(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A small, feathered creature named Aurornis xui is now the most primitive bird known to man. The tufted dinosaur lived in what is now China, approximately 160 million years ago. This colossal discovery has helped create a more complete lineage leading from non-avian dinosaurs to birds and has shed some light on the evolution of bird flight. Continue reading for more on this substantial discovery and the transition from dinosaur to bird. — Global Animal
(GREEN) Is pig excrement China’s next big energy source? This may be so, as Australian researchers have invented a bioreactor trademarked as “pooCARE,” which is able to convert solid waste into biofuel. China has one of the world’s highest concentrations of pig farms, with an estimated 700 million pigs spread across the country. According to some estimates, this means that there could be 1.4 million metric tons of pig feces produced each year. Read on for more information regarding this award-winning project and how its outcome could potentially solve one of China’s biggest contamination issues. — Global Animal
(OCEANS) One of the Navy’s specially trained Atlantic bottlenose dolphins recently came across an 130-year-old torpedo on the seafloor. Dolphins are naturally endowed with the most superior sonar known to man and thus, can detect mines and other objects acoustically difficult to find underwater. The museum-worthy torpedo is, in fact, one of the first self-propelled torpedoes used by the U.S. Navy, and only 50 of its kind were ever manufactured. Read on to learn more about the echolocation of dolphins and the antique torpedo. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL SCIENCE) Millions of years ago, penguins lost their ability to fly, and now scientists finally know why. The tuxedoed birds are some of the best divers out there, but unfortunately good flippers don’t make for good flyers. Scientists say, once penguins sacrificed flight, their wings and body size most likely evolved quite rapidly since flying no longer placed constraints on body form. Researchers were confused as to why the aquatically-skilled animals chose sea over air, but they hold a promising theory regarding the species’ perplexing decision. Continue reading for the answer to this mind-boggling question, and learn more about prehistoric flying penguins. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A group of unlikely heroes are currently being trained to prevent future land mine tragedies. Croatian researchers are training sugar-craving honeybees to find unexploded mines littering their country—all of which have been responsible for about 2,500 deaths since the beginning of the Balkan wars in 1991. Because bees have a perfect sense of smell which can efficiently detect the scent of explosives, identifying their food source with the scent of TNT has proved to be a successful way to safely unveil dangerous hidden mines. Read on for more on the ways in which these everyday insects can potentially make a huge difference in Croatia. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A new species of pit viper has been confirmed in the highland forests of Honduras. Named after late conservationist Mario Guifarro, the new species of snake could be an extremely rare occurrence in the wild. In fact, some scientists argue the new viper should be classified as critically endangered, as threats to the snakes’ limited environment are increasingly imminent. Continue reading for more on the details surrounding this new discovery. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL SCIENCE) Beware, frogs! The chytrid fungus is out there! The lethal fungus, which seems to only harm amphibians, causes a thickening of the infected creature’s skin and hinders the animal’s breathing and electrolyte balance. Ultimately, the infection can lead to cardiac arrest and has already caused several Central American frog species to go extinct. One scientist even referred to the destructive fungus as “the single biggest threat to vertebrate diversity in the world.” Continue reading for more on the chytrid fungus and the study behind this amphibian epidemic. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL SCIENCE) In the 1960s, the CIA attempted to turn a cat into a spy during an effort entitled, “Operation Acoustic Kitty.” The agency attempted to turn the feline into a CIA agent by implanting a microphone, small radio transmitter, and a thin wire antenna into the cat during a risky surgery. The cat survived and was sent to a park to observe a conversation between two people on a bench. Unfortunately, the cat was hit by a taxi and did not survive the actual mission. While there are definitely some questions of animal cruelty within the discussion, it is quite interesting to learn about animals embarking on top-secret missions. Continue reading below to discover more about these animal spies. — Global Animal
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