Magpie News Collector

animal

Clams use fiber optics to channel sunlight to symbiotic algae

By Science News | Elie Dolgin | 11/19/2024 11:00 AM

Mineral crystals in heart cockles’ shells protect symbiotic algae from ultraviolet rays and could lead to innovations in internet infrastructure. ... Read full Story

animal

Stray DNA is all around us. It could revolutionize conservation

By Science News | Erin Garcia de Jesús | 11/14/2024 9:00 AM

Environmental DNA harvested from the ocean, land and air can help scientists monitor wildlife. The challenge is figuring out how to interpret this eDNA. ... Read full Story

animal

A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer

By Science News | Erin Garcia de Jesús | 11/12/2024 9:00 AM

The detailed structure of a misfolded protein from a diseased deer could help explain why the disease hasn’t made the leap to humans. ... Read full Story

animal

Bees flying near cars are dying by the millions, a roadkill study suggests

By Science News | Amanda Heidt | 11/7/2024 1:00 PM

Scientists in Utah put sticky traps on car bumpers to tally how many bees get hit on a typical trip. The broader toll is immense, they estimate. ... Read full Story

animal

Putting vampire bats on treadmills reveals an unusual metabolism

By Science News | Susan Milius | 11/5/2024 7:01 PM

A bat gym shows that vampires are more like some insects, burning amino acids from blood proteins rather than the carbs or fats other mammals rely on. ... Read full Story

animal

Why finding bird flu in a U.S. pig for the first time is raising new worries

By Science News | Erin Garcia de Jesús | 11/1/2024 3:41 PM

Swine can act as so-called “mixing vessels” for human and bird flus, giving avian viruses an opportunity to adapt for spreading in people. ... Read full Story

animal

A single enzyme can alter the vibrant colors in parrot plumage

By Science News | Erin Garcia de Jesús | 10/31/2024 2:00 PM

Tweaking the chemical composition of a parrot-specific pigment can shift feathers from red to yellow or green. ... Read full Story

animal

This marine biologist discovered a unique blue whale population in Sri Lanka

By Science News | Sandy Ong | 10/31/2024 9:00 AM

In addition to studying the world’s only nonmigratory blue whales, marine biologist Asha de Vos seeks to change her compatriots’ attitudes toward the ocean. ... Read full Story

animal

These hornets may be the alcohol-detox champs of the animal world

By Science News | Susan Milius | 10/30/2024 8:00 AM

Vespa orientalis fed an 80-percent-ethanol brew still did hornet tasks and had normal life spans. This trick may be an adaptation to gut-dwelling yeast. ... Read full Story

animal

Giant rats could soon help sniff out illegally smuggled goods

By Science News | Sophie Hartley | 10/30/2024 1:00 AM

African giant pouched rats can detect landmines and diseases. Now some have been trained to sense elephant ivory, pangolin scales and more. ... Read full Story

animal

A common kitchen tool could help koala conservation

By Science News | Kristel Tjandra | 10/28/2024 9:00 AM

A simple device sucks koala DNA out of the air, making it easier for conservationists to detect the elusive marsupials. ... Read full Story

animal

Male mosquitoes sometimes suck, too

By Science News | Tina Hesman Saey | 10/25/2024 11:00 AM

Blood isn’t actually toxic to all male mosquitos. In at least one virus-carrying species, it may even help them live longer. ... Read full Story

animal

The U.S. empire was built on bird dung

By Science News | Sujata Gupta | 10/25/2024 9:00 AM

A mid-1850s act let the United States seize islands rich in bird guano. Those strategic outposts fueled the U.S. rise to power, a researcher says. ... Read full Story

animal

The ‘Mekong ghost’ megafish has resurfaced after an extinction scare

By Science News | Stefan Lovgren | 10/24/2024 1:00 PM

Rediscovery of giant salmon carp in Cambodia sparks hope for the rare fish’s survival and efforts to conserve one of the greatest diversity hot spots. ... Read full Story

