Drawing is learning: the birds of the subantarctic
September 12, 2025 Bonnie Koopmans
(Some) Penguins of the Subantarctic. Watercolour and gouache on toned paper, 30 x 23cm. Credit: Bonnie Koopmans.
Between Tasmania and Antarctica, there are a series of tiny, isolated islands on the cusp of the Southern Ocean. Many people don’t even realise they exist, but these frigid and windswept islands host a surprising diversity of seabirds.
Last summer, I was awarded a Heritage Expeditions True Young Explorer Scholarship to visit this remarkable region. My time in the subantarctic included visiting 4 of the island groups in the region: The Snares, the Auckland Islands, and Campbell Island (belonging to New Zealand) and Macquarie Island (belonging to Australia).
As a keen naturalist and natural history illustrator, I jumped at the chance to experience an area so remote, expensive and difficult to access. Additionally, as a keen birder, the subantarctic represented an opportunity to see some stunning birds in the most beautiful, harsh and unique environment.
As an illustrator and visual learner, drawing is one of my methods of learning about something, whether it’s internalising technical species differences or figuring out the general shape and character of an animal.
Field studies and drawing from life, especially, allow an artist to deeply observe and capture behaviour and colours in a way that is otherwise very difficult to achieve. The illustrations featured in this article are a mixture of studies done in the field, and finished paintings I completed once I was back home.
Flipping through a bird field guide, the seabird section often seems remarkably… grey. For me, it was finally seeing these birds in the flesh that made me realise how special they are.
While seabird identification can be complicated (groups such as prions are notoriously difficult to identify), observing them in person can provide other avenues to assist the process, as even aspects such as manner of flight can help with distinguishing species.
Albatross with their immense unflapping wingspan, and their endearing rambling stride on land. Petrels following the ship almost the entire journey, arcing left and right past the stern. Penguins effortlessly rocketing through the water, only to reach land and be slowed to a shuffle by their own tiny legs.
Certainly, the highlight of the trip were the penguins, with 6 species seen on the trip, each absolutely bursting with personality and charm. To see a breeding colony of penguins is an unforgettable sight (and sound!) and, if anything, it’s a wonder to see immense congregations of penguins at all considering the history of whaling and sealing in the subantarctic.
During the 1800s and into the early 1900s, whaling and the subsequent products of oil and baleen were critically important to the newly industrial world. Whale oil – and later seal and penguin oil – provided crucial lubricants for machinery, and fuel for lighting. The subantarctic was heavily targeted.
Besides the obvious and huge impact these activities had on whale, seal and penguin numbers, another long-term conservation issue was the introduction of livestock and establishment of stowaway predators. These affected the local populations of seabirds, especially.
Once the whale and seal populations were low enough that it was no longer financially viable for whalers to remain on the islands, they turned their livestock loose, and pigs, cows, cats, and stowaways such as rats were left to run rampant.
As many of the seabirds breeding on these islands had never had to contend with land-based predators, the introduction of cats and rats devastated their populations. Surprisingly voracious predators which were, similarly, introduced as a food source were weka – flightless rails endemic to New Zealand.
As ground dwellers, the rails could easily eat chicks of ground burrowing seabirds such as common diving petrels and blue petrels. Additionally, livestock such as pigs and cows caused environmental damage and drastically changed the composition of habitat through grazing and trampling.
Beyond the obvious seabird residents, these islands are home to a wide variety of other bird species, from red-crowned parakeet and New Zealand falcon, to several species of passerines (‘perching birds’) such as tomtit, New Zealand bellbird and tūī.
Being so isolated, the islands tend to have a high level of endemism, meaning they are unique to the location. Several species of shags, ducks and snipe have diverged evolutionarily between the islands over time.
