All posts tagged: bears

40 years on from the disaster, why there are foxes, bears and bison again around Chernobyl

40 years on from the disaster, why there are foxes, bears and bison again around Chernobyl

Published by skeptic

In the novel When There Are Wolves Again by E.J. Swift, the Chernobyl disaster and its legacy is extrapolated to a near future where natural habitats are depleted and precarious. This work of eco-fiction deftly explores issues of possible paths to a future where animals return to a nature depleted area. In the real world, a parallel version of this story has been unfolding as nature is thriving around former nuclear power plants. This is especially evident at the former Chernobyl plant in Ukraine, where the absence of human activity has enabled wildlife to flourish despite continuing radiation, 40 years after the nuclear disaster there. A 2,600km² exclusion zone was established following the world’s worst civilian nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986, which released a radioactive cloud across Europe and led to the evacuation of around 115,000 people from the surrounding area. Almost immediately, radiation poisoning killed 31 plant workers and firefighters. It is 40 years since the Chernobyl disaster that led to the creation of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Since 1986, it has …

The Download: the state of AI, and protecting bears with drones

The Download: the state of AI, and protecting bears with drones

Published by skeptic

For seven years, Sarmento worked to keep both bears and humans out of trouble. He acted like a first responder, trying to defuse potentially dangerous situations. He even got caught in some himself, which led him to a new wildlife safety tool: drones. Find out the results of his experiments in digital ecology.   —Emily Senkosky  This article is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.   The must-reads  I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.  1 Human scientists still trounce the top AI agents at complex tasks  The best agents perform only half as well as experts with PhDs. (Nature) + Can AI really help us discover new materials? (MIT Technology Review)  2 OpenAI is escalating its fight with Anthropic while pulling away from Microsoft A leaked memo exposes plans to attack Anthropic. (Axios) + And says Microsoft “limited our ability” to reach clients. (The Information $) + While touting a budding alliance with Amazon. (CNBC)  3 Carbon removal technology is stalling—and that may be good news Better solutions could now emerge. (New Scientist) + Here are …

The Turin Shroud bears DNA from many people, plants and animals

The Turin Shroud bears DNA from many people, plants and animals

Published by skeptic

The Turin Shroud bears an image of a man said to resemble Jesus Christ public domain/Art Collection 2/Alamy DNA analysis has identified a vast array of animal, plant and human material contaminating the Turin Shroud, complicating the story of the mysterious relic purported to be the cloth that Jesus Christ was wrapped in after his crucifixion 2000 years ago. The shroud, which measures 4.4 metres long and 1.1 metres wide, is one of the world’s most famous and controversial Christian artefacts. Its first documented location was in France in 1354, and for nearly half a millennium, it has remained at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. In 1988, researchers used radiocarbon and accelerator mass spectrometry dating techniques to determine that the shroud was made sometime between 1260 and 1390, excluding the possibility that the person perceived as being imprinted on the cloth could have been Jesus. However, this dating of the shroud to the later medieval period remains contested by some scholars of Christianity. In 2015, Gianni Barcaccia at the University …

The Turin Shroud bears DNA from many people, plants and animals

The Shroud of Turin bears DNA from many people, plants and animals

Published by skeptic

The Shroud of Turin bears an image of a man said to resemble Jesus Christ public domain/Art Collection 2/Alamy DNA analysis has identified a vast array of animal, plant and human material contaminating the Shroud of Turin, complicating the story of the mysterious relic purported to be the cloth that Jesus Christ was wrapped in after his crucifixion 2000 years ago. The shroud, which measures 4.4 metres long and 1.1 metres wide, is one of the world’s most famous and controversial Christian artefacts. Its first documented location was in France in 1354, and for nearly half a millennium, it has remained at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. In 1988, researchers used radiocarbon and accelerator mass spectrometry dating techniques to determine that the shroud was made sometime between 1260 and 1390, excluding the possibility that the person perceived as being imprinted on the cloth could have been Jesus. However, this dating of the shroud to the later medieval period remains contested by some scholars of Christianity. In 2015, Gianni Barcaccia at …

Andrew’s most shocking demands during house move – teddy bears and royal artwork | Royal | News

Andrew’s most shocking demands during house move – teddy bears and royal artwork | Royal | News

Published by Sam Flores

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will be moving to Marsh Farm (Image: Getty Images) Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set to move into Marsh Farm soon, with renovations nearly complete. Andrew has been living in Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate ever since his eviction from Royal Lodge. He has been waiting for renovations to be carried out at his future property, including the installation of a tall security fence, landscaping, new carpets and a Sky TV dish. Vehicles from Gander & White, which specialises in transporting fine art and has a royal warrant, have also been spotted outside of the property. His exact move-in date is unknown, but Andrew is said to have not been satisfied with the small five-bedroom property, much smaller than his 30-bedroom Royal Lodge. A large fence has been erected around Marsh Farm (Image: Getty Images) Read more: Racing driver ‘lucky to be alive’ after hitting kangaroo in unusual incident Read more: Philippe Clement speaks out on fear of Rangers sack after Motherwell draw Andrew appears to be keeping some items from the Royal Family’s …

