Jake Buehler, Author at Gizmodo

We Now Know Where Snow-Loving Species Could Adapt to Climate Change

Thanks to climate change, the hallmarks of winter’s end—snow melting and plants budding and flowering—are occurring earlier and earlier. While humans might cheer a little less time dealing with snow and slush each year, the animals that have evolved to sync their coat color with their seasonal surroundings are in mortal danger. New research has…

Conservation Jake Buehler Feb 15

Rising CO2 Could Seriously Mess With Oyster Sex

As Earth’s atmosphere soaks up an ever-increasing amount of carbon dioxide, our oceans are becoming more acidic, which is causing problems for animals that create hard shells, from crabs to shellfish. Now, new research has revealed a more subtle and sinister consequence of acidification. By the end of this century, ocean water could wreak havoc…

Conservation Jake Buehler Feb 14

Fewer Vultures Could Mean a Lot More Dead Things

Vultures are a critical part of ecosystems across the world, acting as the primary cleanup crew for the dead. New research suggests that if vultures weren’t here to do what they do best, the whole recycling side of the Circle of Life could grind to a halt, because other scavengers just don’t fill their feathered…

Conservation Jake Buehler Feb 8

Polar Bears Continue to Be Screwed

Polar bears are a fitting avatar for the dire consequences of climate change, living right at the heart of where the Earth has been warming the fastest. Now, two new studies add to a swelling pile of evidence that polar bears aren’t handling their rapidly changing environment very well. The new research suggests that polar…

Conservation Jake Buehler Feb 1

Disease Appears to Be Changing This Rare Hawaiian Bird’s Song

Hawaiʻi ʻamakihi are survivors. The tiny, yellow-green forest birds have persisted against an onslaught of challenges in recent centuries, from human-introduced predators and disease to habitat loss. However, new research suggests that the resilience of the ‘amakihi may not be without a price. The birds’ songs appear to have changed in areas subjected to the…

Conservation Jake Buehler Jan 31

Invasive Pine-Killing Wasps Are Even Worse Than They Sound

A new insect invader is spreading in eastern North America’s pine forests, and it’s causing trouble wherever its wings can carry it. The invasive Eurasian woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) is a pest of pine trees, capable of inflicting huge ecological and economical losses. Now, scientists are reporting that the spread of the Eurasian woodwasp may also…

Conservation Jake Buehler Jan 30

A Deadly Dog Virus Has Infected the World’s Most Endangered Big Cat

Canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a serious illness that can threaten the lives of our beloved dogs, so many pet owners take care to vaccinate their furry buddies against it. But CDV can also infect a diversity of wild carnivore species, from coyotes to skunks and raccoons. Unfortunately, CDV has now found a new target—the…

Conservation Jake Buehler Jan 18

Future Heat Waves May Be Bad News For Sperm (Bird Sperm)

When it comes to extreme heat, zebra finches should theoretically have it handled. The birds are native to Australia’s hot, arid interior, which experiences intense summer temperatures. But new research suggests heat waves take a toll on the birds’ reproductive health, misshaping male finches’ sperm and rendering them unviable. It’s a discovery that has worrying…

Climate Change Jake Buehler Jan 17

Eighteen Species of Tweezer-Faced, Spider-Slaying Pelican Spiders Discovered in Madagascar

Quick: what has eight legs and a face like a pair of hairy salad tongs? If you’re a spider, you know exactly what I’m describing—a beast, which, at least to smaller spiders, is an otherworldly, eldritch terror: the pelican spider. Now, new research published today in the journal ZooKeys details the discovery of a whopping…

Biology Jake Buehler Jan 11

War In Africa Is Killing More Than People

Populations of large, wild herbivores aren’t doing that great. Some 60 percent of large herbivore species are threatened with extinction thanks to overhunting, poaching, and the depletion suitable habitat. Now, researchers have zeroed in on another human-driven source of trouble for these animals: armed conflict. In Africa, wildlife populations living in regions frequently embroiled in…

Conservation Jake Buehler Jan 10

Invasive Python Parasites Are Infecting Florida’s Native Reptiles

Invasive Burmese pythons have become the ravenous, ever-multiplying scourge of South Florida. But new research suggests that the snakes have brought more than just their teeth and appetites to the Sunshine State. They’ve also brought along their own parasites, which are now infecting native snakes. Burmese pythons have been getting plenty of well-deserved attention for…

Earther Jake Buehler Dec 15

200-Pound Penguins Once Prowled the Seas of Ancient New Zealand

Penguins are objectively adorable animals. The flappy little buddies waddle around on stubby feet, and some even like to be tickled. Their chicks are basically cute fluffballs made of fat and charisma that dance in children’s movies. However, a new fossil discovery in New Zealand has revealed an ancestral penguin species that was considerably more…

Biology Jake Buehler Dec 12

New Evidence From Ancient Amber Shows Dinosaurs Were Plagued by Ticks

New research on 100 million year-old amber with ticks preserved inside indicates these tiny, annoying critters have been around for a long time—and that dinosaurs were among their hosts. Acquiring ticks is a nasty consequence of doing basically anything outdoors during the warmer months. Whether you’re hiking, doing yard work, or camping, there’s a decent…

