Jackie found an online audience through a webcam pointed at her nest in California. She was rescued last week after a fight with other eagles, officials said.
There have been numerous accounts in recent years of orcas ramming boats—and sometimes sinking them. Scientists believe this may be a form of culturally learned behavior passed down through generations. Now we have fresh examples: orcas in the Gulf of California were filmed teaming up to ram sunfish with so much force that the carcasses exploded into small fragments. While orcas have been known to use force to remove flesh from prey, this is something different, according to a new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Ethology.
“We think this may help younger orcas feed more easily, or it could also just be for fun," said co-author Kathryn Ayres of Beneath The Waves, a nonprofit organization promoting ocean health. "Orcas are known for playing with their food.”
Orcas engage in cooperative hunting strategies that can involve striking or killing animals—sometimes eating their prey, sometimes not—so the behavior could be described as social interaction, play, or practice as a mode of social learning. Orcas have been observed ramming whale sharks as another orca held the prey steady. Other cooperative strategies include herding mobile rays, blocking an escape path while hunting white sharks, and deliberately producing waves to bump penguins off ice floes.
A new study in npj Urban Sustainability points to the practical levers that determine whether stormwater systems actually deliver long-term sustainability. As cities expand and rainfall extremes intensify, green and nature-based infrastructure has been promoted to capture runoff, reduce flooding, and protect water quality. But the research warns that success is not automatic: design decisions and operational realities can make or break performance.
The authors, Sun, Randrup, Blecken and colleagues, analyze what they call “decisive factors” governing sustainable stormwater management. Their central message is that the most visible features—such as bioswales, permeable surfaces, or detention basins—only work when supported by the right planning assumptions and measurable hydrological outcomes.
A key technical theme is how stormwater must be matched to system capacity under changing conditions. The study emphasizes that system sizing, soil or media properties, and infiltration or storage behavior strongly influence whether the infrastructure can handle typical storms and rare, high-intensity events. When these factors are misestimated, treatment efficiency can collapse during peak flows.
Equally important are maintenance and lifecycle considerations. Sustainable stormwater is sensitive to clogging, sediment accumulation, vegetation health, and changes in catchment behavior. The research highlights the need for maintenance regimes that reflect likely failure modes, rather than generic schedules that ignore local hydrology and traffic or land-use impacts.
The paper also stresses the value of monitoring and model-informed decision-making. Reliable data on rainfall patterns, runoff routing, and pollutant loads allow managers to validate performance and adjust operations. This feedback loop helps prevent long-term degradation that otherwise remains invisible until issues become costly.
For cities seeking viral, widely transferable “what works” guidance, the authors’ findings offer a shortlist of priorities: realistic capacity planning, robust material characterization, design for multi-storm performance, and maintenance strategies tied to specific mechanisms. Together, these elements translate sustainability goals into systems that function under real weather and real urban change.
The study’s DOI is 10.1038/s42949-026-00448-4.
Subject of Research: Sustainable stormwater management / urban sustainability Article Title: Decisive factors in sustainable stormwater management Article References: Sun, Z., Randrup, T.B., Blecken, GT. et al. Decisive factors in sustainable stormwater management. npj Urban Sustain 6, 104 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-026-00448-4 Image Credits: AI Generated DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-026-00448-4
A dog’s nose is a gateway to a richer world, and scent-filled walks, games, and food hunts can transform boredom and stress into excitement, focus, and discovery. While we are captivated by a vivid sunset and breathtaking views, dogs have their noses to the ground, reading the odor stories left behind by other dogs and [...]
The company endorsed landmark AI transparency laws in California and New York last year, but its head of US state and local policy says they may already be outdated.
A new study in Nature Communications reports that subducting slabs can become effectively “stalled” for long periods—not simply due to mantle temperature or plate motion, but because distinct rock assemblages within the downgoing plate alter how the slab interacts with the surrounding mantle. Using geophysical constraints combined with thermodynamic modeling, the researchers argue that slab dynamics depend on whether the slab interior is dominated by hydrated ultramafic lithologies or by comparatively dry basaltic components.
The central finding is that wet harzburgite—an olivine-rich, ultramafic rock—can sustain slab stagnation by promoting hydration-related weakening processes and controlling the timing and location of mineral transformation. In parallel, the team shows that dry basaltic slab assemblages can also contribute to stagnation, but through a different pathway: by limiting certain water-driven reactions while still maintaining a mechanically coherent, slow-moving interface at depth.
