A second wave of butterfly migration has been recorded across the western districts of Tamil Nadu, following an earlier movement in mid-September. Large numbers of four species from the Danainae subfamily, Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace), Dark Blue Tiger (Tirumala septentrionis), Common Crow (Euploea core) and Double-branded Crow (Euploea sylvester), have been spotted across the region.

The current wave, which is larger than the first, gained momentum following fresh northeast monsoon rains and the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon in mid-October. The movement has been recorded in Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts, according to members of the Nature and Butterfly Society (TNBS).

“Blue Tigers were recorded passing through Rasipuram at a rate of 72 per minute by one of our members, with large numbers heading towards the foothills of the Western Ghats. The westward and south-westward movement is consistent with the pattern expected during the onset of the northeast monsoon. A reverse migration from the Western Ghats towards the plains would generally begin in April or May the following year,” said A Pavendhan, president of TNBS. Members of the Coimbatore Nature Society also assisted TNBS members in observing the migration in Coimbatore district.

The migration peaked over the weekend, with sightings reported across Coimbatore district, from Mettupalayam to Singanallur, between 8.30 am and 4 pm on Saturday (October 17). The rate of movement ranged from five to 135 butterflies per minute. Sightings of migrating Crows and Tigers continued on Sunday (October 18) in Erode and Tiruppur districts, including Udumalpet.

“Moderate rainfall was recorded across Tamil Nadu during this period, particularly along the migration corridor. However, one unusual observation was that the butterflies were flying much closer to the ground than usual. While they are typically seen migrating at heights of five to 25 metres or more, their lower flight path this time warrants further ecological study,” said K Sadhees Kumar, a senior TNBS member from Erode district.

The low-flying movement has also resulted in butterfly deaths on busy roads, said S Gopalakrishnan, another senior TNBS member. “Several instances of roadkill were reported as the butterflies crossed busy traffic. In one instance, more than 1,000 specimens were reportedly killed. Upon reaching the foothills of the Western Ghats, the butterflies were seen congregating on nectar-bearing plants,” he said.

A highly unusual case was reported in India when doctors discovered a tooth growing inside a human eye socket, the New York Post reported. A 16-year-old boy in India stunned medical professionals after seeking help for a strange, painless swelling above his left eye. According to the media outlet, it was a mild lump, but soon two hard, white points began pushing through the skin right between his eyelid and eyebrow. The doctors then ran tests and carried out a computed tomography (CT) scan to confirm the rare case of a fully formed tooth growing inside the upper portion of his eye socket, an area doctors refer to medically as the superior orbit. Details of the case study were published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(25)00801-2/fulltext

A 16-year-old boy presented with a painless swelling of the left upper eyelid for 1 month, with no history of trauma. Examination revealed 2 hard, well-defined whitish projections arising from a fullness in the medial third of the upper eyelid (A). Computed tomography demonstrated a well-defined hyperdense structure with crown–root morphology arising from the left orbital roof, extending into the preseptal space and projecting externally with 2 tooth-like projections on its surface (B). Surgical excision revealed a mature canine tooth (C, D) without teratomatous elements, consistent with an ectopic tooth of the superior orbit.

Honeybees are outcompeting wild pollinators for resources by aggressively bumping into them and chasing them away from flowers, research has shown.

The study, by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University, found that areas where there were higher concentrations of honeybees had fewer wild pollinators, such as bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies.

Honeybees were also most likely to instigate, and win, competitive interactions, pushing out rivals to collect more pollen and nectar.

The number of managed bees has risen in the UK, as campaigns to “save the bees” resonate with the public, leading to a boom in hobbyists setting up beehives. The number of registered beekeepers has more than doubled, from 19,000 in 2010 to 47,000 in 2025, according to the National Bee Unit.

However, there are growing concerns that this growth in managed honeybees is harming other, wild, pollinators including bumblebees, by increasing competition for food and passing on diseases, especially in areas where there are fewer flowers or an especially high density of hives.

To better understand the nature of this competition, the study in Cambridgeshire observed pollinators over a two-year period as they foraged on bramble and ivy in areas close to honeybee colonies. The study documented the outcomes of 300 interactions between flower visitors from five groups: honeybees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies and “other”, which included types of flower-visiting and pollinating flies, butterflies, beetles and wasps.

