Boreal Science

Fossilized footprints found on a beach in southern Spain betray what may have been a nursery for an extinct species of elephant.

http://ow.ly/Wep250GjBqG

Fossil tracks may reveal an ancient elephant nursery Fossilized footprints at a site in Spain include those of an extinct elephant’s newborns, suggesting the animals may have used the area as a nursery.

Nearly two dozen species of birds, fish and other wildlife are set to be declared extinct and removed from the endangered species list. For more information, check out this article.

http://ow.ly/kVyQ50GjBph

Nearly two dozen species of birds, fish and other wildlife are set to be declared extinct and removed from the endangered species list The ivory-billed woodpecker, along with 22 other species of birds, fish, mussels and other wildlife, is set to be declared extinct and removed from the endangered species list, US wildlife officials announced Wednesday.

Happy International Coffee Day! How will you be celebrating?

A new study suggests that all living snakes evolved from a handful of species that survived the giant asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and most other living things at the end of the Cretaceous. Check out this article to learn more!

http://ow.ly/Sj9950Ggafz

When north goes south: Is Earth's magnetic field flipping?

http://ow.ly/yfBS50Gg9IU

Check out this article: Squirrels use parkour tricks to leap from branch to branch.

http://ow.ly/Jor650G9XZm

Let's learn about dark matter: the mysterious, unseen stuff that makes up most of the matter in the universe.

http://ow.ly/bOAP50G9XWD

The research could one day lead to new designs for robotic surgical tools or even airplane wings that change their shape with the push of a button.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210811162858.htm

Ions have many important roles to play. For example, they carry the charges in batteries, conducting electricity.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/explainer-ions-and-radicals-in-our-world

Explainer: Ions and radicals in our world When atoms get an electric charge, they act very differently. Now called ions, these are behind many aspects of chemistry, including acids and batteries.

A Chemis-tree!

How do some butterflies hide in plain sight?
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/new-images-how-glasswing-butterflies-wings-transparent

Uncovering secrets of the glasswing butterfly’s see-through wings The tricks of its transparency include sparse, spindly scales and a waxy coated membrane.

Teachers, a new school year is fast approaching! Whether you need supplies for virtual labs or are planning for in-person lessons, our 2021 catalogue has the latest activities and lab supplies to inspire your students and save you time. Head to our digital catalogue to start building your shopping list! Prefer a printed catalogue? Request one here and we'll send it to your door. https://www.boreal.com/cms/teacher_resources_catalog

A surprising new study finds that spiders can immobilize and then eat snakes up to 30 times their size.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/spiders-catch-eat-surprisingly-big-snakes

Spiders can take down and feast on surprisingly big snakes Snared in sticky webs and subdued by poison, even venomous snakes can become a spider’s soup.

Microbes, short for microorganisms, are the largest group of living things on Earth.

Let’s learn about microbes There may be a billion species of microorganisms on Earth — but scientists have only discovered a small fraction of them.

Gregor Johann Mendel, known as the "father of modern genetics", was a biologist, mathematician, and Augustinian friar. He also studied astronomy and meteorology, founding the 'Austrian Meteorological Society' in 1865. Today is his birthday!

Dragonfly populations over time may experience their spots shrinking as temperatures rise. How does this impact their mating habits?

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-dragonfly-wing-spots-biology

Climate change may rob male dragonfly wings of their dark spots Less colorful, cooler wings may be advantageous to dragonflies in a warmer world. But the change could mess with the insects’ mating.

Ancient peoples fashioned many tools from bones.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/oldest-tattoo-tools-tennessee-native-american

Tennessee site yields oldest known American tattoo tools Native Americans may have used sharpened turkey leg bones as tattoo needles between 5,520 and 3,620 years ago.

Whales, dolphins and porpoises all live in water, but they’re not fish. They’re water-dwelling mammals known as cetaceans.

Let’s learn about whales and dolphins Whales, dolphins and porpoises are all cetaceans — mammals that live in water and have a streamlined body similar to a fish.

These two teen engineers developed different methods to fight to keep plants green. Their inventions landed each a major award.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/isef-2021-new-tech-might-help-keep-drought-prone-farms-green

New technologies might help keep drought-prone farms green After learning how much damage drought can do to crops, two teens designed ways to detect a thirsty plant and make sure it gets enough water.

Lightening can be beautiful, but also deadly.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/lets-learn-about-lightning

Let’s learn about lightning Around 100 times a second, every hour of every day, lightning strikes somewhere on Earth. It’s beautiful — and deadly.