Campbell teal (Anas nesiotis) represent the impact introduced predators can have, but are also an incredible success story. This charismatic flightless duck was presumed extinct following the introduction of brown rats to Campbell Island during the period of whaling. A precariously small population was discovered on Dent Island, which rats hadn’t managed to reach, and in 1987 some of the teal were removed from the wild to establish a captive breeding program and ensure the preservation of the species.
Due to the significance of the New Zealand and Australian subantarctic islands in terms of unique habitat, flora and importance for the fauna that eke out an existence in the region, there have been some incredibly successful efforts to remove predator species and rehabilitate these islands.
Macquarie, Enderby, and Campbell Islands are now free of introduced pests, with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation aiming to embark on their most ambitious pest eradication yet, targeting Auckland Island at 46,000ha.
Campbell teal have been reintroduced to Campbell Island as of 2004, and bird populations generally have been improving with lessened pressure from predation.
The precariousness of life on these tiny specks of land in the middle of a vast ocean makes them so unique and important to the creatures that thrive there.
All 4 of these island groups are now protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for outstanding universal value.
True Young Explorer scholarship applications open each year in spring for summer voyages. You must be aged 18–30 and share your experience of the subantarctic.
Originally published by Cosmos as Drawing is learning: the birds of the subantarctic
March 20, 2025 Written by Matthew Russell
In a groundbreaking global mission, researchers have identified 866 new marine species, offering fresh insights into ocean biodiversity. The discovery comes after a two-year collaboration among scientists, governments, and research institutions.
This large-scale effort combines data from 400 institutions and more than 800 scientists to accelerate the cataloguing of life beneath the waves. The study confirms that much of the ocean remains unexplored, with only about 10% of marine species currently documented, leaving a vast number of creatures to be discovered, Faharas reports.
Photo YouTube / Your Wyoming Link
The Guitar Shark was found 200 meters deep off Africa.
Among the newly identified species, the Guitar Shark stands out. Found at depths of approximately 200 meters off the coasts of Mozambique and Tanzania, this elusive shark adds to a critically endangered group, Afloat.ie reports. With only 38 known guitar shark species worldwide and a significant proportion threatened, its discovery sparks urgent calls for conservation measures.
Equally intriguing is the discovery of a venomous marine gastropod, Turridrupa magnifica. This creature, encountered in the South Pacific near New Caledonia and Vanuatu, possesses a specialized predatory mechanism. It employs harpoon-like teeth to inject toxins into its prey, a feature that opens potential avenues for developing novel pain relief and cancer treatments, according to Ocean Census. The promising medical applications of these peptides highlight the unforeseen benefits that emerging species can offer.
Photo YouTube / Your Wyoming Link
Scientists discovered 866 new marine species.
The ambitious mission, led by the Nippon Foundation and Nekton, kicked off in April 2023. It involved 10 global expeditions and 8 Species Discovery Workshops, creating an international network dedicated to marine research, IFL Science reports. By deploying divers, remotely operated vehicles, and submersibles, teams explored depths ranging from near-surface waters to nearly 5,000 meters below sea level. Such an extensive range allows researchers to capture a diverse snapshot of ocean life, from colorful reef fish to mysterious deep-sea creatures that dwell in near-total darkness.
The traditional process of species registration is lengthy, sometimes taking up to 13.5 years. This delay means that many species face extinction before they can be formally documented. Accelerated efforts, like the Ocean Census, aim to reduce this gap and develop conservation strategies rapidly, CBS News reports. The initiative has already facilitated a series of Species Discovery Awards, encouraging taxonomists worldwide to share their findings and enrich our understanding of marine ecosystems.
Photo YouTube / Your Wyoming Link
Discoveries inspire hope for future biotechnology advances.
The revelations extend beyond the thrill of new discoveries. They serve as a stark reminder that the ocean still holds many secrets critical to the health of our planet. With climate change, overfishing, and pollution increasingly threatening marine environments, the need for protective measures has never been more urgent.
A unified treaty reached by over 100 nations now aims to conserve 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, CBS News reports. This commitment underscores the pivotal role that newly discovered species play in advancing marine conservation, as each new creature contributes to the broader ecological balance.
