Latest news with #SmithsonianInstitute
Indian Express
a day ago
- Science
- Indian Express
5 animals that mate for life
Survival instincts often outweigh sentimental bonds in the animal kingdom yet a few species stand out for forming long-term, even lifelong, pair bonds. These animals defy the norms of short-term reproduction by choosing to stay with one mate for life. While the idea of lifelong animal love may be romanticised, scientists say monogamy in the animal world is primarily a strategy for survival. However, it's important to note that lifelong pair bonding is rare. According to a comprehensive BBC Earth study, only about 3-5% of mammal species are monogamous. Still, for those that are, it's not about love as humans understand it, it's about increasing the odds of genetic success and ensuring the survival of their young. Let's know more about some of these animals: Wolves are perhaps one of the most well-known monogamous species. A wolf pack typically consists of a dominant breeding pair, the alpha male and female, and their offspring. According to the Smithsonian Institute, these lifelong bonds ensure stability in the pack hierarchy and more successful rearing of pups. By remaining with a single mate, wolves maintain a strong, cooperative social unit that benefits the survival of the entire group. Swans have become romantic icons precisely because of their tendency to mate for life. These elegant birds form strong pair bonds and cooperate in building nests and raising cygnets. Research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reveals that while some swan pairs do 'divorce' due to infertility or failed nesting, the majority stay loyal. Their partnerships allow them to defend territories and raise offspring with a greater chance of survival. Gibbons, small apes native to Southeast Asia, live in family groups typically consisting of a monogamous male and female and their young. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, gibbons are unique among primates for this social structure. Monogamy helps reduce intra-group conflict and ensures cooperation in defending their territory and caring for offspring. Among the various penguin species, Emperor and Gentoo penguins are known for forming long-term pair bonds. While not all penguins are strictly monogamous for life, many species reunite with the same partner each breeding season. In the brutal conditions of Antarctica, Emperor penguins share the burden of incubation and chick-rearing. A study from National Geographic explains that such cooperation increases the odds of survival in extreme environments. Beavers are highly social rodents who build intricate lodges and dams. They live in family units led by a monogamous pair. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, beaver mates share the labour of building homes, gathering food, and raising kits. Their cooperative lifestyle is key to their ecological success and is a textbook example of monogamy benefitting survival.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Rare arctic rescue button makes £6000 at auction
A rare Arctic rescue button was sold at auction on Tuesday for £6,000, which was 10 times its pre sale estimate. Auctioneer Brian Goodison-Blanks, of Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood in Exeter, said only three other examples of this type of button were known to exist in the Smithsonian Institute and private Arctic rescue button was part of a 19th Century rare piece of Arctic and Naval history attracted international interest in the specialist maritime sale. After the disappearance of Sir John Franklin's Northwest Passage Expedition aboard HMS Terror and HMS Erebus in the 1840s, there were over 30 subsequent searches for the lost expedition members. Mr Goodison-Blanks said: "As well as using balloons with notes tied to them and placing collars on Arctic foxes with messages to communicate to any survivors, search party teams took 'Rescue Buttons' which they handed out to Inuit hunters to pass onto any of Franklin's men they came across."The face of the button has locations of provisions and routes of search ships and dated to the reverse 1852."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Smithsonian Director Quits After Trump Failed to Fire Her
The director of the Smithsonian Institute's National Portrait Gallery stepped down after the organization rebuffed President Donald Trump's attempts to fire her. Kim Sajet shared her departure in a statement emailed to staff by Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch, according to The New York Times. 'This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one,' she said. 'From the very beginning, my guiding principle has been to put the museum first. Today, I believe that stepping aside is the best way to serve the institution I hold so deeply in my heart.' The president announced two weeks ago that he was firing Sajet, whom he called a 'partisan person and a strong supporter of [diversity, equity, and inclusion], which is totally inappropriate for her position.' However, Trump's directive was ignored—Sajet continued to carry out her job, which she has held since 2013, with the backing of the institution. Earlier this week, the Smithsonian released a thinly veiled rejoinder to Trump. It explained that the Smithsonian's director and board held control of personnel decisions. When news broke that Sajet had quit, the White House was quick to declare victory. 'On day one, President Trump made clear that there is no place for dangerous anti-American ideology in our government and institutions,' spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast in a statement. 'In align [sic] with this objective, he ordered the termination of Kim Sajet.' 'The Trump Administration is committed to restoring American greatness and celebrating our nation's proud history,' he added. Among the list of reasons cited by the Trump administration in trying to fire Sajet were her remarks during a 2018 race and justice summit at the National Portrait Gallery. 'The 'portrait of America' has never been only about meritocracy but also social access, racial inequality, gender difference, religious preference, and political power,' she said. In late March, Trump issued an executive order telling the Smithsonian to stop presenting American history as 'inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.' While the Smithsonian has not outright bowed to Trump, the institution does appear to be taking his criticism seriously. In an email to staff this week, Bunch, the organization's leader, admitted he was considering making changes, according to the Times. 'While the vast majority of our content is rooted in meticulous research and thoughtful analysis of history and facts,' he wrote, 'we recognize that, on occasion, some of our work has not aligned with our institutional values of scholarship, even-handedness, and nonpartisanship. For that, we must all work to do better.' The Smithsonian—which encompasses a network of museums, libraries, research centers, and the National Zoo—was founded by Congress in 1846. It operates independently from the executive branch and is governed by a board of regents that includes the vice president and the Supreme Court's chief justice. It is not the only D.C. cultural institution that Trump has sought to remake since his return to office. Trump has also seized control of the Kennedy Center, naming a MAGA loyalist as the theater's director and vowing to wipe out its 'woke' programming. At an opening night performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center, Trump was met with boos.