According to the authors, the fate of volatiles is the key variable. As the slab descends, pressure and temperature drive phase changes and dehydration reactions. These reactions can either increase or decrease the effective viscosity and friction along plate boundaries, shifting the balance between slab pull and mantle resistance. Where hydration is sustained, water remains available to weaken lithospheric portions that would otherwise become too rigid to decouple.
In the wet harzburgite scenario, dehydration and metamorphic reactions are predicted to sustain zones of reduced strength within the slab, preventing it from sinking efficiently into the lower mantle. This creates a feedback loop: slower descent limits thermal loss, which in turn preserves conditions that keep the weakening processes active.
In the dry basaltic scenario, the model emphasizes that even without abundant water, basaltic mineralogy can maintain mechanical coupling over a broader depth range. The study suggests that dry assemblages may delay the development of decoupling horizons, thereby prolonging stagnation until the slab eventually transitions to a different rheological regime.
The researchers also connect their results to the observed diversity of subduction-zone behavior, where some slabs advance smoothly while others appear to linger at mantle depths. By treating rock composition explicitly rather than assuming uniform slab properties, the work offers a framework for interpreting why similar plate boundary geometries can yield markedly different slab lifetimes.
Crucially, the analysis links mineral stability, dehydration partitioning, and viscosity contrasts into a single physical narrative. This moves slab “stalling” away from a purely geometric explanation and toward a lithology-driven process that can be tested against seismic signatures.
The findings will likely influence how future models incorporate water budgets and rock types in subduction simulations. If validated by geophysical observations, the wet-versus-dry assemblage distinction could become a practical lever for predicting which slabs will stagnate and for how long.
In short, the study portrays slab stagnation as a sustained state maintained by the contrasting rheological effects of hydrated harzburgite and comparatively dry basaltic materials, reshaping our understanding of how deep Earth water and rock chemistry govern plate evolution.
Subject of Research: Subduction zone dynamics and slab stagnation mechanisms
Article Title: Slab stagnation sustained by wet harzburgite and dry basaltic slab assemblages.
Scientists hoped for years to make a machine that could emulate the movements of diving birds, such as puffins, and offer an affordable, unobtrusive way to monitor fragile marine ecosystems. A team of researchers at M.I.T. has been able to create such a waterproof winged robot, according to a study published July 9 in the journal Science.
Male dragonflies are known to engage in mid-air "dogfights" to defend their breeding territory, using different maneuvers than those they employ when hunting prey. A new paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface concluded that relatively simple rules drive that behavior, namely that male dragonflies are trying to maintain a tactical position. This mirrors the tactics of human fighter pilots. The research could lead to the development of smarter drones capable of navigating with simple, vision-based guidance rather than complex computation.
Classic pursuits involving prey or mating rituals are asymmetric: there is a chaser and an evader, with each role requiring different maneuvers. In the case of male-on-male interactions, however, it is more of a mutual pursuit, per the authors, who thought that studying flight trajectories of insects or raptors could yield useful insights into the guidance laws that underlie the behavior. They chose the Trithemis Aurora species of dragonfly for study because the males are "fiercely territorial," and there are usually multiple males around a given pond, intent on defending their chosen perches. The dragonflies are also crimson-colored, making them easier to track.
Much of the prior research on dragonfly interactions relied on visual observations or single-camera recordings. For this study, the authors set up a portable stereovideographic rig with two shutter-synchronized cameras to record dragonfly interactions in both color and monochrome, and then reconstructed 102 paired male-on-male flight trajectories to capture the 3D kinematics. They also reconstructed nine trajectories for dragonflies intercepting prey for comparative purposes. This enabled the authors to develop a model for the rules governing the flight behavior.
In a groundbreaking decade-long study analyzing São Paulo’s urban landscape, researchers have revealed how the expansion of bike lanes and public parks profoundly influences physical activity and public health. Between 2014 and 2024, the city’s bike lane network surged from 242 to 743 kilometers, complemented by the addition of 15 municipal parks. This urban transformation was linked to increased transport-related cycling, emphasizing the critical role of accessible infrastructure within a 500-meter radius of residents’ homes.
