10 Unusual Scientific Discoveries for July 2023 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Plants emit ultrasonic clicks when thirsty, volcanic eruptions can disrupt satellites, certain plants turn carnivorous when low on phosphorus, mammoths and elephants share behavioral traits, desert kites are the earliest examples of architectural plans, octopuses might experience nightmares, microbial life in dried lakebeds could shed light on Mars, bowhead whales are cancer resistant, binary star system SSN 7 will eventually merge into black holes, Milky Way stars are halfway to Andromeda.

Key Insights

• 💦 Plants emit ultrasonic clicks when thirsty, suggesting a potential method for monitoring water needs in agriculture.
• 🛰️ Volcanic eruptions can disrupt satellite transmission, impacting communication and navigation systems.
• 🌱 Certain plants exhibit carnivorous behavior when deprived of specific nutrients, offering insights for sustainable agricultural practices.
• 🦣 Mammoths and elephants share genetic and behavioral similarities, providing a glimpse into the ancient interactions between humans and mammoths.
• 🌱 Desert kites are ancient structures that contain instructions, offering early examples of architectural plans.
• 🐙 Octopuses may experience nightmares, revealing possible similarities in dreaming across different species.
• 🛟 Dried lakebeds on Earth can provide insights into how microbial life adapts to extreme conditions, guiding the search for life on Mars.
• ♋ Bowhead whales possess unique genetic traits that make them resistant to cancer, potentially impacting cancer research and longevity studies.
• ✴️ Binary star systems, like SSN 7, can undergo dramatic changes, eventually leading to the merger of black holes.

Transcript

Scientific work and discovery is  progressing at a breakneck speed,   with new items of interest coming in from  all areas of science happening each month.   So here ten wide ranging new scientific  discoveries as of June of this year. Number 10. Plants Get Noisy When Thirsty Recent measurement of tomato and tobacco  plants shows that plants have a... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How do plants communicate their thirst?

Recent research shows that plants emit ultrasonic clicks when they are low on water, providing a potential means of monitoring their water needs.

Q: How can volcanic eruptions affect satellites?

Volcanic eruptions can create equatorial plasma bubbles in the Earth's atmosphere, which can disrupt the transmission of radio satellite signals.

Q: Why do certain plants turn carnivorous?

The tryphophylium peltatum vine turns carnivorous when deprived of phosphorus, likely due to the nutrient-deficient soils in its native environment.

Q: What is the connection between mammoths and elephants?

Mammoths and elephants are closely related genetically and behaviorally, with mammoths also experiencing Musth, a period of heightened reproductive hormones and aggression similar to elephants.

Q: What are desert kites?

Desert kites are ancient structures used to funnel animals for hunting, and they also contain instructions on how to build and maintain them, making them the earliest known examples of architectural plans.

Q: Do octopuses have nightmares?

Studies suggest that octopuses, like the octopus named Costello, may experience nightmares based on their behavior while sleeping in captivity.

Q: How can dried lakebeds on Earth provide insights into Mars?

Dried lakebeds on Earth, like the Tirez lagoon in Spain, offer clues about how microbial life can adapt and survive in extreme conditions, potentially informing the search for microbial life on Mars.

Q: Why are bowhead whales resistant to cancer?

Bowhead whales have a unique genetic makeup that enables them to repair DNA damage more effectively, potentially contributing to their resistance to cancer.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Plants emit ultrasonic clicks when they are low on water, providing potential for agricultural efficiency and better monitoring of water usage.

• Volcanic eruptions can disrupt satellites in low earth orbit, affecting transmission of radio satellite downlinks.

• Certain plants, like the tryphophylium peltatum vine, turn carnivorous when low on phosphorus, potentially offering insights for future agricultural practices.

• Bowhead whales have a unique genetic makeup that makes them resistant to cancer, potentially opening avenues for cancer prevention in humans.