animal

How insects can help catch rhino poachers

By Science News | Jude Coleman | 10/24/2024 11:00 AM

A new study looks at which insects can be used as biological clocks to determine when a rhino was killed. ... Read full Story

animal

Polar bears are being exposed to more pathogens as the climate warms

By Science News | Jake Buehler | 10/23/2024 2:00 PM

Polar bears have been exposed to more viruses, bacteria and parasites in recent decades, a new study shows, possibly acquiring the germs in their diet. ... Read full Story

animal

Science has finally cracked male riflebirds’ flirty secrets

By Science News | Susan Milius | 10/21/2024 11:00 AM

New video upsets the old notion that these birds of paradise use wing clapping to make percussive sounds while courting. ... Read full Story

animal

At-home experiments shed light on cats’ liquid behavior

By Science News | Andrea Tamayo | 10/15/2024 9:00 AM

Cats can flow like liquids through tall crevices, but they solidify a bit as they approach short crannies, new research shows. ... Read full Story

animal

DNA from old hair helps confirm the macabre diet of two 19th century lions

By Science News | Jake Buehler | 10/11/2024 11:00 AM

Genetic analysis of cavity crud from two famed man-eating lions suggests the method could re-create diets of predators that lived thousands of years ago. ... Read full Story

animal

The largest arthropod to ever live finally has a head

By Science News | Jason Bittel | 10/9/2024 2:00 PM

Fossils of an extinct giant millipede reveal new details about the arthropod’s anatomy. ... Read full Story

auto

Honda Takes First Step Toward Making Its Own Solid-State Batteries

by Car and Drive | Nov 20 2024

basketball

De'Anthony Melton injury update: Warriors guard to undergo season-ending ACL surgery

by CBS Interactive Inc | Nov 20 2024

book

4 books to help you ace your next (or first!) dinner party

by BookPage | Nov 20 2024

connecticut

CT school resource officer law not applied as intended, report finds

by CT Mirror | Nov 20 2024

entertainment

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie Match in Long Sleeve Maxi Dresses at Vulture Festival in Los Angeles

by ET Online | Nov 18 2024

food

Distillery of Modern Art is launching Bourbon and Rye whiskeys

by THE MANUAL | Nov 20 2024

game

Western Digital PS5 SSDs On Sale For Great Prices At Amazon For Black Friday

by GameSpot | Nov 20 2024

golf

How Did a Golf Course in Dubai Get So Lush? Let Us Explain.

by NY Times | Nov 13 2024

lifestyle

See Simone Biles' incredible hair transformation for the CMA awards

by Hello! Magazine | Nov 20 2024

metro

Florida suspect arrested for allegedly planning to bomb NYSE: ‘I feel like Bin Laden’

by New York Post | Nov 20 2024

music

Chris Stapleton Dominates 2024 CMA Awards With 3 Wins as Morgan Wallen Wins Entertainer of the Year

by Billboard | Nov 20 2024

politics

Senate rejects Bernie Sanders' effort to block weapons sales to Israel

by Fox News | Nov 20 2024

real_estate

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade just bought a chic beach house on Long Island — and, no, not in the Hamptons

by NY Post | Nov 20 2024

religion

What do we know about the brothers and sisters of Jesus?

by Christian Post | Oct 20 2024

world

Grassroots group brightens holidays for Ukrainian families in B.C.’s Okanagan

by Global News | Nov 20 2024

Word of the Day

snivel

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 20, 2024 is:

snivel • \SNIV-ul\ • verb

To snivel is to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner. The word snivel may also be used to mean "to run at the nose," "to snuffle," or "to cry or whine with snuffling."

// She was unmoved by the millionaires sniveling about their financial problems.

// My partner sniveled into the phone, describing the frustrations of the day.