The comprehensive data gathered during these expeditions are now accessible through an online biodiversity platform. This initiative not only supports ongoing research but also informs policy decisions aimed at safeguarding marine habitats, according to Faharas. As more species become known, conservationists can design more effective strategies to protect fragile ecosystems. The discovery of species such as the Guitar Shark and Turridrupa magnifica becomes a clarion call for further exploration and immediate action to preserve oceanic life.
This monumental effort in marine exploration opens the door to new scientific questions. Researchers now face the challenge of studying the biology, behavior, and ecological roles of these species. The data collected will fuel future expeditions and drive technological innovations in underwater research. A sustained commitment to cataloguing and conserving ocean life will help protect the planet’s largest ecosystem against ongoing environmental threats.
The Ocean Census project represents a major step forward in understanding marine biodiversity. Its findings remind us that the ocean remains a vast and vibrant frontier, rich with life forms that continue to captivate scientific curiosity and drive innovation. As nations work together to expand marine protected areas, these discoveries will serve as a cornerstone for global conservation efforts.
Supernova remnant G278.94+1.35, dubbed ‘Diprotodon’, captured by CSIRO’s ASKAP radio telescope. Credit: Sanja Lazarević
Something explosive always seems to be happening in space. We often see headlines in the news about dramatic events like a flaring star, a gravitational wave from colliding neutron stars, or the latest supernova erupting in a galaxy far, far away.
The stories normally tend to focus on the peak periods of these energetic events, which generate in a week roughly a trillion-trillion times as much energy as we generated on Earth last year. But what remains after a star’s collapse – a supernova remnant, as astronomers call it – is both spectacular and scientifically interesting.
Stars are endlessly collapsing under gravity. This immense pressure drives a fusion reaction, where hydrogen particles join together into heavier elements. The energy produced by this fusion reaction pushes outwards, stopping the star from collapsing in on itself. However, when a star starts to run out of fuel for its fusion engine, the balance breaks down and things get interesting.
For stars roughly the size of our Sun, there is no big explosion as they reach their final years. Instead, when they run out of fuel, they gently shrink into a glowing lump of carbon and oxygen called a white dwarf. White dwarfs don’t collapse entirely under the force of gravity, because the electrons in the remaining atoms are strong enough to push back. This is thanks to a quirky quantum effect called electron pressure.
A white dwarf can produce a supernova, but only under very specific circumstances, when the white dwarf is orbiting another star. When a white dwarf gets too close to the other star – which could even be another white dwarf – its gravitational influence will start to pull in material from the other star. This breaks the balance between gravity and those simmering electrons, ultimately causing the white dwarf to explode!
Bigger stars do end their lives in a supernova, and usually without any outside help. These stars – with more than 8 times the mass of our Sun – live fast and die young. They burn through their nuclear fuel faster than their smaller cousins, with lifetimes of millions (not billions) of years. These stars start by fusing hydrogen into helium in the core. As that runs out, they start fusing helium atoms together instead. And so it continues up the periodic table. The heavier the element, the faster the star runs out of fuel – with carbon and oxygen burning for mere years and months, respectively. But this can’t go on forever.
Once the core is made of iron, the fusion process grinds to a halt. With no new energy keeping the star inflated, its layers suddenly collapse. The rush of material inwards hits the remaining iron core and produces a shockwave that moves outwards at speeds nearing a quarter of the speed of light. These aptly named core-collapse supernovae usually leave their densely packed remains behind in the form of a neutron star – or, depending on how massive they were, a black hole.
For both classes of supernova, the stellar matter from the explosion is launched out across space at thousands, or even tens of thousands, of kilometres per second. Moving at these speeds, the leading front of the supernova can take tens of thousands of years to slow down, usually after spreading out across several light-years of space (one light-year is about 9.5 trillion kilometres) and sweeping up any additional material they encounter along the way. This is a supernova remnant: an interstellar bubble created by the wake of one of nature’s most energetic explosions.