Biology Jake Buehler Dec 12

Freaky New Dinosaur Was Part Duck, Part Raptor

The last few years have yielded some truly bizarre dinosaur discoveries. From rhino-like animals with massive heads and stubby spines, to beaked mishmashes of every dinosaur in the book, there’s been a cavalcade of incredible additions. But perhaps none of these quite measures up to the unrelenting strangeness of a newly-discovered species of dinosaur that…

Biology Jake Buehler Dec 6

For Fish Penises, Bigger Isn’t Always Better

When it comes to reproduction, most fish are external fertilizers, crop dusting eggs in a cloud of sperm. But swordtails (Xiphophorus) aren’t like most fish. These fish fertilize eggs internally and “give birth” to live young. To help this whole operation, males have evolved external genitalia for transferring sperm—a tool not typical among fish. Naturally,…

Biology Jake Buehler Dec 5

Scientists Are Using Drones to Make Sure Seals Are Fat and Healthy

Evaluating the health of wildlife—and by proxy the ecosystems they inhabit—often comes down to taking key measurements of the animals’ “body condition,” including length and weight. But obtaining these measurements is labor intensive and invasive. This is especially true for leopard seals, which are challenging to locate and approach in the frigid wilds of Antarctica.…

Earther Jake Buehler Dec 2

Farming May Have Caused These Birds to Become Darker

The horned larks of inland Southern California’s Imperial Valley don’t look like their forebears. The birds found in the region today have distinctly darker plumage on the tops of their heads, their backs, and the napes of their necks. But we’re not talking about a shift that occurred over millions of years: New research shows…

Earther Jake Buehler Nov 24

Ridiculously Waterproof Fly Survives Dives Into Toxic Lakes

If you’ve ever seen an outdoor swimming pool between cleanings, then you’re well aware of the death trap that standing water can be for flying insects. Bees, grasshoppers, and flies all easily tumble into the chlorinated sea, only to find themselves drenched and unable to fly away. But one type of fly is both at…

Tech News Jake Buehler Nov 20

Crested Pigeons Sound the Alarm With Whistling Wings

A small contingent of chunky, dove-like birds cautiously patter around a clearing in a park in suburban Sydney. Suddenly, a feral cat pounces out from some nearby brush, narrowly missing a flock member’s feather plume-festooned head with a paw. In a panicked huff, the birds take flight, and the air fills with a series of…

Biology Jake Buehler Nov 9

This Huge, Four-Horned Mammal Is Rewriting Giraffe Prehistory

Giraffes are hard to miss. Scraping the sky at roughly 18 feet up, they are the tallest animals on Earth. Humans have taken notice, becoming infatuated with giraffes from the first moments of the animals’ lives, and revering their iconic, alien gangliness across the globe. But despite all this attention, our species doesn’t have a…

Biology Jake Buehler Nov 1

Jake Buehler

We Now Know Where Snow-Loving Species Could Adapt to Climate Change

Rising CO2 Could Seriously Mess With Oyster Sex

Fewer Vultures Could Mean a Lot More Dead Things

Polar Bears Continue to Be Screwed

Disease Appears to Be Changing This Rare Hawaiian Bird’s Song

Invasive Pine-Killing Wasps Are Even Worse Than They Sound

A Deadly Dog Virus Has Infected the World’s Most Endangered Big Cat

Future Heat Waves May Be Bad News For Sperm (Bird Sperm)

Eighteen Species of Tweezer-Faced, Spider-Slaying Pelican Spiders Discovered in Madagascar

War In Africa Is Killing More Than People

Invasive Python Parasites Are Infecting Florida’s Native Reptiles

200-Pound Penguins Once Prowled the Seas of Ancient New Zealand

New Evidence From Ancient Amber Shows Dinosaurs Were Plagued by Ticks

Freaky New Dinosaur Was Part Duck, Part Raptor

For Fish Penises, Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Scientists Are Using Drones to Make Sure Seals Are Fat and Healthy

Farming May Have Caused These Birds to Become Darker

Ridiculously Waterproof Fly Survives Dives Into Toxic Lakes

Crested Pigeons Sound the Alarm With Whistling Wings

This Huge, Four-Horned Mammal Is Rewriting Giraffe Prehistory

Anthropic’s New Model Is So Scarily Powerful It Won’t Be Released, Anthropic Says

Musk Asks Court to Give Potential Winnings in OpenAI Suit to OpenAI’s Nonprofit

Pro-Iran Hackers Target Critical U.S. Energy and Water Infrastructure

‘She-Hulk’ Was Apparently One of Marvel’s Most Successful Shows

The World’s First Eye-Tracking Smart Glasses Are Intriguing and Unpolished

Noah Hawley Is Remaking ‘Terrified,’ Which Shouldn’t Happen

Unprecedented Observation Reveals 2 Supermassive Black Holes Locked in a Tight Death Spiral

This Apple MacBook Pro Is Now Under $500 After 78% Off, Grade-A Refurb Deal (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Touch Bar)

Anthropic Launches ‘Project Glasswing’ to Stealthily Spot Cybersecurity Issues for Rivals

Tiny Robots Reveal Hidden Ocean Chemistry in Low-Oxygen Waters

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

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