science news 28.11.2019

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.



evolution

Puffins stay cool thanks to their large beak


ecology

Shrewd savannah species choose friends with benefits on the African plains
Obviously a good idea to stay close to a species with an efficient alarm call or to those that taste better / can't run as fast as you can?


conservation

Nearly 40% of plant species are very rare and are vulnerable to climate change

Bad news for Nemo

The beloved anemone fish popularized by the movies 'Finding Nemo' and 'Finding Dory' don't have the genetic capacity to adapt to rapid changes in their environment, according to a new study.



If high-quality anemones remain healthy, the clownfish population will persist. However, if the anemones and coral reefs they call home are impacted by climate warming, clownfish are in trouble.
Credit: Photo by Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution


sustainability

Scholars find that irregularly shaped parks reduce mortality risk
Intriguing - linked to the fractal geometry of their interface with the rest of the city?

Animals could help humans monitor oceans
that's already happening though, as far as I know (see my ecotech feature a few years ago).


humans

Ostrich eggshell beads reveal 10,000 years of cultural interaction across Africa

Molière most likely did write his own plays



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From the news media: