science news 23.10.2019

Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary in italics in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without italics if I have any.



astrobiology

Astronomers discover 'monster' galaxy lurking in distant dust clouds
A team of astronomers including assistant professor Kate Whitaker at the University of Massachusetts Amherst reports today that they have by chance discovered faint traces of a huge galaxy never seen before, dating from the early universe. The authors say the scientific community once regarded such monster galaxies as folklore because there was no evidence for them, until now.
I just love the use of the word "folklore" in that summary. I'll be dreaming up fairytales of monster galaxies all day.


ecology and behaviour

Ants: Jam-free traffic champions
How ants avoid traffic jams? Easy - they don't have cars.



Ants running on a bridge.
Credit: Emmanuel PERRIN/CRCA/CNRS Photothèque


New study reveals that crabs can solve and remember their way around a maze

Lonesome no more: White sharks hang with buddies
White sharks form communities, researchers have revealed. Although normally solitary predators, white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) gather in large numbers at certain times of year in order to feast on baby seals.

New species take longer to arise in the Amazon
There's some interesting use of bird song in this study - aggressive response to sound recording as measure of speciation.

The lunar cycle drives the nightjar's migration
I missed this PR when it came out last week but saw it in the news somewhere.


conservation

Much of the earth is still wild, but threatened by fragmentation
Half of the Earth's land surface not covered with ice remains relatively wild -- but many of these 'low human-impact' areas are broken into small, isolated pieces, threatening their future.


sustainability

We must wake up to devastating impact of nitrogen, say scientists
More than 150 top international scientists are calling on the world to take urgent action on nitrogen pollution, to tackle the widespread harm it is causing to humans, wildlife and the planet. The scientists are asking all countries 'to wake up to the challenge' of halving nitrogen waste from all sources globally by 2030.
See also my 2012 (!) feature: We need to talk about nitrogen. Does anybody listen to me?


humans

Research worth 'bragging' about
A team of psychology researchers at the University of Missouri is providing one of the first comprehensive literature reviews on arrogance, as well as a way to classify the condition on different levels across a spectrum, similarly to how autism is diagnosed. The team acknowledges everyone seems to have some degree of arrogance, so in addition to the literature review, the researchers suggest a way to classify the different levels of arrogance a person could exhibit.


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From the news media:

Sailing ships return as sustainable sea transport, reports the Guardian.