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Ilya Ivanovich, a Russian biologist born in 1870, made significant strides in artificial insemination, famously inseminating 500 mares with a single stallion's semen. His curiosity led him to experiment with hybridization, creating various animal hybrids, including a zedonk and a rat-mouse. In 1910, he proposed the controversial idea of creating a human-ape hybrid, or "humanzee," which gained traction after the Russian Revolution. With funding from the Soviet government, Ivanov attempted to inseminate chimpanzees with human sperm at the Institut Pasteur in 1924, but his efforts were unsuccessful. His plans took a disturbing turn when he suggested inseminating African women with chimpanzee sperm without their consent, a proposal that was ultimately rejected. Despite recruiting volunteers for his experiments, Ivanov's project was halted by the Soviet Academy of Sciences, leading to his exile and subsequent death, leaving his hybridization ambitions unrealized. 
Published: Mar 09 2025, 7 ameznews.inSpaceX's eighth test flight of its Starship rocket ended in a dramatic explosion shortly after liftoff on March 6, just weeks after a previous test met a similar fate. The rocket launched successfully from SpaceX's Starbase in South Texas, with all 33 Raptor engines igniting as planned. However, approximately nine minutes into the flight, an "energetic event" in the aft section led to the loss of several engines, resulting in a catastrophic failure and loss of communication. SpaceX described the incident as a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," with debris visible over the Caribbean and Florida. The FAA temporarily halted flights in the area and mandated an investigation into the mishap, which SpaceX will conduct in collaboration with the agency. Despite the setback, SpaceX remains optimistic, noting that lessons learned from this test could enhance the reliability of future flights, crucial for NASA's lunar ambitions.
Published: Mar 07 2025, 9 pmeznews.inOnline riddles claiming to determine if someone is a psychopath have gained popularity, but experts caution against their validity. Two notorious examples include a scenario involving a woman who kills her sister after meeting a man at her mother's funeral, and a moral dilemma about sacrificing one person to save five. While these riddles suggest that certain responses indicate psychopathic traits, they oversimplify a complex personality disorder. Psychopathy exists on a spectrum, characterized by traits such as lack of empathy, emotional detachment, and manipulativeness, rather than a binary classification. Craig S. Neumann, a psychology professor, emphasizes that psychopathy is not easily defined and is often misrepresented in media. The origins and prevalence of psychopathy remain unclear, with ongoing research needed to better understand its nuances. Ultimately, the quest for a straightforward definition of psychopathy is complicated by its dimensional nature and the lack of consensus among experts.
Published: Mar 07 2025, 10 ameznews.inA newly identified species of titanosaur, named _Chadititan calvoi_, has been discovered by palaeontologists in the Anacleto Formation of northern Patagonia. This long-necked dinosaur, meaning "titan of the salt," is characterized as a "gentle giant" with a slender build, distinguishing it from other titanosaurs. Its name pays homage to the salt flats where it was found, alongside a wealth of rare fossils, including the first records of tropical land snails _Neocyclotidae_ and _Leptinaria_. Remarkably, over 90% of the recovered fossils are freshwater turtles, a stark contrast to similar sites in North America and Europe, where turtles typically comprise less than half of the fauna. This research, part of a National Geographic-funded project, aims to enhance understanding of the Cretaceous ecosystem in Patagonia, revealing unique environmental characteristics as continents drifted apart. The findings are published in the *Revista del Museo Argentino Ciencias Naturales*.
Published: Mar 06 2025, 7 pmeznews.inA recent research expedition in Peru's Alto Mayo region has unveiled 27 new species, including a bronze salamander and a rare semi-aquatic mouse, highlighting the area's rich biodiversity despite significant human activity. Spanning approximately 1.9 million acres, Alto Mayo features diverse ecosystems, including seven forest types and territories of the Indigenous Awajún community. The team documented over 950 plant species, many utilized by locals, and more than 200 butterfly species, with 14 being first-time records. Among the new amphibians are three previously unknown species, including a climbing salamander, alongside two potential new snake species. Remarkably, four new mammal species were also discovered, including a unique amphibious mouse. The expedition recorded a total of 2,046 species, with around 34 believed to be endemic to the region, underscoring the need for sustainable management to protect these threatened species and their habitats.