In each interaction, the study noted where an individual “won”, by gaining access to a resource, “lost”, or if a resource was shared. Honeybees won in most of the encounters across both plant species.

Past research has suggested that honeybees outcompete other pollinators indirectly, by taking up resources. However, the Cambridgeshire study provides evidence that they are posing a more direct form of competition, known as “interference competition”, where a species might attack or chase others away.

“That’s important because, of course, it means that the wild pollinators are facing a challenge from both those types of competition from honeybees,” said Victoria Buckle, lead author of the study and a PhD researcher at Anglia Ruskin University.

Honeybees were actively avoided by other flower visitors in 28.4% of interactions on bramble and 35.6% on ivy.

In competitive interactions won by a honeybee, the honeybee either displaced other flower visitors – for example, by landing on them or pushing them off flowers – or chased them away, in about 20% of cases.

Bumblebees were also observed displacing other pollinators, though Buckle believes this was probably not intentional, and was instead a reflection of their less coordinated movements as they fly through confined spaces.

https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/een.70139

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/24/this-only-saves-honeybees-the-trouble-with-britains-beekeeping-boom-aoe

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/18/why-saving-the-honeybee-could-be-bad-news-for-other-bees

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320703003689?via%3Dihub

Two high-risk anatomical zones have been identified by AIIMS doctors to help reduce bleeding and prevent injury to vital organs during complex cancer surgery in women.

Dr M D Ray, professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Dr BRA-IRCH, AIIMS Delhi, along with his team identified an area below the uterine vessels as the "Red Alert Zone" or "Ray's Zone", where the ureter, urinary bladder, pelvic nerves and important blood vessels lie in close proximity.

The concept emerged from a study of 255 radical or modified radical hysterectomies performed for cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Researchers said careful dissection in Ray's Zone could help reduce blood loss and minimise ureteric, bladder and pelvic nerve injuries, thereby improving postoperative function and quality of life.

Dr Ray has also recently described another surgically important area, termed "Ray's Hepatocaval Triangle," relevant during liver mobilisation and dissection near the inferior vena cava and major hepatic venous structures.

The hepatocaval region is considered technically demanding because uncontrolled manipulation can result in major vascular injury and severe bleeding.

According to the surgical concept, defining this anatomical triangle provides surgeons with a clearer operative reference while handling the liver near major vessels.

In simple terms, Ray's Zone in the pelvis and Ray's Hepatocaval Triangle near the liver act as anatomical warning zones, reminding surgeons where maximum precision and caution are required.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265139276_Rediscovery_of_Geckoella_jeyporensis_Squamata_Gekkonidae_with_notes_on_morphology_coloration_and_habitat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrtodactylus_jeyporensis

https://news.mongabay.com/2017/02/resurrected-jeypore-ground-gecko-faces-second-death-sentence/amp/

https://roundglasssustain.com/species/jeypore-ground-gecko

Tetragonula iridipennis and Tetragonula pagdeni are the two species of stingless bees identified in five districts of Andhra Pradesh in a study that recorded 22 nesting sites across different habitats.

The study, titled ‘Diversity of Stingless Bees from Andhra Pradesh’, was conducted during 2024-2025 in Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR), Eluru, Nandyal and Palnadu districts. Researchers recorded 22 nesting sites across different habitats, including building walls, tree trunks, soil and crevices in old structures, highlighting their nesting preferences and ecological importance as pollinators.

The findings were published in the Indian Journal of Entomology by a team of researchers, including Srikanth, Mallikharjuna Rao, Koteswara Rao and Ratna Kumari.

Of the two species, Tetragonula iridipennis was recorded in Alluri Sitharama Raju, Parvatipuram Manyam, Eluru and two locations in Nandyal. Tetragonula pagdeni was found at Thimmapuram in Nandyal and Chenchu Colony in Palnadu.