As Warming Climate Brings Bears Out of Hibernation Earlier, Backyard Care Is Key to Coexistence

As Warming Climate Brings Bears Out of Hibernation Earlier, Backyard Care Is Key to Coexistence

Published by Sam Flores

Vermonters usually put out bird feeders to attract winged visitors who fill their yards with song and color. But they could attract a far less dainty visitor: black bears. As bears emerge from their dens in early spring, they’re on the search for food. That can lead them to backyard beehives, birdfeeders, compost piles and even chicken coops. “They’re super adaptable, they’re very curious, they’re always looking for the next best meal,” said Jaclyn Comeau, bear biologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Reports of bear incidents in Vermont have grown steeply over the past decade, according to department data. While some of that increase can be attributed to changes that made reporting incidents easier, the rise is related to an interconnected set of factors, including changes in the state’s bear population and in human development, Comeau said. “We have slowly been teaching our bears that our backyards are a good place to find high-calorie, easily accessible foods,” Comeau said. “They have figured that out, they’re not forgetting it, and we continue to keep …

More ‘Boner Bears’ products subject to nationwide recall as erotic honey found to contain undeclared Viagra ingredients

More ‘Boner Bears’ products subject to nationwide recall as erotic honey found to contain undeclared Viagra ingredients

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more More “Boner Bears” branded products have been recalled as its erotic honey was found to contain undeclared Viagra ingredients. Florida-based Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements, LLC recalled its Boner Bear Honey on Saturday after a lab analysis by the Food and Drug Administration confirmed it contained sildenafil and tadalafil, active ingredients in the erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis, respectively. The ingredients were not listed on the product label. While these two drugs are FDA-approved, they are only allowed to be used under the supervision of a licensed health care provider. The company also recalled its Red Bull Extreme and Blue Bull Extreme sexual enhancement honey products after an FDA lab analysis found undeclared sildenafil in them. Sildenafil and tadalafil could interact with nitrates …

Why the Chicago Bears could be moving to Indiana : NPR

Why the Chicago Bears could be moving to Indiana : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Grounds crew members glow snow off the field at Soldier Field during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. Nam Y. Huh/AP hide caption toggle caption Nam Y. Huh/AP Illinois lawmakers will debate legislation this week that could persuade The Chicago Bears to stay in the city’s suburbs, after Indiana’s legislature last month passed a bill that would open the door for a new stadium to be built in northwest Indiana. Here’s what you need to know: What is Indiana offering? On Feb. 26, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed into law a bill that authorized funding for a new stadium in the Indiana town of Hammond, which is about 28 miles from Chicago. “I’m thrilled to sign Senate Bill 27 to create the framework to build a new world-class stadium in Northwest Indiana. Now let’s get this across the goal line,” Braun said in a post on X. The Bears said in a statement — issued shortly …

How to convey amounts of snow to Canadians: use polar bears

How to convey amounts of snow to Canadians: use polar bears

Published by skeptic

Feedback is New Scientist’s popular sideways look at the latest science and technology news. You can submit items you believe may amuse readers to Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com A shedload of bears Following the use of golden retrievers as a unit of ice mass, Feedback has found our inbox filling up with more examples of unconventional and often unintuitive units of measurement. Craig Downing, who self-identifies as “one of those readers that opens every issue from the back” and therefore gets top billing in this column, tells us of the Rideau canal running through his home city of Ottawa, Canada. The canal freezes every winter, becoming the world’s largest skating rink by area. However, the rink must be meticulously cleared of snow to ensure a smooth surface. Hence the statement by the canal’s managers, the National Capital Commission, that Craig was emailed. “For every 1 cm of snowfall, our crews move 125,000 kg of snow off the Skateway. That’s equivalent to 450 polar bears!” Craig is baffled. “I usually think of snowfall mass and volume …

How Jackie met Shadow: The story behind Big Bear’s famous eagles

How Jackie met Shadow: The story behind Big Bear’s famous eagles

Published by Sam Flores

When Big Bear’s celebrity bald eagle couple’s eggs were eaten by ravens in late January, they didn’t grieve alone. Thousands had watched Jackie and Shadow on livestream, as they meticulously arranged sticks in their nest high in a Jeffrey pine and nibbled each other’s feathers in preparation for laying. All seemed just dandy until both eagles left their nest unattended, and ravens swooped in. Fans recently faced more heartbreak: Last month, Sandy Steers, executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates the nest camera, died at 73 after a private battle with cancer. Sandy Steers, the late executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, trains her binoculars on a pair of nesting bald eagles at Big Bear Lake in 2018. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Losing Steers, and the eggs, unleashed an outpouring. Facebook posts announcing the tragic events received more than 12,000 comments. “Her stories just were so calming,” said Jenny Voisard, media and website manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley, they “would just bring you to the nest.” …