Neanderthal Kids Grew Up So Fast—at Least Compared With Their Human Peers—Thanks to Genetic Adaptations to Their Environment Scientists think Neanderthal children may have had faster growth rates because larger bodies tend to retain heat more effectively than smaller ones

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/n...

A Friendly Garter Snake
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#naturephotography #wildlifephptography #snakes #animals #photography

‘Bat feast’ animal videos at African cave offer clues to how deadly viruses spread Researchers filmed 10 species eating or scavenging bats at known Marburg-virus hotspot — and caught hundreds of humans visiting.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Anglerfish Are Known for Their Built-in Fishing Rods. New Research Sheds Light on How These Lures Evolved in the Strange Creatures A new study suggests the odd appendages first appeared in the fish's ancestors around 72 million years ago. Today, females might use them not only to attract prey but also to communicate with potentia...

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a...

‘How much have we missed?’: book tunes in to overlooked world of female birdsong Authors set out to correct under-representation of female sounds – and found some surprising revelations

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A large white waterfowl with orange feet stands in front of a door. On the door is a cardboard sign secured with tape that reads, "DO NOT LET THE DUCK IN." Adding insult to injury, I think the duck might be a goose.

Whatever you do,

The Hell Creek Formation Is North America's Legendary Boneyard. See the Top Five Discoveries Found in the Iconic Fossil Bed From preserved plants to T. rex, the material found in these Late Cretaceous rocks has resulted in countless breakthroughs for paleontologists

www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...

An adorable raccoon.

I have no idea if this is legit but I do believe it’s appropriate.

Photo: Under water, statues of six men kneel on the ocean floor, their heads buried in the sand, briefcases by their sides, and their buttocks pointing skyward. Source: www.boredpanda.com

The Bankers, an art installation in Musa, Mexico.
They've been lending money to the O&G industry and making huge profits for decades, all the while knowing
full well that climate change is killing our biosphere.

📸 Jason deCaires Taylor

Photo: a baby chameleon rests atop a red flower against a green and yellow backdrop. Source: Mehmet Karaca, Kapıçam Nature Park, Turkiye, Wiki Loves Earth 2024.

A baby Mediterranean chameleon

📸 Mehmet Karaca,
Kapıçam Nature Park, Türkiye
Wiki Loves Earth 2024

A Great Blue Heron

Good morning, Bluesky!

Gonna be one o' them days. Kitsap Peninsula, Washington
📸Jon Oleyar

Tributes paid to singer Moya Brennan: ‘Her voice was the signature sound of Clannad’ Celebrated musician won a Grammy and an Emmy during hugely successful career

Clannad is often described as ethereal but they also never lost touch with their toe-tapping pub band roots, which kept them firmly grounded. Brennan’s voice and harp were divine.

www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...

This Millennium-Old Sacrificial Altar in Mexico Belonged to a Civilization That Thrived Before the Aztecs Surrounded by human skulls, the artifact was uncovered at the site of the Toltec people's capital in central Mexico ahead of construction of a new railway project

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/t...

‘A dream come true’: Brazil’s blue-and-yellow macaws return to Rio after 200 years An ambitious ‘refaunation’ project is bringing the much-loved birds and other lost species back to the city’s national park

#ornithology
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Yesterday morning was peak Saguaro! 🌵 🌼 (13 blossoms?!)

“It’s a special thing to be a human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth.” The four astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II crew made an emotional return to Houston on Saturday, a day after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at the end of their 10-day lunar journey. trib.al/1c1CtiJ

Photographer Jon McCormack captures nature's spinning, spiraling patterns Jon McCormack's new book celebrates the whorls, hexagons, and half-moons that appear in the world all around us.

www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/...

A photograph taken inside the 428 Minnesota Building stairwell, showing a quote from Bob Dylan and industrial fire suppression equipment against a white wall. On the left side of the wall, there is a large, dark blue serif font quote: “A song is anything that can walk by itself.” Below the quote, also in dark blue, is the attribute: “-Bob Dylan.” On the right side of the frame, a black standpipe runs vertically up the wall, with a red vertical sticker labeled "WET STANDPIPE" clearly visible. Connected to the pipe is a brass valve assembly with a bright red circular handle and a brass cap secured by a chain.

📱 | St. Paul, Minnesota (2026)
Wet Standpipe Quote #bobdylan #photography

A porcupine peeks out from a spruce tree. Her front paws are rested gently on a branch. Her quills have the appearance of soft blond hair.

Ran into this adorable porcupine while out for a walk last night. She crawled back into the trees shortly after, but it was nice to enjoy a brief interaction with her. #wildlife #porcupine

Sometimes on the Isle of May the wildlife comes to us…I caught this Puffin yesterday in one of our buildings and released unharmed :) stunning but powerful wee birds.

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris): This is a species in the Cardinal family. The bright coloured plumage of the male of this 14cm (5.5in) bird only develops in its second year. These North American birds feed on seed. Gorgeous photo taken by Stacey Rich Bergman in the United States. #paintedbunting

NASA Johnson Explore NASA Johnson’s 63,085 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2...

12,000 Years Ago, Native Americans Were Playing Games of Chance with Handmade Dice New research suggests that games of chance developed much earlier—to the tune of 6,000 years—than originally thought.

New research reveals that games of chance developed much, much earlier than originally thought—halfway around the world.

A Golden-crowned Kinglet in the Central Park Ramble. 👑

I e been digging my Tuscany folder from last year and found lot of new images I like, so I’ll be sharing them here 😉.

#photography #art #landscape #nature #Tuscany

Different bird sounds starting with the ptarmigan

TT: pet_babylover.101

Male Phainopepla with its prey in front of a Saguaro cactus

Silky? Yes.
Flycatcher? Check.

Male Phainopepla 🪶

Mexican art world protests over plan to send Frida Kahlo masterpieces to Spain Cultural figures sign open letter asking government for clarity on how long landmark collection will remain abroad

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...