This powerful blast wave contains fast-moving electrons that interact with nearby material in a fascinating way. The space around a supernova is filled with magnetised matter, and because of the special relationship between electricity and magnetism, the electrons curve rather than flying straight. As their paths change, the electrons are forced to slow down. Some of their energy is converted into light – but not always as light our eyes can see.
Visible light is just one window into the full spectrum of electromagnetic waves. It has a short wavelength of a few hundred nanometres; for context, the average width of a single human hair is nearly 100,000 nanometres. Most of the light in supernova ‘bubbles’ has much less energy, with a wavelength of tens of centimetres or even metres. This particular type of light is called radio.
Radio astronomers have built just the right instruments to detect this kind of light emitted by supernovae. From the initial blast to the giant bubble-like structures they create as the explosion moves out through space, radio telescopes can detect these explosive supernova ‘bubbles’ expanding and eventually slowing down as they become a remnant.
We also see the brightness and energy of the light changing depending on how much material the shockwave sweeps up as it expands, or how strongly magnetised the surrounding material is. By studying the radio light generated by supernova remnants, we can learn when and how they formed, as well as what kind of dense objects the explosion left behind.
Radio astronomy has a long, continuous history in Australia. We were one of the first countries in the world to use radio instruments to study celestial objects. The American radio engineer Karl Jansky, widely considered the founder of radio astronomy, first detected radio emission in 1933 from a dense region somewhere in the Milky Way. However, in 1954, CSIRO astronomers in Sydney figured out that the source of Jansky’s detection was located right at the centre of our galaxy.
As the field of radio astronomy developed, astronomers and engineers began exploring different types of telescopes that could be used to study a range of objects in the sky. Depending on the design of the instrument, we can use them to detect point-like radio sources – like the centres of distant galaxies – or diffuse clouds and filaments, like the boundaries of a supernova remnant. And using advanced image-processing techniques and modern telescopes like CSIRO’s ASKAP radio telescope, we can create images that show the beauty of the radio sky at both small and large scales.
Supernova remnants are stunning markers of the explosive history of our galaxy. And luckily for astronomers, we’ve already discovered hundreds of them. Observations of that white road of stars that runs across the sky, the Milky Way, have revealed a foamy sea of interstellar bubbles created by ancient supernovae.
The shapes of supernova remnants reflect the circumstances of their formation and their encounters with neighbouring objects, including cosmic clouds of gas and dust. Some appear symmetrical, while others take on distorted forms, moulded by interactions with nearby material or overlapping with other expanding bubbles. In fact, our whole solar system sits near the centre of a ‘superbubble’ – a vast cavity containing most of the stars visible to the naked eye. Scientists reckon the superbubble was carved out by the cumulative explosions of multiple supernovae over millions of years.
Radio astronomers estimate that as many as 1,500 supernova remnants may be still hiding in our galaxy undiscovered. New observations with highly sensitive radio instruments like ASKAP and the upcoming SKA telescopes will help us uncover these elusive interstellar bubbles, and reveal more details about the energetic processes that shaped the Milky Way.
Kovi Rose is an astrophysics PhD candidate at the University of Sydney who studies the radio light from nearby dwarf stars and distant supernovae.
Originally published by Cosmos as The ghosts of dead stars
(“Jerks” is a joke on another blog.)
Dancing cockatoos more common than previously thought
Velentina Boulter
A new study shows cockatoos in captivity dance more often than expected, with the birds pulling out moves like the “body roll” and the “moving jump”.
The researchers observed cockatoos showing off a total of 30 distinct dance moves. Some stylish birds showed off unique moves not seen in any other bird.
“The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare,” says lead researcher Natasha Lubke from Charles Sturt University, Australia.
Lubke and colleagues analysed 45 videos of cockatoos dancing that had been posted to social media.