The study’s multidisciplinary approach combined longitudinal surveys of 1,500 residents with geospatial datasets from the Geosampa platform, enabling precise correlation between environmental changes and behavior. Findings indicate that proximity to bike lanes significantly counteracts declining bicycle use trends, suggesting these facilities serve as protective factors promoting sustained physical activity. Such activity reduction directly translates to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and improved mental health outcomes like reduced anxiety and depression.
Importantly, the research underscores active transportation infrastructure not only as a logistical planning tool but as a vital public health strategy. By reducing reliance on automobiles, these interventions diminish air pollution and traffic-related accidents, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. However, the study highlights uneven developments: wealthier neighborhoods received disproportionate infrastructure investments, calling for policy shifts to equip underserved zones with similar amenities.
Beyond infrastructural improvements, the researchers emphasize that sociocultural elements and affordability constraints also limit cycling uptake. Despite increased bike lanes, economic barriers such as the high cost of bicycles and gender disparities in cycling participation suggest that integrated approaches—encompassing recreational street design, bike-sharing expansions, and commuter support facilities—are necessary for meaningful behavioral shifts.
An illustrative testimony comes from a local photographer who transitioned from motorbike to bicycle commuting due to new bike bridges providing direct, safer routes. While embracing cycling’s growth, he voices concerns about road space allocation favoring cars and the emerging challenges of cyclists’ vulnerability amid the rise of faster electric bikes. Additionally, issues of public safety and bike theft remain barriers to broader adoption.
Overall, the findings reveal that São Paulo’s urban planning efforts over the past decade represent a promising model of how thoughtfully designed public open spaces can foster healthier, more sustainable cities. Still, ensuring equitable access and addressing multifaceted cultural and socioeconomic factors remain essential for realizing the full potential of active transport systems.
Subject of Research: Public open spaces and transport-related cycling in urban environments Article Title: A decade-long study on public open spaces and transport-related cycling in the largest Brazilian city News Publication Date: 13-Apr-2026 Web References: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2026.102323 Image Credits: Phelipe Janning/Agência FAPESP
Keywords
Urban planning, Transportation, Public health, Cycling, Active transportation, São Paulo, Infrastructure, Mental health
During several recent conversations, people have told me that they've stopped checking their phones in the morning. Not because nothing was happening, but because everything was. They described the feeling as standing under a waterfall of perpetual bad news.
Globally, 40% report they at least sometimes or often do the same, the highest figure ever recorded. People shared consistent reasons for this: the news put them in a bad mood, they felt overwhelmed and powerless to act.
As a researcher in developmental psychology, focusing on social development and psychological well-being, I argue that news fatigue is not laziness, weakness or a generational decline in civic interest. It's the predictable response of a human brain meeting an environment it was never designed to navigate.
Wired for bad news
Long before smartphones or even the printing press, our cognitive architecture was shaped by a single problem: stay alive long enough to reproduce. Our ancestors whose attention drifted past the rustle in the grass left fewer descendants than those who froze, looked and listened.
The brain that paid attention to threats was the brain that survived.
This is the foundation of what psychologists call the negativity bias, one of the most replicated findings in cognitive science. Across decades of research, the human mind has been shown to weigh negative information more heavily than positive, attend to it faster and remember it longer.
A predator nearby mattered more than a beautiful sunset. The cost of missing a real threat was death, while the cost of overreacting was a few minutes of wasted vigilance. The asymmetry made this bias adaptive.
Here is the problem: the human brain has not changed since then. We are the same species as we were thousands of years ago. What's changed is the size of the world it's asked to scan for threats.
News fatigue is not laziness, weakness or a generational decline in civic interest. It is the predictable response of a human brain meeting an environment it was never designed to navigate. (Image credit: pzAxe via Getty Images)
Scanning the whole world
For most of human history, the threats our nervous system processed were local. A neighbouring tribe. A drought. The illness of a child we personally knew. Information about distant places would barely arrive, and if it did, it was mainly irrelevant.
In 2026, the same neurological system is being asked to absorb a war in one region, a financial shock in another, a climate disaster in a third and a violent crime in a fourth, all before lunchtime.
A study published in the scientific journal Nature Human Behaviour examined more than 105,000 real news headlines viewed nearly six million times. Each additional negative word increased click-through rates, while positive words had the opposite effect.