Building walls emerged as the most preferred nesting sites across the surveyed locations. The researchers found colonies in the walls of undisturbed buildings in ASR district and crevices in old structures in Parvathipuram Manyam. In Eluru, the colonies were found in soil, while in Nandyal and Palnadu, they were observed on trees and the stone walls of old buildings.

https://www.indianentomology.org/index.php/ije/article/view/3260

Stingless bees (family Apidae; tribe Meliponini) are ancient eusocial insects confined primarily to tropical and subtropical regions due to their limited thermoregulation. In this study, a roving survey was conducted during 2024–2025 across five districts of Andhra Pradesh-Parvatipuram Manyam, Alluri Seetharama Raju, Eluru, Nandyal, and Palnadu-to assess stingless bee diversity and nesting preferences. A total of 22 nesting sites were recorded from varied habitats such as tree trunks, soil, and building crevices, with walls being the most preferred. Bee specimens were collected and preserved for species-level identification, which revealed the presence of two species: Tetragonula pagdeni and Tetragonula iridipennis. The findings align with earlier studies in Karnataka, highlighting similar nesting habits and site preferences. This study reinforces the ecological significance and adaptability of stingless bees across different habitats in southern India.

A bird found in India's Nicobar Islands could help scientists bring back the dodo, a flightless species that disappeared more than 300 years ago.

The Nicobar pigeon, native to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and other parts of Southeast Asia, is considered the dodo's closest living relative and is now at the centre of an ambitious attempt to recreate some of the extinct bird's defining features.

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/science/story/bring-back-dodo-gene-company-plans-to-revive-bird-that-has-been-dead-for-350-years-ago-2329141-2023-02-01

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/world/us-news/story/de-extinction-scientists-are-close-to-bringing-back-extinct-species-in-major-breakthrough-glbs-2666555-2025-01-18

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/magazine/cover-story/story/20260309-the-great-nicobar-controversy-great-nicobar-island-project-gnip-2875369-2026-02-28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicobar_pigeon

For more than 2,000 years, scientists have scratched their heads over one of the most basic mysteries of the natural world: Where do birds go?

Billions of birds appear and disappear with the seasons every year. Early naturalists offered explanations for the disappearances that today seem fantastical: Birds transformed into other species, one theory went. Others suggested they hibernated underwater or even migrated to the moon.

The truth, that these small animals were traveling thousands of miles across the planet, must once have seemed just as improbable.

Then, in the early 1800s, dramatic evidence emerged supporting the theory of migration. White storks began appearing in Germany with African arrows embedded in their bodies. These birds became known as pfeilstörche, or “arrow storks.” They provided compelling evidence that birds disappearing from Europe were traveling all the way to Africa and back.

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/aristotle/histanimals8.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-018-0666-4

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/aristotle/histanimals8.html

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/swallow-debate-america-mud-winter-hibernate/

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/when-birds-migrated-to-the-moon/

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/what-gruesome-stork-taught-us-about-bird-migration

https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/bird-banding-83032042/

https://youtu.be/y4-HxZFJF8Y

https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/Bander_Portal/login/howmany.php

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11069

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-005-0071-y

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.12977

https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-11/2022-birding-in-the-us-demographic-and-economic-analysis.pdf

https://ebird.org/home?continue

https://science.ebird.org/status-and-trends

https://ace-eco.org/vol19/iss2/art13/

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/overview

https://repository.si.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/51a5d839-0ecc-4f44-ab3a-1371ef88261a/content

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691163185/the-atlas-of-north-americas-migratory-birds

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-billed_Cuckoo/overview

https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/gran-chaco/

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Peregrine_Falcon/overview

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Arctic_Tern/overview

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsbl/article-abstract/8/4/505/49341/Cross-hemisphere-migration-of-a-25-g?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/276/1656/447/72488/Extreme-endurance-flights-by-landbirds-crossing

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/z96-254

https://academic.oup.com/auk/article-abstract/118/1/92/5561972?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/

https://afonet.org/2022/07/peterson-reference-guide-to-bird-behavior/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.1854

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.0603715103

https://science.ebird.org/status-and-trends/abundance-animations

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-026-00177-7

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article-abstract/271/1541/875/72024/Rapid-population-decline-in-red-knots-fitness?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2660976/

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.282.5395.1884

In a major ornithological milestone, spot-bellied eagle-owl, a rare and elusive species, has been documented for the first time in Kozhikode. The nocturnal raptor was spotted in Janakikadu, an eco-tourism centre located along the banks of the Kuttiyadi River in Maruthonkara panchayat.