See the entry >

Examples:

"At first, he ran a highway stop with video gambling. 'To sit and do nothing for 10 to 12 hours drove me nuts,' he [Frank Nicolette] said. That's when he found art. 'I started making little faces, and they were selling so fast, I'll put pants and shirts on these guys,' he said, referring to his hand-carved sculptures. 'Then (people) whined and sniveled and wanted bears, and so I started carving some bears.'" — Benjamin Simon, The Post & Courier (Charleston, South Carolina), 5 Oct. 2024

Did you know?

There's never been anything pretty about sniveling. Snivel, which originally meant simply "to have a runny nose," has an Old English ancestor whose probable form was snyflan. Its lineage includes some other charming words of yore: an Old English word for mucus, snofl; the Middle Dutch word for a head cold, snof; the Old Norse word for snout, which is snoppa; and nan, a Greek verb meaning "to flow." Nowadays, we mostly use snivel as we have since the 1600s: when self-pitying whining is afoot, whether or not such sniveling is accompanied by unchecked nasal flow.

Clams use fiber optics to channel sunlight to symbiotic algae

Stray DNA is all around us. It could revolutionize conservation

A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer

Bees flying near cars are dying by the millions, a roadkill study suggests

Putting vampire bats on treadmills reveals an unusual metabolism

Why finding bird flu in a U.S. pig for the first time is raising new worries

A single enzyme can alter the vibrant colors in parrot plumage

This marine biologist discovered a unique blue whale population in Sri Lanka

These hornets may be the alcohol-detox champs of the animal world

Giant rats could soon help sniff out illegally smuggled goods

A common kitchen tool could help koala conservation

Male mosquitoes sometimes suck, too

The U.S. empire was built on bird dung

The ‘Mekong ghost’ megafish has resurfaced after an extinction scare

How insects can help catch rhino poachers

Polar bears are being exposed to more pathogens as the climate warms

Science has finally cracked male riflebirds’ flirty secrets

At-home experiments shed light on cats’ liquid behavior

DNA from old hair helps confirm the macabre diet of two 19th century lions

The largest arthropod to ever live finally has a head

Honda Takes First Step Toward Making Its Own Solid-State Batteries

De'Anthony Melton injury update: Warriors guard to undergo season-ending ACL surgery

4 books to help you ace your next (or first!) dinner party

CT school resource officer law not applied as intended, report finds

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie Match in Long Sleeve Maxi Dresses at Vulture Festival in Los Angeles

Distillery of Modern Art is launching Bourbon and Rye whiskeys

Western Digital PS5 SSDs On Sale For Great Prices At Amazon For Black Friday

How Did a Golf Course in Dubai Get So Lush? Let Us Explain.

See Simone Biles' incredible hair transformation for the CMA awards

Florida suspect arrested for allegedly planning to bomb NYSE: ‘I feel like Bin Laden’

Chris Stapleton Dominates 2024 CMA Awards With 3 Wins as Morgan Wallen Wins Entertainer of the Year

Senate rejects Bernie Sanders' effort to block weapons sales to Israel

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade just bought a chic beach house on Long Island — and, no, not in the Hamptons

What do we know about the brothers and sisters of Jesus?

Grassroots group brightens holidays for Ukrainian families in B.C.’s Okanagan

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

1.Look: Overturned truck covers Arizona road with thousands of White Claw cans

2.Woman buys 18 identical lottery tickets, wins $180,000

3.Americans upset about Trump win offered '&#8364;1 houses' in Italy

4.Overdue book returned to Tennessee library after 51 years

5.Watch: Deer runs through Tennessee gym, poops in locker room

6.Watch: Canadian grandma breaks world record for pushups

7.Look: Officials seek emu on the loose in Arkansas village

8.Egyptians drank cocktails of psychedelic drugs in ancient mugs, research reveals

9.Watch: Vinyl record from 1966 wedding found at thrift store, returned to couple

10.What Kind Of Mythological Creature Are You Most Like?

3.Americans upset about Trump win offered '€1 houses' in Italy