It's crucial to recognize the tactics meant to exploit our negative biases and create cognitive distance (Image credit: cbies/Shutterstock.com)
Recent studies suggest people around the world demonstrate measurably stronger physiological responses to negative news than to positive news. The body is reacting before the mind has decided whether the threat is relevant.
Some researchers have introduced a clinical framework for what happens in this instance called Problematic News Consumption (PNC) — a pattern of news engagement that results in preoccupation, dysregulation and disruption to daily functioning. In their 2022 study, the researchers found that 17% of American adults qualified as having severe levels of PNC. Among that group, 61% reported feeling unwell quite a bit or very much, compared with 6% of those who didn't.
For minority populations, news fatigue may be even more consequential.
Repeatedly witnessing harm directed at our own groups, even when we're not the immediate target, can have a significant psychological impact on people from the same group affiliation. For racialized communities, such as immigrants, the cognitive load could be even heavier, and the option to simply stop watching is much harder to exercise when the news is about their country of origin.
Looking away is not the fix
What's the solution to news fatigue? Well, it's not avoidance. A democracy depends on informed citizens.
Many adults already cite the spread of misleading information as a major source of stress. Withdrawing from accurate, trustworthy information only deepens the problem. We're wired to pay more attention to bad news, and that kind of content will find its way to us one way or another.
The fix is to manage the consumption and the sources.
Several approaches can help manage news fatigue and protect mental health. Containing news consumption to defined windows of time reduces the sense of being overwhelmed. Choosing depth over volume also matters: one carefully reported long-form article will inform you better than bursts of random, unreliable and emotionally loaded posts on Instagram.
There is also value in distinguishing between information and action — research on perceived control and stress consistently shows that the gap between awareness and agency is one of the strongest predictors of psychological distress. Identifying what you can actually do about what you read in the news, however small, regulates that response.
Finally, be wary of "rage bait" — intentionally provocative messages or content designed to boost engagement on social media platforms by eliciting negative reactions. Recognizing that certain content creators want to provoke rather than reflect reality creates useful cognitive distance.
The news will not become less "heavy." But our relationship with it can become more deliberate. Our brains were not built for this scale of input. They were, however, built to learn to adapt.
In the urgent and multifaceted battle against climate change, understanding the psychological pathways that drive individual and collective action is crucial. Recent research underscores governmental efficacy—not merely as a political concept but as a psychological catalyst—as a pivotal determinant in galvanizing public engagement with climate initiatives. This insight shifts the paradigm from traditional economic or policy-driven explanations to a deeper recognition of how people’s belief in government competence fundamentally shapes climate-related behaviors and attitudes.
Climate change, as a global crisis, demands robust cooperation between citizens, governments, and institutions. Governments worldwide often attempt to implement policies and programs aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, and enhancing sustainability. However, such measures frequently encounter public skepticism or apathy. The research conducted by Goldwert, Sabherwal, and Vlasceanu highlights that the perception of government efficacy—that is, the public’s confidence in the government’s ability to enact meaningful change—acts as a critical psychological mechanism enabling or hindering climate action.
At its core, governmental efficacy is a psychological construct reflecting the belief that governmental bodies possess the competence, resources, and willpower to address climate crises effectively. This belief influences individuals’ propensity to participate in climate activism, adopt environmentally friendly behaviors, and support pro-environmental policies. The study reveals that when people trust that their government can and will perform decisively and competently on environmental issues, they feel empowered and are more motivated to contribute to the collective effort.
Moreover, the research draws on extensive psychological theory and behavioral science frameworks to explain how perceptions of governmental efficacy impact motivation. Notably, the role of self-efficacy—the belief in one’s own ability to effect change—is intertwined with collective efficacy regarding governments. When governments demonstrate efficacy, they enhance citizens’ sense of personal and collective agency, creating a feedback loop that fosters more dynamic participation in climate solutions.
The authors intricately explore how different dimensions of governmental efficacy influence climate engagement. These include the perceived transparency of government actions, accountability mechanisms, the clarity of communication regarding climate policies, and the tangible outcomes of implemented measures. Each of these dimensions works collectively to nurture a sense of trust and effectiveness, which is indispensable for sustaining long-term climate action.
Additionally, the research proffers that diminished confidence in government efficacy can have a demobilizing effect, breeding cynicism and disengagement. This dynamic is particularly salient in regions or countries where political instability, corruption, or historical failures undermine trust in public institutions. In such contexts, grassroots movements and non-governmental organizations often struggle to compensate for the psychological vacuum left by ineffective governance structures.