Across the videos, the researchers established 30 distinct dance moves like the “headbang” or the “sidestep”. Of these dance moves, 17 had not been previously described scientifically.
The “downward movement” was the most common motion, appearing in 50% of the birds’ repertoire. Routines involving just wings, like “flapping” and “wings back”, were the least common.
Each cockatoo species had a unique top 10 most common dance moves, and the researchers observed that closely related species did not display similar dances.
The researchers then followed up their initial video analysis by investigating the behaviour of 6 cockatoos at Wagga Wagga Zoo in Australia.
The cockatoos were then played either music, an audio podcast or no audio at all. All cockatoos performed dance moves whether there was music playing or not.
“I showed that dancing behaviour is more common in cockatoos than previously thought and was seen in 10 of the 21 cockatoo species,” says Lubke.
“My analysis also indicated that dancing is far more complex and varied than previously thought, recording 30 different movements seen in multiple birds and a further 17 movements that were seen in only one bird.”
Some of the dance moves observed were similar to those displayed by wild parrots when they are in the process of courtship. This suggests captive cockatoos may have redirected their courting dance toward their owners.
More research is needed to understand whether the cockatoos actually enjoy dancing in order to improve the welfare of captive cockatoos.
“The similarities with human dancing make it hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots, and playing music to parrots may improve their welfare,” says Rafael Freire, a professor in animal behaviour and welfare at Charles Sturt University.
“Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment.”
All 30 of the cockatoos’ groovy dance moves are listed in the research paper published in PLOS One.
Originally published by Cosmos as Dancing cockatoos more common than previous thought
Do You Know Who Created The Super Soaker? by Lique
Read on Substack
It was him!
Lonnie Johnson. A NASA Scientist and Inventor.
Also, an African American. Though that should not make any difference. The part of his history that angered me, though I should not be surprised, was that Hasbro had tried to jilt this man out of $73 million dollars! I could not believe it. But him being the super star brain that he is won at his day in court.
I was so happy about that. (snip)
Unlocking the genetic ‘control switches’ of hibernation
New research has identified specific regions of DNA that regulate hibernation by tweaking metabolism. The findings could offer pathways to new treatments for metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes in humans.
When hibernating animals wake, they reverse dangerous health changes similar to those seen in type 2 diabetes, muscle atrophy, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Researchers hope that unlocking hibernation regions in the human genome could help develop treatments for these potentially fatal health conditions.
“If we could regulate our genes a bit more like hibernators, maybe we could overcome type 2 diabetes the same way that a hibernator returns from hibernation back to a normal metabolic state,” says Elliot Ferris, a bioinformatician at the University of Utah (U of U) Health in the US.
Ferris is co-author of 2 new studies which pinpointed that DNA regions near a gene cluster called the “fat mass and obesity (FTO) locus” play a crucial role in the ability to hibernate. While the FTO locus also appears in humans, hibernating animals use it in a different, and potentially more advantageous way.
“What’s striking about this [FTO] region is that it is the strongest genetic risk factor for human obesity,” says senior author of the study, Chris Gregg, a professor in neurobiology at U of U Health.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 8 people worldwide were living with obesity in 2022. Obesity can lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other health implications, which illustrates the importance of preventing and treating the condition.
“Humans already have the genetic framework,” says Susan Steinwand, a research scientist at U of U and co-author of the studies. “We just need to identify the control switches for these hibernator traits.”
To locate the hibernation-specific regions of the genome, the team used multiple independent whole-genome technologies to compare mammals that do and don’t hibernate.
“If a region doesn’t change much from species to species for over 100 million years but then changes rapidly and dramatically in 2 hibernating mammals, then we think it points us to something that is important for hibernation, specifically,” says Ferris.