The owl was spotted and photographed by wildlife photographer and birder Sunil Titto, accompanied by Janakikadu eco-tourism guide Sudheesh A. The spot-bellied eagle-owl is the second-largest owl species found in India.

Measuring around 55 to 65 cm in length and weighing up to 2.5 kg, the predator bird is recognised by its deep-set dark eyes, outwardly sloping ear-tufts, and chevron-shaped spots across its pale underbelly.

A strictly nocturnal hunter, the species preys on snakes, large birds and small mammals. While the spot-bellied eagle-owl is distributed across the Himalayas, Sri Lanka, and southeast Asia, in south India, it is primarily confined to evergreen forests and high-elevation sholas of the Western Ghats — such as Silent Valley, Wayanad, and Periyar.

Spotting the species in Janakikadu carries high conservation importance, as it establishes the first verified photographic evidence for Kozhikode on biodiversity platforms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot-bellied_eagle-owl

https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/9513

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381491166_Spot-bellied_Eagle-Owl_Bubo_nipalensis_feeding_on_Indian_Flying_Fox_Pteropus_giganteus

Spread across 192.31 sq km in Gujarat’s Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is in the Saurashtra region. It is known for its rugged terrain, forests and grasslands. After the return of Asiatic lions, the sanctuary is emerging as an important addition to the state’s wildlife conservation landscape.

The lions’ started to return with the natural arrival of a male in 2023.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0354096

The expansion of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) (lions) beyond their core area and the recolonisation of Barda Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat) after 144 years—through natural dispersal of a male and augmentation of five females by the Gujarat Forest Department—make Barda’s conservation and management crucial for the species’ long-term survival. We assessed the space use, habitat preferences, social organisation, and diet of Asiatic lions in Barda using radio-collaring (n = 6; 1 male, 5 females) and scat analysis. The average lion home range (95% KDE) was 70.55 ± 7.48 km², while the average core area (50% KDE) was 10.92 ± 1.92 km². Spatial overlap among individuals was higher at the home range level (0.60 ± 0.08) than in core areas (0.34 ± 0.06), indicating spatial partitioning and emerging social structuring. Lions demonstrated hierarchical habitat selection, preferring mixed forests at the home range scale and grasslands within core areas. Dietary analysis showed a strong reliance of lions on wild prey, particularly wild pigs (Sus scrofa; 55% occurrence), supplemented by domestic cattle (17%). Ongoing prey augmentation efforts, including the reintroduction of spotted deer (Axis axis) and sambar (Rusa unicolor), aim to strengthen prey availability in the Barda. Our findings provide ecological insights suggesting that Barda offers potentially suitable habitat and resources for sustaining a long-term lion population, although these inferences are based on a limited sample size and short-term dietary assessment. Proactive management interventions focusing on habitat restoration, prey-base enhancement, and human–lion conflict mitigation will be essential to consolidate Barda as a secure and enduring conservation stronghold.

The surgical team at Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi, subsequently treated five more children using the approach.

https://jocr.co.in/wp/2025/03/mother-to-child-non-vascularized-fibula-transfer-in-congenital-pseudoarthrosis-of-tibia/

Introduction: Congenital pseudoarthrosis tibia (CPT) is a relatively rare disease, characterized by anterolateral bowing of the tibia, non-union, and limb length discrepancy. Various surgical treatments have been described in literature for its management with differing favorable outcomes.

Case Report: In this report, we present a case of 3-year-old child with CPT of Crawford type IV, with associated fibular dysplasia. Maternal fibula was harvested and used as a bone graft and was stabilized by intra-medullary fixation. Complete union was achieved at 1 year after the primary surgery. No re-fractures were seen in a follow-up period of 2 years.

Conclusion: Using maternal fibula as an alternative to use as a bone graft in the management of congenital pseudoarthrosis tibia may prove beneficial. Moreover, it is cheaper and readily available and needs less surgical expertise when compared to its alternatives such as use of bone morphogenetic protein 7, allogenic cadaveric grafting, or use of vascularized fibular graft.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4849233/

A mammogram can detect breast cancer before a lump can be felt. However, in women with dense breasts, small cancers can sometimes be harder to see. Dense breast tissue appears white on a mammogram, and many breast cancers also appear white, creating a "masking effect." This does not mean mammography is useless or that dense breasts mean cancer. It means that mammograms should be interpreted alongside breast density and the woman's overall risk of breast cancer.

