Nature

Australia is not only famous for its spectacular landscapes, but also for some of the largest insects on the planet. But what does this have to do with the lives of the country’s inhabitants?

Australia’s isolated geographical location has contributed to the evolution of many species, including large insects. A variety of climatic zones, from tropical to desert, provide ideal conditions for their growth and reproduction.

The rich flora and fauna offer extensive food sources, which also affects Australians’ standard of living. For example, the presence of large insects can affect the agricultural sector, especially farming, where some can be both pests and beneficial pollinators.

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• American bird farmer Taylor Blake reached out to the Irwin clan for help after she thought her prized emu contracted avian influenza
• Bindi Irwin responded, sending her ‘love and prayers’ to the farm but said she and her team had no experience dealing with the disease
• Some fans slammed her response, branding it ‘pathetic and useless’
• But others praised her for supporting and responding to Taylor
• Taylor also thanked Bindi for taking the time to write back, saying ‘her response alone means more than you know’

Bindi Irwin has been slammed by cruel trolls for her response to an American farm owner’s plea for help after she lost 99% of her birds to avian influenza.

Taylor Blake, also known as Eco Sister on Twitter, sent a desperate message to the Irwin clan last week after she thought her beloved emu and TikTok fan favourite Emmanuel had contracted the virus.

She offered to fly any of their contacts or members of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to her Knuckle Bump Farm in South Florida to help save Emmanuel.

Bindi responded by saying she wasn’t able to provide too much support because the team at the hospital had never treated birds with avian flu, but did send her ‘love and prayers’ to the farm.

 

Taylor thanked Bindi for replying, writing: ‘Thank you so much for taking the time to write this, Bindi your response alone means more than you know. Please send my love to your family!’

But some fans flocked to social media to slam Bindi’s response, with one calling it ‘pathetic’ and ‘useless’.

‘What a pathetic, useless reply. Zero effort to help when you’re in a supposedly unique position to use your influence and contacts to actually help her. Thoughts and prayers are cheap. You are unimpressive and that’s being polite,’ they said.

‘Thoughts and prayers are nice, but is there not someone you could recommend, given your family has been in this field for years?’ another agreed.

A third person wrote: ‘So you don’t know of anyone in your network who could help? One would assume it wouldn’t be hard for you to ask around or spread the word in the hopes someone with the right experience comes forward, rather than writing this form[al] letter response pretending you care.’

While some fans criticised Bindi, others praised her for supporting and responding to Taylor.

‘I’m sure just the response lifted spirits of recovery for Emmanuel. That’s all one could even hope for,’ one person said.

‘I think it is so cool that Bindi Irwin replied. Still praying for Emmanuel,’ another agreed.

‘Thank you Irwins. We are all [praying] for Emmanuel. He is deeply loved around the world,’ a third said.

The study, conducted by Professor Cyprian Brudbank of Cambridge, found that the complex, known as Oued Becht, is comparable in size to Troy in the Bronze Age. The scientists found many objects, including pottery and stone tools, as well as the remains of domesticated animals, indicating a developed agriculture.

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A recent study casts doubt on evidence of a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), one of the most important ocean systems affecting Europe’s climate.

Scientists say the previously documented weakening of the Florida Current may be due to changes in the geomagnetic field rather than global warming.

The Florida Current, part of the AMOC, has been measured using submarine cables since 1982. Previously, the current was thought to lose 30,000 cubic meters per second every ten years. However, the new study suggests that changes in the magnetic field may reduce this to 0.1 superdrup, which is within the margin of error.

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Humans have managed to adapt to different climate conditions on the planet. As scientists have found, some ancient hunters stayed in the coldest Northern European locations instead of moving to better conditions.

Scientists explored areas in the southern part of Poland in the Kraków-Spadzista area. About 27.5 millennia ago, local residents killed a huge number of woolly mammoths and foxes. In order to establish whether the hunters lived there permanently or temporarily, the experts reconstructed the details of the foxes’ movements up to the moment of their killing.

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Researchers from the Australian National University have discovered that old volcanoes may be hiding deposits of rare earth elements needed for modern high-tech products such as electric cars and wind turbines.

A team led by Dr. Michael Anenburg studied iron oxide apatite (IOA) deposits formed from iron-rich magma. They found that such deposits may contain higher concentrations of light rare earth elements.

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Experts from Southern Cross University have discovered previously unreported changes in coral resistance to high temperatures near the Great Barrier Reef.
This raises hopes that the genetic capabilities of unique marine organisms could play a key role in their recovery and adaptation to environmental changes.
The team studied the bleaching thresholds of over 0,500 colonies of Acropora hyacinthus (also known as “table corals”). The study was conducted using mobile equipment on 17 reefs.

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