Spectator
04-06-2025
- Spectator
How often do volcanoes erupt?
Under control UK air space is to be reorganised – the first wholesale change since the 1950s – to improve flight times and reduce delays. It was Britain that pioneered air traffic control with the world's first control tower – a timber shed on a platform 15ft above the ground – at Croydon Aerodrome in 1920. The tower was given responsibility for all aircraft airborne, with which it had basic radio connections. From 1928, control centres in Norfolk and Kent allowed radio signals to be 'triangulated' for the first time, allowing the position of an aircraft to be determined even if the pilot was lost. Battle ready The government seemed to downgrade its target to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence to an 'aspiration'. Who spends the most, and least, on defence as a percentage of GDP in 2023 (or latest figures)? MOST Ukraine 36.7 Eritrea 20.9 Libya 15.5 Lebanon 8.9 Algeria 8.2 Saudi Arabia 7.1 LEAST Haiti 0.1 Ireland 0.2 Zimbabwe 0.2 Papua New Guinea 0.3 Ghana 0.4 Guatemala 0.4 World Bank Hot stuff Tourists were nearly caught in an eruption of Mount Etna on Sicily. How often do volcanoes erupt? – There are 47 volcanoes worldwide considered to be in a state of eruption. – 54 have so far erupted this year. – 65 erupted over the course of 2024. – 333 volcanoes are recorded as having erupted since 1960, many multiple times. – 528 have erupted since 1800. – The average number which have erupted a year since 2010 is 80. Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institute Force fields How much land does the MoD own? – On 1 April this year, it owned 230,800 hectares of land and foreshore, 0.9% of the total surface area of Britain. – It held rights over a further 110,600 hectares, 0.5% of the UK land area. – The land is broken down as: training (76%); R&D (10.5%); airfields (4.4%); barracks/camps (3.8%); and storage/supply depots (2%).
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stewart Grocery in Buffalo Gap closing after 8 decades of community service
BUFFALO GAP, Texas ()- Since 1946, Stewart Grocery in Buffalo Gap has been the local one stop shop for gassing up and chowing down, all the while owned and operated by the Stewart family. Owner Mickey Stewart announced recently that the store will be closing on Saturday, May 31, leading to an outpouring of memories and well wishes shared by locals. Debbie Powers has been a store clerk at Stewart Grocery for about 5 years now, calling the place a 'home away from home', a sentiment that many in the community share. She tells KTAB/KRBC that the decision to close the store comes from a number of factors not the least of which are financial concerns due to the rising cost of stocking, insuring, and operating the beloved corner store. Small Town Tales: Smithsonian Institute features Buffalo Gap in upcoming exhibit 'You have to have insurance on everything you sell out of the store to cover it. You have to have insurance on the property. That's went up probably 30, 40% over the last couple of years…it's kind of hard for a little mom and pops to compete with all the forward progress,' Powers said. For all the bittersweet memories that have come up in the wake of the announcement, Powers hopes that the public will show up in force to say their farewells and buy their final goods throughout the coming week as their closing day approaches, Powers saying there is still time to make a few fond memories more. 'People come in and, you know, get a fountain drink visit. They always ask us how we're doing and we ask them how they're doing. I love that part. I'm going to miss that part of it…I myself am thankful for the community and their support and i know Mickey is thankful for it through the years. I would just say to them, don't be sad. Come out and give him a good sendoff. Help him clean the store out,' said Powers. Cannonballs discovered in walls of historic courthouse in Buffalo Gap Special deals on goods and store stock will be held all throughout the coming week leading up to the final day on Saturday, May 31. Powers saying that day will be the public's last chance to enjoy one of Mickey's famous ground meat hamburgers made from high quality chuck, as well as a slice of their well known pizza. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
