Owls have the widest neck rotation range among animals. This remarkable feature stems from the unique articulation of their spine with the skull. Unlike mammals, which typically have two occipital condyles (spherical ends of a bone that fit into a cavity in another bone to form a joint), owls possess only one.

Additionally, birds have a long, flexible neck containing anywhere from 11 to 23 movable vertebrae. An owl's head can swivel approximately 270 degrees in each direction, allowing for a total rotational range of one and a half full turns. This extraordinary neck flexibility is not just a peculiar trait; it's a critical adaptation that allows owls to have a nearly unobstructed view of their surroundings, an essential asset for a predator that hunts primarily at night.

@science

Unraveling the Mystery of Petrichor: The Scent of Rain

Petrichor arises from oils released by plants, absorbed by soil, and then liberated into the air during rainfall. The compound geosmin, produced by soil bacteria, adds to this unique scent, detectable by humans at very low levels. Light rains amplify petrichor, as gentle droplets coax more aroma from the soil.

Petrichor embodies nature’s complexity, a dance between earth, water, and life. Next time rain freshens the air, remember the fascinating interaction behind that beloved scent.

Stay tuned for more concise, captivating @science facts!

Interesting technology: https://t.me/sciencetoall/18346

🧑‍🚀 Russian cosmonaut set a world record for staying in orbit

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set a record for the total duration of stay in space. By June 5, it must reach 1,000 days in orbit.

The previous achievement belongs to Gennady Padalka - his 5 flights amounted to 878 days 11 hours 29 minutes 48 seconds in space.

Space Heroes 💪

📹@science

The most important for today, Waiting for it

The connection between two neurons

This is what your thoughts look like with @science.

Elon Musk announced that the first person to be implanted with a Neuralink brain chip has made a full recovery. The patient can control the mouse using only his thoughts. @science

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum, a unicellular mixomyceate typically found on decaying wood, displays a form of species-specific genius. Renowned for its remarkable ability, colonies of this organism can find the shortest path between two points in a maze, a skill reminiscent of rats known for their superior maze-navigation abilities compared to humans. However, the slime mold's talent diverges in its capacity to form optimal distribution networks and solve complex computational problems related to spatial organization. Despite its unicellular nature, which might imply limited capabilities, its species-specific genius has been employed in various fields, from logistic models to modeling the large-scale structure of the cosmic web of the universe.
@science

That’s a proper book shop !

What does the largest snake in the world look like? 👀

She was discovered by biologist and TV presenter Professor Frick Vonk in the Amazon forests. The snake, almost 8 meters long and weighing 200 kg, has a head the size of a human. This is a new species of green anaconda that was recently isolated by an international team of scientists - the northern green anaconda.

Send it to someone who might be interested!

@science

Astronaut Bruce McCandless II, one of two STS-41B mission specialists participating in a historic spacewalk, is a few meters away from the cabin of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Challenger in this 70mm frame on Feb. 7, 1984. This @science spacewalk represented the first use of a nitrogen-propelled, hand-controlled device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), which allows for much greater mobility than that afforded previous spacewalkers who had to use restrictive tethers. Robert L. Stewart later tried out the MMU McCandless is using here, and the two of them tested another similar unit two days later. Inside the spacecraft were astronauts Vance D. Brand, commander; Robert L. Gibson, pilot; and Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist.
Image Credit: NASA

Ideogram, a cutting-edge image generation model developed by former Google engineers, has officially exited its beta phase! Renowned for its exceptional ability to understand prompts and generate images with text, Ideogram sets a new standard in accuracy, rarely producing any errors in the text it includes.
Users can enjoy 25 free generations per day, providing ample opportunity to experiment with various fonts. While there is a moderation system in place, it is minimally intrusive, filtering out only the most explicit of requests.
Explore the capabilities of Ideogram and unleash your creativity!
@science

🌌 Exciting Update from the Moon: Japan’s SLIM Mission 🌕

In an astonishing turn of events, the Japanese spacecraft SLIM, which had capsized upon landing, has “awoken” nearly a month later in hibernation mode. Despite the harrowing cold of the lunar night, reaching temperatures as low as -130°C, the resilient explorer has not only survived but has also managed to send back new images and is even collecting some scientific data.

Stay tuned for more updates with @science 🚀🌖

Fish That Shouts Louder Than a Gunshot

German ichthyologists have made a fascinating discovery involving the Danionella cerebrum species of fish. Remarkably, these fish can produce sounds exceeding 140 decibels, louder than the noise of a gunshot. What makes this even more astonishing is the size of these creatures; they are tiny, semi-transparent fish with body lengths not exceeding 12 millimeters.

The Danionella species are equipped with a unique sound-producing apparatus comprising a drumming cartilage, a specialized rib, and a fatigue-resistant muscle. This mechanism accelerates the drumming cartilage with a force of over 2000 g, striking the swim bladder to create a rapid and loud pulse. These pulses amalgamate to generate loud signals.

Scientists believe that this deafening noise serves a vital communication function for the fish in the murky rivers of Southeast Asia, where they reside. This discovery not only adds to our understanding of aquatic life but also highlights the extraordinary adaptations of even the smallest creatures in nature.

@science

Innovative Jellyfish Modification by Caltech Researchers Opens New Avenues for Ocean Exploration

A professor and a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have embarked on a groundbreaking project to explore the ocean in an unconventional way. Unlike typical genetic modifications, their approach is purely engineering-based. They've designed a bumper, resembling a cap, that significantly enhances the jellyfish's hydrodynamic properties. This innovation follows their previous success in implanting a device akin to a pacemaker, which encourages the animal to swim faster. Combined, these modifications enable the jellyfish to swim at speeds up to 4.5 times faster than their unaltered counterparts.

The primary goal of these biohybrid robotic jellyfish is to gather critical data on the ocean's chemical composition, temperature, oxygen levels, and more. The sensors required for these measurements are conveniently housed within the 3D-printed conical structure attached to the jellyfish. Remarkably, each modified jellyfish costs about $20, presenting a cost-effective alternative to the exorbitant daily expenses of over $50,000 associated with chartering a research vessel.

The researchers emphasize the ethical aspect of their work, noting that jellyfish lack a brain and the capacity to experience pain. Therefore, these laboratory modifications do not inflict suffering on the animals. This innovative approach not only paves the way for more efficient and humane oceanic research but also demonstrates the potential of biohybrid systems in environmental monitoring.

Stay tuned for more updates on this fascinating intersection of biology and engineering as we continue to explore the mysteries of the ocean in sustainable and innovative ways. @science