Indian screening recommendations are evolving. The National Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis Guidelines 2024 recommend risk-based screening, including mammography for average-risk women beginning at age 40, with annual screening from 40-55 and every two years from 56-74. The Breast Imaging Society of India also recommends mammography-based screening from age 40, while recognising that individual circumstances may modify the approach.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11815494/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960977622001618

https://dceg.cancer.gov/research/cancer-types/breast-cancer/breast-density

https://ncdirindia.org/All_Reports/Report_2020/default.aspx

The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Animals in a paper titled “Rediscovery of the Lost and Critically Endangered Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis”, marked the first confirmed sighting of the species since scientists from Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) last recorded it in 1985. The research team, led by Vishal Kumar Prasad, included scientists from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, Nanjing Forestry University in China, ZSI and IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group, among other institutions.

Researchers discovered the frogs in the Maneri landscape of Uttarkashi, extending the known geographical range of Amolops chakrataensis, also called the Dehradun stream frog. They captured one of the two individuals for examination, while the other escaped. The exceptionally low detection rate — one frog for every 212 person-hours of searching — suggested that the species remained extremely difficult to locate even in apparently suitable habitats.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/19/3072

The Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis, is a Critically Endangered stream-dwelling amphibian endemic to Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas of India and the species was previously known only from a single holotype collected in 1985. Despite repeated surveys, the species remained undetected for more than four decades, raising concerns that it went extinct. Here, we report the rediscovery of A. chakrataensis from the Maneri landscape, Uttarakhand, approximately 65 km on a straight-line east of the type locality. We confirmed the species identity using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological comparisons with the holotype, and we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment. Our analyses recovered A. chakrataensis as a distinct clade. Extensive field surveys covering 14 sites and 424 person-hours detected only two individuals, highlighting the rarity of the species. Using environmental characteristics of the three known localities, we developed a habitat envelope that identified additional priority areas for future surveys and potential conservation management. Our findings confirm the continued persistence of A. chakrataensis, provide the first molecular reference for the species, extend its known distribution, and establish an important foundation for future monitoring and conservation planning in the western Himalayas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amolops_chakrataensis?wprov=sfla1

The survey, led by the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) and the University of Exeter in the UK, estimated that about 180,000 Aldabra giant tortoises live on Aldabra Atoll, an Indian Ocean island group off the east coast of mainland Africa.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.74282

A core component of conservation management projects is the estimation and monitoring of abundance of target species, in space and through time. Monitoring wildlife is complicated and relies on detection, which itself depends on environmental conditions, phenotypes and behaviours of the species being monitored. Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) have great importance as ecosystem engineers, keystone species and ecological replacements. Accurate monitoring is vital to understanding both the size and dynamics of their native and translocated populations, and the species' influence on the wider ecosystem. Despite a long history of organised research and population surveys in their native range on Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, to date no rigorous, atoll-wide estimation of giant tortoise population size has been attempted. The complexity of irregular transect surveys, through a variety of habitats, in several areas of the atoll, necessitates the use of state-space statistical models that capture heterogeneities in both abundance and detection. Here we develop a Bayesian Hierarchical Distance Sampling (HDS) model to infer habitat- and season-dependent detectability and abundance of the Aldabra giant tortoise population on Aldabra. Between 2018 and 2021 the population was apparently relatively stable and numbered approximately 180,000 individuals, the highest estimate so far made for this population. We attribute this stability and high abundance to the extended history of conservation efforts on Aldabra, including invasive alien species eradication which should be maintained and expanded. We provide a reproducible workflow for Bayesian distance sampling methods using data-augmentation and habitat-dependent detectability and recommend its use on legacy datasets and future abundance surveys for similar species. These methods enable robust inference of abundance and detectability even when data are irregular or inconsistently collected, providing a framework for integrating legacy datasets with modern conservation workflows.