Published: Mar 05 2025, 11 ameznews.inResearchers have discovered a new species of spider, measuring just 1 millimeter in length, in the renowned Cave of Nerja in Málaga, Spain. This tiny arachnid, named *Anapistula delrosalae*, is notable for being the first recorded member of the Symphytognathidae family and the *Anapistula* genus in continental Europe. The discovery was made using tumulus-type traps baited with a mixture of propylene glycol, beer, and sobrasada, a Spanish sausage, during studies conducted between 2000 and 2019. The new species is distinguished by its serrated fang edges and translucent coloration, differing from its only European counterpart, which is brown and has smooth fangs. Researchers believe *A. delrosalae* is widespread within the cave, having observed egg sacs and additional individuals, although the study primarily focused on female specimens, with no adult males identified. The findings are detailed in a paper published in Zootaxa.
Published: Mar 05 2025, 11 pmeznews.inRecent research has revealed that gars, often dubbed "living fossils," have evolved at a significantly slower rate than other jawed vertebrates, remaining largely unchanged for tens of millions of years. This slow evolution allows them to produce viable hybrids, even with species that diverged over 100 million years ago, such as the Alligator Gar and Longnose Gar. A rare hybrid was recently caught by Kati Wright, a graduate student at Nicholls State University, coinciding with the publication of the study. The hybrid exhibits a unique morphology, combining features of both parent species. Experts believe that gars' efficient DNA repair mechanisms may explain their low species diversity and could have implications for human health research. The findings underscore the importance of these ancient fish, often overlooked, in understanding evolutionary biology and potential medical advancements.
Published: Mar 09 2025, 9 pmeznews.inSeagrasses, the only true flowering plants in marine environments, have adapted to bloom underwater, a significant evolution from their terrestrial ancestors that transitioned to the ocean around 100 million years ago. These meadows, which can form vast clones and include some of the oldest living marine plants—one estimated at 1,400 years—play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. Recent research has revealed that seagrass flowers, such as those of *Thalassia testudinum*, are pollinated not just by water currents but also by microscopic crustaceans and marine worms, dubbed "sea bees." These tiny pollinators feed on the flowers' nutritious pollen, inadvertently transferring it between plants due to a sticky mucilage that encases the pollen. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that animal-mediated pollination is absent in marine environments, suggesting that such mechanisms may have evolved independently in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Published: Mar 06 2025, 10 pmeznews.inA scuba diver off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, recently experienced an extraordinary underwater concert as he recorded the powerful songs of humpback whales. Mark Healey described the sounds as the loudest whale songs he had ever encountered, prompting him to capture the moment on a GoPro camera. Humpback whales, known for their elaborate vocalizations, use their vocal cords to produce these sounds, primarily for mating purposes, with only males singing. Interestingly, even whale calves participate in vocalizations, making various calls to communicate with their mothers, especially during nursing. Recent research has revealed that whale songs adhere to Zipf's law, a principle of human language efficiency. Each year, approximately 12,000 humpbacks migrate to Hawaii's warmer waters from November to May to mate and raise their young, providing ample opportunities for the public to witness these majestic creatures.
Published: Mar 07 2025, 6 ameznews.inNASA's Lunar Trailblazer mission, aimed at mapping water on the Moon's surface, is facing significant challenges after the spacecraft lost communication shortly after its launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon rocket on February 27. Part of NASA's Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, the mission seeks to enhance understanding of the Moon's water cycle and identify potential resources for future crewed missions. Despite the setback, telemetry data suggests the spacecraft may be in low power mode and slowly spinning, with hopes that it could eventually re-establish contact as its solar panels receive sunlight. Although it has missed its initial opportunity to engage its thrusters for lunar orbit, NASA is exploring alternative maneuvers. Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate, emphasized the team's commitment to restoring communication, highlighting the mission's high-risk, high-reward nature in advancing lunar science.
Published: Mar 07 2025, 12 amFor the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
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