whistle to get their partner’s attention. In fact, dolphins are also an extremely social species. This finding opens up entirely new questions about dolphins’ communication levels and “vocabulary”, and may reveal clues about our own evolution of language skills. Dolphins use their prey toxins as “addictive substances”. We know that puffer fish are highly toxic. Obviously dolphins know this too, but they use it for “high”. Usually, the puffer fish toxin is lethal. However, in small doses, it can act as an addictive substance. The BBC has recorded a video in which dolphins gently play with a puffer fish for 20 to 30 minutes, then hang around without leaving and behave “strange”. Dolphins possess great “teamwork” ability A team of researchers from the University of Bristol recently discovered that male dolphins can work and work together as a team – an attribute previously thought to be unique to humans. Observing the behavior of male dolphins when they were coordinating flirting with female pigs, the researchers found cooperation rather than competitive behavior, which is especially unusual in finding a mate in the animal kingdom.

The venom helps the snakes defend themselves and hunts. Explaining the venom in the snake The research was carried out by experts at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (Japan) with the Australian National University (Australia) and published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). . Research indicates a link between mammalian salivary glands and snake venom glands. Agneesh Barua, lead author of the paper and a graduate student in evolutionary genetics at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan, said: “In the past, we had the basic foundations. to find out about this. “Now, thanks to evolution, we can dig deeper and more accurately into the relationship between mammalian salivary glands and snake venom glands.” Previously, scientists believed that the venom gland evolved from the salivary gland because the venom is composed of proteins that are transformed from saliva. The oral venom system is assumed to evolve through evolution, but how it evolved and the molecular structure in the venom system remains unknown. Research by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology and the Australian National University are the first scientific evidence to find an answer to this fake snow. To produce toxins, snakes have evolved in the direction of converting many different substances in the body into venom. Initially, scientists suspected the gene was behind the poison formation in snake venom and a number of different species such as spiders and coolie – the only primate to have venom. However, the study did not find out what causes the venom to develop in the mouths of the animals. The research does not focus on toxins because they grow quickly, they are complex mixtures of many compounds, the Baride scientist explains. From there, the scientists decided to switch not to check the genes that produce the toxin, but to study the genes that help change the salivary system into the venom gland in the mouth. These are genes that are involved in the venom but are not responsible for the toxin production. Contact toxins in the human body Human saliva contains toxins that produce toxins. Through testing the genome of Taiwan habu snake, the researchers found the gene that supports the change, named “metavenom network”. This gene is responsible for protecting cells from the stress caused by the production of large amounts of protein. Similar genes are found in the salivary glands of some mammals such as chimpanzees, mice, even humans or terrestrial egg-laying animals such as birds and reptiles. These two genes have quite similar modes of action. Both produce large amounts of protein in saliva. With snakes, this gene helps to create large toxic saliva, suitable for their hunting and defense purposes. While in mammals such as humans, genes also make large amounts of protein in saliva but does not contain toxins. The common thing that these genes have in common is their ability to produce toxins, but snakes combine many different toxins, while mammals produce simpler venom, which has a similarity with saliva, Baride says. In fact, under certain environmental conditions, rats can make many toxic proteins in their saliva. Or in human saliva contains Kallikrein, an enzyme that helps digest proteins and they are also components in the “metavenom network”. If mutated, Kallikrein will convert saliva into venom that causes pain and death for infected objects. If so, according to evolution, in the next ten thousand years rats may have venom in their mouths, and so can humans. Mechanism of venom production However, Barua said, Kallikreins in human saliva can hardly evolve into toxins in snake venom. The “metavenom web” is a method of defense or elimination of prey and it evolves according to the animal’s way of life. The same species of snake, but living in different terrains and environments, the toxin is also different. For example, snakes live in the desert, mainly hunt rats on flat terrain, their venom slowly seeps into their prey. But snakes that live in the rocky mountains have a stronger toxin, instantly killing the lizard-like agility. Meanwhile, humans have invented tools, weapons and social structures to increase labor productivity and to process food, so there is no need to use venom. In addition, the creation of the venom is difficult. If not used regularly, the venom is lost. For example, sea snakes used to possess venom but are now harmless because they switch from eating fish to eating fish eggs, which do not require the use of toxins. New research may not raise hope for human “superpowers” but scientists have found a way for species to control venom in the body, which may be the key of medicine. . Find out how genes that control external protein expression can recognize diseases like cancer. Because most deaths from cancer are due to cancer cells growing out of control.

Bear eat ants for a body length of 150cm but has a tongue up to 60cm long. True to its name, the bear eats ants, this bear eats ants, termites and a long, sticky tongue with small spines is a very effective “tool” in catching prey. With the speed of releasing and retracting the tongue up to 150 times / minute, ant-eating bears can catch up to 30,000 termites per day.