Researchers at the University of Konstanz have now identified an enzyme that attacks certain polyesters and bioplastics. Its wide-open active site inspired the team to call it the “Pac-Man enzyme.” Laboratory tests also showed that the same enzyme can cleave penicillin, raising the possibility that it could help bacteria resist some antibiotics.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42680184/

The plastisphere is a unique ecosystem with microbes colonizing and potentially degrading plastic debris in the environment, provided that the polymers are enzymatically accessible as substrates to drive microbial growth. It also harbors an unusually high occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting plastic debris as a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. In this study, we investigated microbial communities in forest soil degrading an emerging type of bioplastics, aliphatic long-chain polyesters (LCAPs). Sequencing analysis revealed a family-VIII esterase strongly associated with LCAP depolymerization that showed high structural similarity to type C β-lactamases. Structural modeling and substrate docking analysis indicated catalytically favorable binding of both LCAP and β-lactam antibiotics. Furthermore, the active site appeared to be located in a large, wide-open groove, rather than in a tunnel, resulting in a protein with a striking "pac-man"-like structure. Heterologous expression and in vitro activity testing confirmed its dual functionality as plastic depolymerase and β-lactam hydrolase. Sequence analysis indicated the enzyme as membrane-associated lipoprotein likely to be directed to the outer membrane. The membrane anchoring of the enzyme may offer striking microbial-ecological benefits, by preventing enzyme loss especially in aqueous environments, by increased catalytic efficiency through high enzyme concentration at the cell-plastic interface, and by spatially linking catalysis with membrane transport, thereby limiting monomer loss to non-producing plastisphere-community members (cheaters). Hence, our study highlighted a plastic depolymerizing enzyme with a striking substrate spectrum, bridging plastics and antibiotics degradation, and provides intriguing perspectives for understanding the microbial physiology, ecology, and evolution of (bio)plastic degradation in the environment.

Researchers found two such sequences, derived from a gene called BC200, inside molluscum contagiosum virus, which infects our skin and causes small, raised lesions.

The discovery reveals an unusual genetic double life. BC200 acquired a cellular role millions of years ago, yet retained the ability to produce copies that insert themselves elsewhere.

A study published in Science suggests this movement has continued throughout primate evolution, contributed to differences among human genomes, and carried BC200-derived sequences across the boundary between humans and a virus.

https://www.sciencealert.com/virus

https://www.cdc.gov/molluscum-contagiosum/about/index.html

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aeh3441

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/09/new-type-human-jumping-gene-found-poxvirus

Dr. Jamie McGowan, who was a postdoctoral scientist at the Earlham Institute, made the discovery while studying a protist collected from a pond at Oxford University Parks in England.

The project had originally been designed to test a DNA sequencing method capable of analyzing extremely small quantities of genetic material, potentially from just one cell. McGowan worked alongside scientists at the Earlham Institute and a research group led by Professor Thomas Richards at the University of Oxford.

Rather than investigating genetic code evolution, the researchers were trying to improve the tools available for studying organisms that are difficult to grow and analyze in laboratories.

The team investigated genetic information from a group of ciliates known as Phyllopharyngea, including genomic data gathered through the TARA Oceans project, an international effort to study marine life and its genetic diversity.

Their analysis identified three previously uncultivated ciliate species in which UAG, normally a stop codon, appeared to specify leucine instead.

These organisms came from samples associated with the Arctic and Southern Oceans.

The researchers also examined existing genomic datasets and identified two additional ciliates, Hartmannula sinica and Trochilia petrani, in which UAG appeared to encode glutamine.

Evolutionary comparisons suggested that these changes arose independently on at least three occasions.

Importantly, the genetic codes were not identical to the unusual system found in Oligohymenophorea sp. PL0344. In the five ciliates examined in the 2024 research, UAA remained a stop signal while UAG had acquired a different meaning.

The search for unexpected biology in microscopic organisms has continued beyond the genetic code itself.

In March 2026, researchers from the Earlham Institute and the University of Oxford reported another discovery made possible by techniques designed to sequence individual cells.

Their study, published in Microbial Genomics, investigated Bodo, a group of common protists found in freshwater, brackish water, and soil.

By analyzing just seven uncultured cells, the scientists identified three previously unrecognized evolutionary lineages, each associated with its own distinct bacterial partner living inside the organism.

