The Colorado River is a vital source of water and electricity for seven states and numerous tribes. The US Interior Department has released two plans for how to reduce water usage in the Colorado River system, with California and some tribes favoring one and the other six states favoring the other. The Biden administration has declined to take a side, but the analysis provides an overview of the situation and potential consequences of each plan to help the states and tribes come to an agreement.
Posts published in “Science”
The Pacific Fishery Management Council has voted to close king salmon fishing season along much of the West Coast for the 2023 season due to near-record low numbers of the fish returning to California's rivers. This closure is a major blow to the fishing industry, but is necessary to ensure the long-term health of the Chinook salmon population. The Council is now working with state and federal agencies to develop a plan to help the Chinook salmon population recover.
This article discusses the unusually active start to the tornado season in the United States, with 478 tornado reports across 25 states. One person died and several others were injured in Illinois when a storm system caused the roof of a packed theater to collapse. Research is ongoing to determine how tornado activity will change in a warming world, and the National Weather Service is urging people to stay alert and take necessary safety precautions.
The White House is preparing for its annual Easter Egg Roll, featuring a special addition of the White House's own Official Easter Bunny Family. First Lady Jill Biden has put her own spin on the event, making it an "EGGucational" experience with stations on the South Lawn and Ellipse to teach children about farming, healthier eating, exercise, and more. Additionally, NASA has sent a souvenir wooden White House Easter egg to the International Space Station for the astronauts to use in teaching students about gravity.
OCEARCH tracked a massive 1,400-pound great white shark, named Breton, off the coast of North Carolina this weekend. Breton's migration data showed that the shark pinged off the coast of North Carolina in late March of 2023, indicating that the Outer Banks are a common spring staging area for great whites before they migrate north for the summer. OCEARCH's data provides insight into the behavior and migration patterns of great whites, which can help inform conservation efforts and protect these animals.
Archaeologists from New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World have discovered at least 2,000 mummified ram heads and other animal remains at the temple of Ramses II in the ancient city of Abydos in southern Egypt. The ram heads are believed to be votive offerings, indicating the enduring reverence for Ramses II, even a millennium after his death. The discoveries are expected to expand knowledge of the site and will be put on display in the near future.
A new study published in the journal Science suggests that our capacity to care about others may have very ancient origins, rooted in prehistoric animals that lived millions of years ago. Fish were found to be able to detect fear in other fish, and to form social bonds with other fish, suggesting that this capacity is not exclusive to mammals. Hans Hofmann, an evolutionary neuroscientist, commented on the findings, saying that some of the mechanisms that underlie our ability to experience fear and fall in and out of love are clearly very ancient pathways.
Researchers have used strands of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair to uncover clues about the health problems and hearing loss that plagued him. Through DNA analysis, they found a genetic risk for liver disease, plus a liver-damaging hepatitis B infection in the last months of his life. The study's primary goal was to shed light on Beethoven's health problems and to honor his wish that his ailments be studied and shared.