In transcending the usual discourses surrounding climate action, this research brings psychological determinants to the forefront. It suggests that increasing governmental efficacy perception is not solely a task for policymakers but also for communicators, educators, and community leaders. Strategic public engagement that transparently showcases government capabilities and ethical commitments can foster this efficacy perception, transforming passive observers into active participants.
The implications of this study extend to international climate policy frameworks, where nations’ commitments and track records are scrutinized by citizens and global observers alike. High-profile failures to meet targets or opaque governance breeds disillusionment. Conversely, governments that effectively communicate both their successes and challenges—and engage citizens in problem-solving—can inspire broader public confidence and support.
Furthermore, this psychological perspective has ripple effects on innovation and technology acceptance in climate mitigation. When citizens trust their governments’ ability to manage the complexities of new technologies—such as carbon capture, geoengineering, or renewable infrastructure—they are more likely to endorse and adopt these innovations. This psychological endorsement is crucial for scaling emerging climate solutions from experimental phases to widespread societal integration.
The authors also delve into the nuanced relationship between governmental efficacy and media narratives. Media representations not only shape public perception but also reflect and influence political accountability. Transparent and factual media coverage that highlights government efficacy in climate matters can amplify motivation for individual and collective action, while sensationalism or misinformation can erode these perceptions.
From a policy standpoint, the research advocates for governance models that prioritize transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness. Collaborative governance, which involves stakeholders across sectors and levels, tends to enhance perceptions of efficacy by distributing responsibility and fostering shared ownership of climate goals. Such models not only bolster democratic legitimacy but also improve policy resilience through diversified input and adaptive capacities.
This study also explores the temporal dynamics of governmental efficacy. Short-term successes in climate policy can provide critical psychological boosts, fostering sustained engagement. Yet, it is the consistency of governmental performance and communication over time that cements long-range trust and motivation. This insight supports sustained investment not only in technical capacity but also in institutional stability and ethical governance.
Given the rising tide of climate anxiety and eco-paralysis among populations worldwide, the authors emphasize the transformative power of reinforcing governmental efficacy. In psychological terms, this approach combats helplessness and despair by cultivating hope and agency, critical emotions necessary for lasting behavioral change.
As climate change continues to present complex and evolving challenges, the integration of psychological perspectives like governmental efficacy into environmental strategies can significantly amplify their effectiveness. By recognizing and nurturing this vital pathway, societies can unlock new levels of climate engagement, ensuring that policies and initiatives do not languish in public disinterest but instead become powerful catalysts for collective transformation.
Ultimately, the research by Goldwert, Sabherwal, and Vlasceanu offers a compelling, empirically grounded narrative that elevates the psychological mechanisms underpinning climate action. It opens fresh avenues for research and practice, suggesting that tackling climate change is as much about fostering belief in collective competence as it is about technical innovation or legislative frameworks. This paradigm encourages a holistic understanding that intertwines governance, psychology, and social dynamics in the deeply interconnected quest for a sustainable future.
Subject of Research: Psychological pathways linking governmental efficacy to climate action
Article Title: Governmental efficacy is a key psychological pathway to climate action
Article References:
Goldwert, D., Sabherwal, A.C., & Vlasceanu, M. Governmental efficacy is a key psychological pathway to climate action. Commun Earth Environ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03743-1
Medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists have become some of the most talked-about drugs in recent years. They were first developed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. Later, doctors discovered that these medicines could also help people lose weight by reducing appetite and making them feel full for longer. As […]
Anthropic still can’t distribute Claude Mythos or Fable 5 after running afoul of the Trump administration. But no one can say exactly what the company did wrong.
Anthropic still can’t distribute Claude Mythos or Fable 5 after running afoul of the Trump administration. But no one can say exactly what the company did wrong.
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A dog’s nose is a gateway to a richer world, and scent-filled walks, games, and food hunts can transform boredom and stress into excitement, focus, and discovery. While we are captivated by a vivid sunset and breathtaking views, dogs have their noses to the ground, reading the odor stories left behind by other dogs and [...] 
From ants to apes, social species scout, bond, raid and retreat before conflict. 
A yet unnamed Australian spider weaponizes silk to hunt a single ant species. 
These fathers brood, carry, feed and defend their young at astonishing cost. 