The work did not demonstrate the same genetic code changes found in PL0344. Instead, it showed how much biological diversity can remain hidden when researchers rely primarily on organisms that are easy to cultivate in laboratories.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle

The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eggs and the cyclic release of estrogen and progesterone. The uterine cycle governs the preparation and maintenance of the lining of the uterus (womb) to receive an embryo. These cycles are concurrent and coordinated, normally last between 21 and 35 days, with a median length of 28 days. Menarche (the onset of the first period) usually occurs around the age of 12 years; menstrual cycles continue for about 30–45 years.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20869180/

The menstrual cycle in women is characterised by high variability in cycle length (26-35 days), 5-day menses, a fertile phase from 5 days before to the day of ovulation, and low fertility which is dependent on cycle length and age. All women show an FSH rise at the luteal-follicular transition, stimulating a cohort of follicular growth and inhibin B secretion in the early follicular phase. The ovulatory dominant follicle (DF) is selected in the mid-follicular phase, and as this DF grows it increasingly secretes oestradiol and inhibin A for a week before ovulation. Gonadotrophin responsiveness, IGF binding protein expression and degradation, and vascularisation have been identified to be crucial for DF selection and progression. Two-thirds of women show two follicle waves and 1/3 show 3 follicle waves per cycle. Three-wave women have longer cycles, and a later oestradiol rise and LH surge. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone, oestradiol and inhibin A in response to LH pulses, and reaches its peak in terms of size, secretions, and vascularization 6-7 days after ovulation. Luteal regression is passive and independent of the uterus, but can be prevented by hCG, the luteotrophic signal from the trophoblast, from 8 days after conception. Reductions in systemic steroid and protein hormone concentrations may be responsible for the FSH rise characteristic of premenopausal women. The functional layer of the endometrium shows steroid hormone-dependent proliferation, differentiation, and shedding in the absence of the trophoblast. Menstruation is initiated by progesterone responsive decidual cells, and executed by PGE and PGF2α, vasoconstriction and matrix metalloprotease secretion by leukocytes. Ovarian function and also hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle are similar to oestrous cycles of cows and mares, justifying research into comparative aspects of menstrual and oestrous cycles in monovulatory species.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menstrual-cycle/art-20047186

Penguins are known for surviving in the freezing conditions of Antarctica, but their droppings may be contributing to a surprising environmental problem. A new study has found that penguin poop provides nutrients to algae growing on Antarctic snow, helping it flourish and potentially speeding up snow melting, reported People.

The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, found that nutrients from penguin droppings may help snow algae grow faster. As global warming continues, these algae are becoming more widespread across Antarctica and darkening the snow's surface.

https://people.com/penguin-poop-is-melting-antarctic-snow-by-keeping-algae-green-12166932

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026JG009918

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/environment/penguin-poop-melting-snow

https://phys.org/news/2026-10-penguin-poop-antarctic-algae-green.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-026-08088-0

A significant shift in India’s climate zones over the past seven decades has raised fresh concerns for the Northeast, with the region moving from a tropical savannah to a temperate climate classification, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by scientists from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, found that the Northeast has undergone a notable transformation between the historical period of 1951–2020 and the recent climate epoch.

The researchers observed that the Northeast homogeneous region has shifted from the Tropical Savannah climate class to the Temperate climate class, a change they linked to a rise in the region’s highest air temperatures.

“Over the historical period 1951–2020, the major change in climate zone is the shift to the drier region — temperate to Arid Steppe, hot and Tropical Savannah to Temperate Hot Summer for Northwest and Northeast India, respectively,” the study said.

According to the researchers, nearly 7 per cent of the area in both the Northwest and Northeast homogeneous regions has shifted towards a drier climate category. The changes are primarily associated with a rising temperature trend coupled with declining rainfall.

The shift is significant because Tropical Savannah climates generally remain warm or hot throughout the year, with average monthly temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius and little or no freezing conditions. In contrast, Temperate Hot-Summer climates are marked by pronounced seasonal extremes, with very hot summers and cold winters in which temperatures can fall below freezing.

The study also found a broader warming trend across India. Maximum temperatures during summer months and minimum temperatures during winter nights have consistently increased, while rainfall patterns have shown considerable regional variation.

The researchers noted that the Western Ghats and Northeast India have experienced declines in monsoonal rainfall, while some coastal and northwestern parts of the country have recorded modest increases.