Ants’ stomachs have a special structure that can crush large numbers of ants and termites, helping to facilitate digestion. This stomach produces formic acid instead of the hydrochloric acid commonly found in other mammals.

Bear eat ants have poor eyesight, but the ability to smell very sharp, 40 times more than humans. They use their noses to find food. The body temperature of the ant-eating bear was 32.7 ° C, which is lower than that of other placenta, mammals. If living in the wild, ant-eating bears can last 15 years and 25 years if kept in captivity.

The bear eats pregnant ants for 190 days and gives birth to only one baby per litter. A bear that eats ants will stay with her mother for two years until the bear that eats the ant is pregnant again. In the first year of life, the bear eats the mother ants and will carry the baby on her back.

Bats suck honey

The honey-sucking bat is one of the famous bats for its long tongue. Its long tongue when retracted was hidden in the chest.

A species of bat with a tube-shaped mouth specializing in nectar absorption, or known as Anoura fistulata has the longest tongue of any mammal on the planet. The tongue of this exotic animal is about 8.5 cm long, 1.5 times its body length. According to Iflscience, this particular species of bat broke the record for the first bat species in Ecuado decades ago.

Now, according to the Association for the Conservation of Wildlife, a strange species of bat has been found for the first time in Bolivia’s Madidi National Park. This unusual tongue allows them to easily suck nectar from the ends of a funnel-shaped flower. This is also an effective way to pollinate this elongated flower.

In fact, with a tongue almost twice the length of its body, there is no animal in the natural world that has “overtaken” the long ratio of the tongue to the body of this bats.

Pangolin

Pangolins have a tongue up to 40cm long with a lot of sticky drool to easily catch prey. Its tongue stalks deep in the abdomen. This animal has no feathers, only a hard scaly covering its body, and also has no teeth. The pangolin’s food is mainly ants and termites.

British naturalist David Attenborough chose the Sunda pangolin (a species of pangolin distributed throughout Southeast Asia) as one of the 10 species he wants to rescue from the most endangered.

So what makes pangolins so special? Here are facts to help us understand more about one of the most endangered species on Earth.

Currently in the world there are about 8 species of pangolin in existence, and some species have been extinct during evolution over the past 80 million years. Four of them live in Asia: China, Malaysia, India and Palawan Island (Philippines), while the remaining 4 species are distributed in Africa.

When fully stretched, the pangolin’s tongue can be up to 40cm long and the base of the tongue is deep in the chest cavity. The pangolins use their sticky tongues to catch insects. Because pangolins have no teeth, they crush and digest food with stones in the stomach.

The scales of pangolins are mainly composed of keratin, similar to human nails, rhino horn or bird nails … The horn scales account for 20% of the weight of this animal. The very hard scales can protect pangolins from predators. However, in traditional Chinese medicine, people dry and roast pangolin scales because they believe they can cure polio, stimulate lactation for women … For that reason, the price of pangolin scales on the black market amounted to more than 3,000 USD / kg.

The pangolin is the only animal, also the only mammal to have a protective keratinous layer on the skin. As solitary creatures, their diet consists mainly of ants and termites, and they use their long tongue to capture prey.

Mammals have long been threatened by poaching for their flesh and scales, intended for use in traditional Chinese medicine. As of January 2020, eight pangolin species have been listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Today, pangolin is still the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Hills of sea turtle prey

Named for its curved, sharp beak with a prominent tomium, this sea turtle lives in the ocean, but mostly inhabits shallow lagoons and coral reefs.

Although distributed around the world, tortoise sea turtles are critically endangered. For many decades, its shell has been the source of raw materials used for decorative purposes. Illegal fishing activities have contributed to the alarming decline of this species.

Gorilla

Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, orangutans are one of the most intelligent primates, also the largest tree-dwelling animal of the great ape.

Human activities have dramatically reduced the number and range of orangutans. It’s no surprise that all three species of orangutans – Bornean, Sumatra and Tapanuli – are critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

Rhino

The name rhino is derived from the Greek word “hinokerōs”, meaning “with horns in the nose”. Often abbreviated as rhino, two of the remaining species are native to Africa and three are in southern Asia.

Poachers often cut the carcasses of this species, mammals also slaughtered thousands for their horns, bought and sold on the black market, and used by some cultures as jewelry. intellectual or traditional medicine. The IUCN Red List identifies the Black, Javanese and Sumatran rhinos as Critically Endangered.

Saiga’s gazelle

Found only in one region of Russia and 3 regions of Kazakhstan, the saigas form very large swarms of herbivores on the peninsula, savannas and meadows. Their outstanding feature is the pair of nostrils that expand close together, facing downwards.

The horns of the male antelope are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and this need has wiped out the species in China. According to the Convention on Migratory Wilds, the decline of the saiga is one of the fastest recent population collapses of large mammals. Currently, this animal is still critically endangered.

