SJK Audio Edition

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-we-monitor-the-wildlife-trade/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/R7oWnWKMEZE
Summary: Researchers used databases to figure out the extent of wildlife trade and how to make it more sustainable.
Abstract: The wildlife trade is a threat to global biodiversity. But we don’t know how much of a threat. That’s because some countries don’t have strict regulations or collect data. And the databases from countries that do collect data about wildlife trading are hard to compare. We wanted to look at the databases to figure out how the data could be better. Could we improve them to help make sure the wildlife trade is sustainable? The United States keeps one of the most comprehensive databases. So we looked there. We also looked at a database that is smaller, but comes from a global authority. We found 29,445 species were traded between 2000 and 2022, with substantial numbers coming from the wild. We think this is an underestimate of the global wildlife trade and its threat to organisms in the wild.
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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/where-do-whale-sharks-have-their-babies/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/JJHuWMotBgw
Summary: Scientists studied where baby whale sharks are found and discovered that they often appear near low-oxygen ocean zones. 
Abstract: Where do the world’s biggest fish have their babies? This question remains one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries. Adult whale sharks are easy to find. But newborns are not! We looked back over 50 years of sightings to connect the dots of this puzzle. Our team mapped the locations of 33 baby sharks that were discovered by chance. We also looked at the water temperature, food levels, and oxygen in those areas. We found that baby whale sharks do not appear in random areas of the ocean. In fact, most babies appeared near places called oxygen minimum zones. These areas have very little oxygen (which sharks and other fish need to breathe) deep in the water. They can also lead to more food bunched near the surface. These zones may play an important role in where baby whale sharks are found. Learning more about these hidden nurseries could help protect this endangered ocean giant.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-viruses-wake-up-sleeping-cancer-cells/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/ksEuNI3AhXQ
Summary: Researchers discovered that viruses that infect the lungs can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells 
Abstract: Have you ever had a virus like the flu or coronavirus? These viruses affect the lungs. They also activate the immune system to try and help you feel better. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, death rates from cancer rose. No one knew exactly why. We wondered if viral infections could “wake up” cancer cells that had been asleep for years. To find out, we studied mice with dormant breast cancer cells in their lungs. We infected the mice with influenza or a version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We also analyzed data from people in cancer remission who got COVID-19. We found that both viruses can reactivate sleeping breast cancer cells in mice. We also discovered that despite the virus-induced immune response, the growing cancer altered immune cells to prevent them from fighting the cancer. This suggests that viruses may pose extra risks for people who have had cancer.
You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-we-make-better-food-for-honeybees/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/IRyT-dMDe6c
Summary: Researchers improve honeybee health by modifying yeast to produce the substances in pollen.
Abstract: Honeybees visit flowers to collect food for themselves and their colonies. When bees visit flowers, they also pollinate. Pollination is an important step that causes plants to make fruits. Many fruits that we eat, like apples and blueberries, need bees for pollination. Without bees, our food supplies would be in danger of not producing enough fruit. But human activities have reduced the abundance of flowering plants. That means bee colonies are more likely to starve every year. Beekeepers feed honeybees human-made food. But this food is missing essential nutrients called sterols. Yeasts are genetically engineered by scientists to make all kinds of important compounds, like insulin. We engineered a common yeast using genes from plants to produce the correct sterols that bees need. When we added this modified yeast to the bees’ diet, we found that colonies could continue to produce young bees. If the sterols were not in the diet, the colonies stopped being able to do so. We hope that this innovative solution will be used by beekeepers worldwide to improve bee health. 
You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/why-do-treehoppers-have-such-strange-body-shapes/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/zAqBSz7Mnwg
Summary: Scientists discovered that treehoppers can sense electric fields in the air and that their strange body shapes help make these invisible cues easier to detect.
Abstract: Some animals can sense tiny electric fields around them. We call this electroreception. Sharks use it underwater. Using it in the air is harder, but some insects can do it. Treehoppers have strange body shapes with a part that can look like a helmet or crazy hat on their backs. We wanted to find out if this helps them use electroreception. We measured how much static electricity is on treehoppers, bees, and wasps. We then watched how treehoppers reacted to small electric fields – like the ones we measured on the insects. We also used computer models to test if their body shape made electric cues stronger around them. We found out that treehoppers, bees and wasps all produce electric fields. Wasps usually produce stronger electric fields than bees. Moreover, treehoppers can sense other insects’ electric fields. These fields can provide information about what is nearby. Strong electric fields – like the ones wasps produce – might warn them about danger. Tiny hairs on their backs help them sense those fields. We also found out that their helmet shape made the fields stronger. So, this rare sense and their unique body shape work together to help them stay safe from danger.
You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 
But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.
If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com