India’s meteorological subdivisions are classified into six broad climate classes: Tropical Monsoon, Tropical Savannah, Arid Desert Hot, Arid Steppe Hot, Temperate Dry Winter Hot Summer, and Cold Mountain.

The changes, however, have not been uniform across the country. The Central India homogeneous region recorded a 2 per cent increase in the Tropical Monsoon climate class from the past to the recent epoch.

In the Peninsular India homogeneous region, meanwhile, about 15 per cent of the area shifted from Arid Steppe Hot to Tropical Savannah, a change the study associated with an increase in annual rainfall or its trend.

The researchers said the findings highlight how long-term climate variability is reshaping India’s climatic landscape. The continued contraction and expansion of different climate zones could have implications for agriculture, water availability, food security and livelihoods, particularly in regions already vulnerable to changes in temperature and rainfall.

The study underscores the need to factor long-term climate shifts into agricultural planning, water-resource management and climate adaptation strategies, especially in the Northeast, where changes in both temperature and monsoon rainfall could have far-reaching consequences.

The researchers have uncovered a new way bacteria detect viral attacks: a virus-produced enzyme cuts a bacterial sensor protein, triggering a self-destructing immune response. 

The discovery could lead to more effective phage therapies against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and provide insight into ancient immune mechanisms shared with humans, as per the ScienceDaily.

Scientists searching for new ways to treat bacterial infections are increasingly turning to viruses known as bacteriophages (phages). These viruses specifically target bacteria, allowing them to kill harmful microbes without damaging human cells. They can also attack bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13450711/

CBASS is an immune pathway that recognizes phage infection and generates cyclic nucleotide signals, which activate effectors to limit phage replication. Membrane-acting effectors are proposed to induce cell death; however, this mechanism has not been assessed with endogenous effector levels. Here, we examine cell viability outcomes of the CBASS phospholipase effector (CapV) upon activation with 3’,3’-cGAMP in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Surprisingly, exogenous 3’,3’-cGAMP or constitutive 3’,3’-cGAMP signaling from the synthase (CdnA) enables robust cell growth and viability while abolishing phage production. Constitutive activation of the CapV effector induces no cell fitness cost and selectively blocks many phages. During CBASS activation, phage transcription and initial DNA replication proceed normally, but phages do not reach maximum DNA levels and exhibit impaired DNA packaging. We propose CapV disrupts capsid assembly at the inner membrane, preventing stable phage DNA packaging, thereby allowing effective CBASS anti-viral activity while preserving host viability.

The population of New Zealand’s endemic wētāpunga – believed to be the world’s heaviest insect – is officially “increasing” thanks to a groundbreaking breeding programme that has overseen the release of 11,000 insects into the wild.

“The future of wētāpunga is looking bright,” said Dr Chris Green, an honorary researcher at the department of conservation, who documented the success of the project for the New Zealand Journal of Zoology. Green co-authored a report released on 2 October that outlines the success of the breeding programme.

“Eleven thousand individuals for release is extraordinary and outstanding.”

A female wētāpunga can weigh as much as a mouse. Its body can grow up to 10cm long (nearly 4in) and its leg span can be as wide as 20cm.

It is the largest of 70 wētā species and was once found across parts of the North Island before predation from introduced species and habitat loss contributed to their decline. By the 1990s, they were considered “endangered” and are now presumed extinct in the wild on New Zealand’s mainland. The insects reside primarily on a smattering of predator-free islands in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and off the coast of Northland.

But their fortune is starting to change. Over the past 15 years, tens of thousands of wētāpunga have been bred at Butterfly Creek, a wildlife facility, and Auckland zoo, enabling the release of wētāpunga across new predator-free islands and some mainland reserves north of Auckland.

Butterfly Creek and Auckland zoo established husbandry techniques that, over time, have been scaled up to rear large numbers of wētāpunga in communal creches. The young wētāpunga – or nymphs – are fed a three-part diet of fresh foliage, fish flake protein and leaf litter. The protein is “critical” to the survival of the youngest nymphs, Green said.

Once big enough to protect themselves, the insects are transferred to their new habitat. The efforts have led to 45 separate translocations to wild habitats, which is “a very high number in any recovery of a species”, Green said.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinacrida_heteracantha?wprov=sfla1

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/invertebrates/weta/giant-weta-wetapunga/