Tigers

The tiger is the largest extant cat and one of the most popular and recognized animals in the world. It is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Korea.

Listed in the IUCN Red List as Endangered, tigers have been trafficked for hair and body parts for centuries. Many people in China and other parts of Asia believe that different parts of the tiger have medicinal properties, including pain relievers and aphrodisiacs. This falsehood has caused the black market to thrive for many years, and the number of tigers has dropped worryingly.

Elephant

These gentle giants are the largest land animals available, and are scattered throughout Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, since they are poached for their tusks. It is estimated that 30,000 elephants are killed each year by poachers. IUCN lists African Elephants as Endangered and Asian Elephants as Endangered.

Sumatran gazelle

This little-known antelope is native to mountainous forests on the Thai-Malay peninsula and on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Despite its near inaccessible altitude habitat, this timid and elusive creature is frequently caught in the sights of poachers’ rifles, shot for their flesh and parts. The body is said to have their medicinal properties. The IUCN has rated the Sumatran markhor as Endangered.

Hong Hoang has a hat

As a large and impressive member of the cormorant family, the cormorant is named after its helmet-like structure, accounting for about 11% of its 3 kg body weight. This bird is native to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Thailand and Myanmar.

The cephalopod was included on the IUCN Red List Near Threatened Critically in 2015. According to data published by TRAFFIC, Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, 2,170 animals were confiscated in just three years in China and Indonesia alone.

Gaur

Gaur, also known as the Indian bison, is native to South and Southeast Asia, mainly confined to evergreen or semi-evergreen and semi-evergreen deciduous forests. Gaur is hunted mercilessly by poachers for the purpose of meat, sold at high prices to satisfy international markets, gaurs are also slaughtered to trade in booty. This animal has been listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 1986.

Macaws

Macaws are some of the most vivid wildlife on Earth native to Central and South America, and are also found in Mexico, most of which are associated with forests, especially rainforests.

Their ability to mimic voices and possess great intelligence has made parrots highly regarded as pets. This has led to a worrying increase in poaching to the point that some species face extinction. In fact, most parakeets are threatened in the wild, a fact underscored by the rapid rate of deforestation around the world.

Snow leopard

A large-looking cat that calls the mountains of Central and South Asia home, the snow leopard is perfectly adapted to live in the cold. Unfortunately, the beautiful snow leopard’s fur is extremely appealing to poachers, who are involved in the illegal trade of animal skin and body parts. Snow leopards are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because the global population is now estimated to be less than 10,000 adults and is expected to decline by about 10% by 2040.

Shark

There are more than 500 species of sharks swimming in the world’s oceans. Famous species such as the tiger shark, the blue shark, the great white shark, the mako shark, the banging shark and the hammerhead shark are the ultimate predators.

However, sharks must fear humans more than humans are afraid of sharks. In fact, many shark populations are threatened by human activities, with some being hunted for their fins (used in soups). According to Oceana, 73 million terrifying sharks end the global fin trade each year, traded for food.

Birds of prey

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, include eagles, hawks, kites, hawks, owls and falconry. Among the animal kingdom’s top predators, these birds are also some of the most powerful and agile wildlife in the world.

But because of their speed and agility, some species become prey for poachers due to their exceptional hunting ability. The International Association for falconry and bird conservation identifies poaching of rare species, such as the extent of the Bonelli eagle plunder crisis (pictured) in Southern Europe by criminal organizations, as The reason may cause many species to become locally extinct.

Abalone

Abalone is a species of sea snail with the number of species recognized worldwide ranging from 30 to 130. Abalone meat is considered by many to be a desirable food, and is eaten raw or cooked. by many cultures. In the photo is an example with a living sponge on its shell.

According to TRAFFIC, South African abalone is the most exported species in aquaculture anywhere in the world. 95% of South Africa’s abalone is exported to Hong Kong, where it is consumed as a delicacy or re-exported.

According to Stars Insider

Artwork: Reuters

WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib said: “There is a rather serious problem that an urgent need to enact an emergency measure to stop the sale of wildlife living in traditional food markets, as a preventive measure. prevent. We need to know that most emerging infectious diseases originate from wild animals. Stopping the sale of live animals that are unsafe for food will reduce the risk of future transmission of the virus. This is not a new recommendation, but the Covid-19 translation has brought new attention to this threat with its enormous consequences. ”

In addition, WHO is also urging governments to close markets selling wild mammals if they are not fully implemented.

By the end of 2019, the first cases related to the Covid-19 epidemic had been recorded in Wuhan, China, and quickly broke out into a pandemic around the world. Although no official conclusions are available, preliminary research results show that SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected at wildlife markets in Wuhan. This virus spreads to humans through intermediates, possibly pangolins. Earlier last year, the International Fund for the Protection of Nature in the Asia-Pacific also called for an end to wildlife trade and consumption in the region.