The hibernator-specific DNA regions (located close to the FTO locus) weren’t genes but DNA sequences called “cis–regulatory elements” (CREs) which contact nearby genes to either turn up or down their expression, almost like a film director coordinating cinematographers, set designers and actors. The researchers found the CREs regulated the activity of neighbouring genes, including those involved in metabolism.
When they mutated these regions in mice, the researchers observed changes in weight and metabolism. Some of the mutations the researchers performed sped up the weight gain, while others slowed it down. Other mutations affected the body’s ability to recover body temperature after hibernation.
They suggest that this is what allows animals to gain weight before entering hibernation and then slowly release the energy in their fat reserves during the winter.
This means that mutating a single hibernator-specific region has wide-ranging effects extending far beyond the FTO locus, says Steinwand.
“It’s pretty amazing,” she says. “When you knock out one of these elements – this one tiny, seemingly insignificant DNA region – the activity of hundreds of genes changes.”
The studies suggest that CREs might also play a role in regulating human metabolism.
While understanding this flexibility could lead to better treatments for disorders like type 2 diabetes, the study also helps indicate which DNA elements should be explored in future studies.
“There’s potentially an opportunity – by understanding these hibernation-linked mechanisms in the genome – to find strategies to intervene and help with age-related diseases,” says Gregg.
“If that’s hidden in the genome that we’ve already got, we could learn from hibernators to improve our own health.”
The research has been published in the journal Science.
Originally published by Cosmos as Unlocking the genetic ‘control switches’ of hibernation
Neil deGrasse Tyson says you’ll regrow organs and vacation in space by 2050 — lock in.
By Asheea Smith Published August 2, 2025
Leave it to Neil deGrasse Tyson to casually predict the next 25 years like it’s no biggie. During episode 1904 of the Joe Rogan Experience, the astrophysicist, author, and science celeb offered a bold glimpse into where humanity might be headed in the next 25 years. While flying cars didn’t make the cut (sad face), his projections are closely aligned with today’s advances in science and technology — and some could be closer than we might expect.
So, who exactly is Tyson, and what does he think the world might look like by 2050? Get in — we’re going exploring.
If you’ve ever caught the eye-watering space series, “Cosmos” or heard someone break down the mysteries of the universe without sounding like a textbook — you’ve probably heard of Tyson. Born in New York City, Tyson graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. He later earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Harvard University in 1980 and went on to complete a Masters and Ph. D in Astrophysics from Columbia University in 1989 and 1991, per Britannica.
Tyson is best known for hosting the celestial TV series, “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” and his radio program, “StarTalk.” Beyond his obsession with exploding stars, black holes, and dark matter, he gives viewers a grip on what the heck is going on in the cosmos, and what it has to do with us.
Now, for his next trick, Tyson’s turning that cosmic lens toward laying out what he believes is next for humanity.
“Neuroscience and our understanding of the human mind will become so advanced that mental illness will be cured, leaving psychologists and psychiatrists without jobs,” Tyson, 66, said during the interview.
“Self-driving electric vehicles will fully replace all cars and trucks on the road. If you wanna be nostalgic with your fancy combustion engine sports car, you can drive on specially designed tracks,” Tyson explained.
“The human space program will fully transition to a space industry, supported not by tax dollars, but by tourism,” Tyson said.
It seems that in Tyson’s vision, regular folks will be able to book a trip to orbit. Voyager Station — a space hotel set to open in 2027 — is already in the works, complete with a bar, restaurant, concert hall, gym, and a cinema theatre, per Astronomy.
“We develop a perfect ani-viral serum and cure cancer. Medicines will tailor to your own DNA, leaving no adverse side effects,” Tyson predicted to Rogan.
“We will learn how to regrow lost limbs and failing organs, bringing us up to the level of other regenerating animals on earth, like salamanders, starfish, and lobsters,” the “Cosmos” host stated.
“Instead of becoming our overlord and enslaving us all, artificial intelligence will be just another helpful feature of the tech infrastructures that serve our daily lives,” Tyson concluded.
Scottie's Playtime 