Ralph T. D'Ambrose
LightNews LightNews
banner
ralphdambrose.bsky.social
Ralph T. D'Ambrose
@ralphdambrose.bsky.social
24 followers 28 following 11 posts
Actor, tabletop RPG afficionado, fledgling world traveler. Always ready to lay down some X-Men knowledge on a movie casual.
Posts Replies Media Videos
ralphdambrose.bsky.social
#4. I've posted this before, but screw it. I'm posting it again. Humpback whales have been documented protecting and rescuing seals from Orca attacks. Being quite a bit larger, adult Humpbacks have no fear of Orcas. They have been seen swimming between predator and prey to block pursuit, surfacing with the seal safely on their backs (as in the photo), or even trumpeting and splashing to scare the Orcas away. Some scientists attribute this to empathy and altruism in the whales, while others say it's for revenge based on enmity between the species that has developed since Orcas are known to prey on Humpback calves. Either way, it evidence of higher-order brain function in animals outside humankind!
February 17, 2025 at 4:49 PM
ralphdambrose.bsky.social
#3. The deepest part of the ocean trenches, below even what is called the "Abyssal Zone," is called the "Hadal Zone." Starting more than 6 miles down, it's difficult for even metal seacraft to go this deep without being crushed due to the unbelievable pressure from all the water above. But somehow living creatures still exist down here due to special proteins called piezolytes that protect them. Most fish are 40% smaller than their counterparts at lesser depths (a condition called Meio Dwarfism) - as opposed to Abyssal Gigantism that exists in the layer above. Many creatures are bioluminous since sunlight can only penetrate a little over 1 mile down. Creatures here are naturally colored red instead of black since red is harder to see against the darkness of the background. Sharks have six gills to make breathing more efficient since the oxygen down there is over 100 years old!
February 6, 2025 at 7:15 PM
ralphdambrose.bsky.social
A few years ago we learned that Pluto was no longer a planet (but what will "My Very Educated Mother" serve us now?) and all hell broke loose. But it turns out, it's not such a bad thing because Pluto actually isn't alone. Other Dwarf Planets were discovered soon after, and more are being found all the time! As of now we have Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Quaoar, Varuna, Ixion, Salacia, Sila-Nunam, Orcus, Sedna, and dozens more! Some even have their own moons. The orbits of some of these objects (further subclassified as Cubewanos) have standard orbit patterns and others (subclassified as Plutinos) have odd elliptical orbits that are thrown out of whack by Neptune's gravity. Some of the extreme orbits (as well as the tilt on the eight True Planets) has caused some scientists to theorize that an actual Ninth Planet 10x as massive as Earth may be hidden somewhere out there in the outer reaches of the Solar System. If this planet exists, it would take 10-20,000 years to orbit the sun once! For reference, the last time it was in the position it is now would be the end of the last Ice Age! Voyager 1 recently passed Pluto, so over the next few years we should be able to get some more detailed information on how these objects look and move.
January 30, 2025 at 1:55 AM
ralphdambrose.bsky.social
I did this back on the "other" site some years back, but I think it's time for a redux. I don't know about you, but I love science. So each week I'll be posting something to bring a little joy and wonder (which I think we all need). Due to character limits, descriptions will be in the alt text.
Bobobos (in addition to being completely adorable) are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. They live on the south side of the Congo river. What I find most interesting about them is that they are a Matriarchal society. Status derives from the female ancestry and women are basically in charge of their social structure. The brain anatomy of bonobos has more developed and larger regions associated with empathy, sensing distress in others and feeling anxiety, which makes them less aggressive and more empathetic. When conflicts do arise, bonobos are non-violent and solve disputes through sex! They do not discriminate based on age or sex of their partners, engage in oral sex and tongue-kissing, and are the only animal besides humans who routinely copulate face-to-face. They are currently endangered (29-50,000 individuals) but groups like the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, World Wide Fund for Nature, and African Wildlife Foundation are fighting for their survival.
January 22, 2025 at 5:45 AM