Return to sender

Space is full of objects travelling from one place to another, but it’s very rare that they ever get sent back. That’s what makes NASA’s latest launch different, as they return a rock to the surface of Mars half a million years after it left. Sayh al Uhaymir 008 (SaU 008 for short) is part … Continue reading Return to sender →

Does the Philippines really have “human-sized” bats?

“THERE IS A SPECIES OF BAT TALLER THAN ME. I KNOW ITS VEGETARIAN AND ALL BUT IM ACTUALLY SCARED.” This was just one reaction to a recent tweet about the “human-sized bats” from the Philippines. The idea is understandably freaky, but is it accurate? The tweet included a picture of a flying fox, a type … Continue reading Does the Philippines really have “human-sized” bats? →

Scientists accidentally create a new hybrid fish

Unlike in monster movies, successfully combining different species to create a new creature is pretty much impossible, even if the animals are closely related. That’s why scientists were shocked when they accidentally crossbred two completely different fish to create the ‘sturddlefish’. The American paddlefish and Russian sturgeon are two distantly-related species that (as their names … Continue reading Scientists accidentally create a new hybrid fish →

Sparrow’s tweet goes viral

You know that feeling when you discover a new song, and suddenly everyone’s playing it? Turns out, this doesn’t just happen for humans – a new tune is currently sweeping across the sparrow colonies of Canada. Like many birds, white-throated sparrows sing to attract a mate. Generally, all males in a particular area will sing … Continue reading Sparrow’s tweet goes viral →

Coloured cotton: A rainbow of possibilities

Imagine you’re travelling through farmland and you come across a paddock filled with bright pink fluff. Then you see another with blue plants, followed by a completely orange crop. This might actually happen one day, thanks to the recent Australian invention of coloured cotton. Cotton is a fluffy white crop that produces the world’s most … Continue reading Coloured cotton: A rainbow of possibilities →