Chicago’s pollution could be keeping river monsters at bay

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FACT: What if pollution was preventing a river monster invasion?

By Lauren Leffer 

Silver carp pose a big threat to freshwater ecosystems… and also recreational boaters in the U.S. The invasive fish, which can be more than three feet long and upwards of 20 pounds, feed near the water’s surface and are easily startled. When boaters go by, the fish leap out of the water by the dozen, and are liable to hit anything in their path—including people. 

Even when they go undisturbed by humans, the fish still manage to sow chaos. They outcompete native species for food, and cause a complete reorganization of local ecosystems in the waterways where they establish. Already, they’ve triggered native species declines in the Missouri, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers and watersheds. And they’re on the cusp of gaining some big ground.

Silver carp are less than 50 miles away from entering Lake Michigan. From there, they could subsequently spread through all of the Great Lakes and the rivers that feed into the lakes. Yet mysteriously, something has been holding them at bay for almost a decade. Unfortunately, science increasingly suggests that thing might be urban water pollution. What’s a conservation manager to do? Listen closely to the latest episode of The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week to ponder this environmental conundrum.

FACT: A literal submarine sandwich changed the way we think about microbes in the ocean 

By Rachel Feltman

In October 1968, the deep-sea submersible Alvin was preparing for a routine dive off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Then a crucial cable snapped. Luckily, the hatch was still open—so everyone made it out okay. But unluckily, the hatch was open—so the vessel sank 5,000 feet to the ocean floor. It would remain there for nearly a year before being recovered. Alvin made it back to the surface in surprisingly good shape… and so did some of its cargo. 

Inside the sub, researchers discovered a metal lunchbox packed with apples, thermoses of beef bouillon, and six bologna sandwiches, all remarkably well-preserved. The sandwiches were only slightly soggy, the apples looked “pickled,” and despite a grayish tint, the bologna was still pink in the middle. Scientists were baffled. How had this meal survived nearly a year without rotting?

In this episode, we explore the incredible journey of Alvin, the strange science of deep-sea decay, and why microbes in the drink just don’t seem up to the task of making a sandwich go bad. And, of course, we have to ask the question—who in their right mind actually took a bite?

FACT: Bats can surf 

By Laura Baisis 

We know that dolphins and even dogs can surf in the water—according to viral videos in the early YouTube days. Apparently, bats can also surf. But instead of cruising through the water, the spooky little guys surf the air.

A recent study published in the journal Science found that when some of these winged mammals take on long-haul journeys, they will surf along the warm fronts of storms so that they can make it further while spending less energy. They’re working smarter, not harder, and taking advantage of the air to travel a longer distance with less work

The study looked at a group of common noctule bats. These bats are found across parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa and are one of only four bat species that are known to migrate across all of Europe. Using tiny sensors, the team was able to track the bats’ migration. They found that changes in air temperature had a strong association with migratory flight. The bats were more likely to begin their movements just before warm fronts came in, leaving on nights where the air pressure dropped and temperature spiked. They appear to be leaving before incoming storms and then “surfing” along the air movements that come with warm fronts, like drops in barometric pressure, temperature, and better wind.

Importantly, these findings could have implications for bat conservation. Bats can be susceptible to injury from wind turbines, so knowing when migrating bats might be in the area could allow engineers enough time to periodically shut down turbines. 

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