November 1, 2023
2 min read
Coral trysts by moonlight in French Polynesia, polluted Antarctic wilderness, mummified bees in Portugal, and more in this month’s Quick Hits
ANTARCTICA
Research stations in Antarctica have polluted surrounding ocean areas with heavy metals, fuel components and carcinogenic compounds, a new study shows. The contamination has accumulated because of poor waste management over decades.
FRENCH POLYNESIA
Thought to reproduce only at night, corals in reefs near French Polynesia were spotted doing the deed in broad daylight. It’s unclear why, but researchers suggest this might help the species thrive in warming waters.
GERMANY
Paleontologists in Bavaria unearthed the first complete fossil of a 150-million-year-old turtle. It had stubby limbs and a flattened carapace, suggesting that—unlike modern sea turtles—this ancient reptile lived along shallow coastlines.
INDIA
A team of scientists in the Thar Desert discovered an entirely new dinosaur species: Tharosaurus indicus. This long-necked plant muncher lived more than 167 million years ago and is now the oldest known member of its family.
PORTUGAL
Archaeologists found 3,000-year-old mummified bees in rocks off Portugal’s southwestern coast. Likely entombed by a flash freeze or flood, the insects were remarkably well preserved in bulb-shaped cocoons. It’s the first such ancient nest to be found with intact mummified specimens.
U.K.
London mayor Sadiq Khan successfully expanded the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone to include all boroughs. The stricter standards on car exhausts have been politically divisive but have led to a 26 percent reduction in harmful pollution emissions.
U.S.
A Montana judge ruled that children have a constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment. This is a major victory for 16 young Montanans who sued their state, as well as for the growing movement for legal protection from damage related to climate change.
