michaelFeb 2
For some reason the posts in my slow thread don't bridge to bluesky, although the post at the top did. So I just have to toot today's #CurrentBiology feature again: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/02/plants-recycling-metals.html #science #ecology #metals #recycling #phytomining #resources #nickel #gold #rareEarthElements
plants recycling metals

It has been known for centuries that certain kinds of plants thrive on soils heavily contaminated with toxic metals, even on mining waste. I...

Stefan F. WirthJan 22

RE: https://biologists.social/@jekely/115926352021625708

#Tooluse in #bovids so far was underestimated until a recent #scientific #study highlighted Austrian #cow #Veronika and her #flexible #purposeful self-#scrarching tool handling. Indicating that further studies might show similar potentials also in other #Bovidae taxa.
The authors A. J. Osuna-Mascaró & Alice M.I. Auersperg (2026) published their findings in #CurrentBiology.
© This text #StefanFWirth Berlin 2026

Reference:

A. J. Osuna-Mascaró & Alice M.I. Auersperg (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.11.059

michaelJan 20
yesterday's feature in #CurrentBiology is on the #urbanEcology of feeding #birds and #squirrels; blog entry contains magic link for free access: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-urban-ecology-of-feeding-birds-and.html #science #ecology
the urban ecology of feeding birds and squirrels

Back in December, I spotted a research paper about the ecological impact of human-provided food on squirrel populations, and I started to wo...

🐦‍🔥nemo™🐦‍⬛ 🇺🇦🍉Jan 11
New study reveals a primate brain circuit that keeps motivation going even under threat, via a key striatopallidal pathway 🧠⚙️ Read more in Current Biology: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)01688-4 #neuroscience #motivation #brainresearch #CurrentBiology
Show threadmichaelJan 5
my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 1: Revisiting the #conservation of #sharks and #rays pegged to the recent #CITES meeting that ramped up their protection. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2026/01/stopping-shark-trade.html #science #marineBiology
stopping the shark trade

A rare bit of good news for marine biodiversity arrived last December from the unlikely location of landlocked Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The 20...

michaelJan 5
The (slow) thread collecting all my features published in #CurrentBiology in 2026 starts here. #ProseAndPassion #Science #ScienceWriter #ScienceJournalism #biology #ecology The old thread for 2025 is here: https://mastodon.social/@proseandpassion/113782468349225978
michaelDec 15
the last #CurrentBiology feature of the year is on #recovery of species after #extinction threat. https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/12/i-needed-cheering-up-after-covering-30.html #science #ecology #conservation
nature in recovery

I needed cheering up after covering 30 years of climate failure in the penultimate feature of the year, so I followed a suggestion from the ...

Show threadmichaelDec 15

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 24: After that climate feature, I needed something more soothing, so I wrote about species recovering after avoiding #extinction.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/12/i-needed-cheering-up-after-covering-30.html

#science #ecology #conservation #rewilding

nature in recovery

I needed cheering up after covering 30 years of climate failure in the penultimate feature of the year, so I followed a suggestion from the ...

michaelDec 2

this week's feature in #CurrentBiology is about the recent #Lancet report on the #health impact of the #climateCatastrophe: https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/12/30-years-of-climate-failure.html

#science #environment #publicHealth

30 years of climate failure

I get a bit of an anger management problem around the time of year when another COP climate summit confirms that humanity has spent another ...

Show threadmichaelDec 1

my features published in #CurrentBiology this year, issue 23: Venting my rage about the #climateCatastrophe by writing about the #Lancet report on its #health effects.

https://proseandpassion.blogspot.com/2025/12/30-years-of-climate-failure.html #science #environment #Belem #cop30

30 years of climate failure

I get a bit of an anger management problem around the time of year when another COP climate summit confirms that humanity has spent another ...