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Smart News / Smart News Science

New Zealand's long-tailed bats are about the size of a human thumb and weigh less than a tablespoon of sugar.

New Zealand’s Bird of the Year Is… a Bat

The winged mammal is critically endangered and won the award to raise awareness about their existence and importance to the island ecosystem

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Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads? New Study Offers Clues

The adorable behavior may be a sign of concentration and memory recall

Results from clinical trials show Pfizer’s vaccine was around 91 percent effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections in kids ages 5 to 11.

CDC Recommends Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5 to 11

About 28 million kids are immediately eligible for the safe and effective lower-dose vaccine

Metal sulfides left behind by anaerobic bacteria and the breakdown of iron artifacts were sopped by the wood while the ship was submerged.

‘Bacteria Poop’ Is Breaking Down Henry VIII’s Favorite Ship

When the ship sunk in 1545, marine bacteria started eating away at the hull

The California condor's population stooped dangerously low to 22 individuals in the 1980s, and scientists have been running a captive breeding program since then to save these birds.

California Condors Surprise Scientists With Two ‘Virgin Births’

Genetic data revealed that two females laid fatherless eggs

Using CRISPR technology, scientists plan to modify the strawberries' genes to improve their shelf life, extend the growing season and reduce food waste.

Using CRISPR Technology, Scientists Plan to Grow a More Durable Strawberry

If successful, these will be the first gene-edited strawberries to be sold commercially

In areas where the auroras are normally observed, many individuals took to social media to share spectacular photos of atmospheric phenomena. The photo seen here was taken in Teriberka, Russia.  

Halloween Weekend Auroras Dazzle Northern United States, Canada and Russia

The light display was caused by a category X solar flare that erupted on October 28

The island's volcano has entered its sixth week of eruption and shows no signs of stopping. As seismic activity continues to increase, La Palma could be hit with an earthquake measuring a six on the Richter magnitude scale.

Spain’s La Palma Volcano Continues to Erupt and Spew Ash

The volcano has covered over 2,000 acres of land with lava

The recent decision expands vaccine eligibility to roughly 28 million American children.

FDA Authorizes Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Kids 5 to 11

The lower-dose vaccine could be administered as soon as this Wednesday, pending CDC approval

The CDC added mental health disorders to the list of primarily physical conditions that increase the risk of Covid-19 hospitalization or death. 

The Future of Mental Health

The CDC Adds Mental Health Conditions to High-Risk Covid-19 List

The addition of mood disorders expands the list of Americans eligible for booster shots by millions

The prairie is 10,000 years old and was carved by the retreat of the last glaciers and is considered a gravel prairie. Only about 25 acres of high-quality gravel prairie are left in the state. Bell Bowl makes up five acres of what is left.

10,000-Year-Old Rare Prairie Land and Rusty Patched Bumblebee Threatened by Airport Construction in Illinois

Sightings of an endangered bee species have temporarily stopped construction, which is set to resume November 1

A passenger in a white truck photographs several capybaras in a yard in a gated community in Tigre.

Rodents of Unusual Size Take Over Gated Community in Argentina

Weighing up to 175 pounds and growing to four feet in length, capybaras are reclaiming habitat that once was theirs in South America

Those currently eligible for a booster shot include older and high-risk recipients of the Pfizer and Moderna jabs, and those who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Mixing and Matching Covid-19 Vaccines Could Impact Immunity

Because public health officials aren’t recommending one booster shot over another, individuals are left to make a choice based on personal factors

The Food and Drug Administration And Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are likely to authorize the vaccine for young kids within the next few days.

FDA Panel Recommends Pfizer Vaccine for Children 5 to 11

The lower-dose vaccine was deemed safe and highly effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections in young children

Indri indri, a critically endangered species native to Madagascar, sings shrieking tunes to communicate with their social groups.

These Singing Lemurs Are the Only Other Mammal Species to Possess Rhythm

This discovery builds on the ‘evolutionary tree’ of how human musicality came to be

Poaching was amplified during Mozambique’s civil war between 1977 to 1992 to finance the war efforts. Elephant population numbers dropped from 2,500 individuals to around 200 in the early 2000s.  

Evotourism ®

Female Elephants Are Evolving Without Tusks in Mozambique

The genetic mutation causing tusklessness in females seems to be lethal in males

Kids given two low-dose versions of the Moderna vaccine a month apart showed antibody levels 1.5 times higher than those seen in young adults. 

Moderna Says Covid-19 Vaccine Is Safe and Effective for Kids 6 to 11

The trial of nearly 5,000 children showed a strong immune response from two low-dose shots

Each nest was found with eight to 30 eggs and in a relatively small area, suggesting that Mussaurus patagonicus raised its young in a communal breeding ground

Paleontologists Unearth the Oldest Evidence of Herd Behavior in Dinosaurs

Fossils found in an ancient nesting ground reveals that herd mentality is almost 200 million years old

Other actions that curbed the spread of the virus include vaccine education programs, vaccination events, lockdowns, curfew times, and rigorous sanitary measures.

Puerto Rico Has the Highest Covid-19 Vaccination Rate Among the United States and Its Territories

Mass vaccination events and compliance with restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus helped control community transmission rates

Since the country’s first booster shot was approved last month, some 11.6 million individuals have received the additional jab.

FDA Backs Moderna and J&J Boosters, Plus Mix-and-Match Strategy

Experts say fully vaccinated Americans are still well protected, but boosters could provide added immunity for millions

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