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Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Portuguese man o' wars — known for their sting — are actually 4 species. See them
Despite their vibrant blue color and delicate bodies, seeing a Portuguese man o' war along the coast sends beachgoers in the opposite direction. These jellyfish-like animals are known instead for their sting, prompting warnings from wildlife officials when they make their way onto beaches around the world. Now, researchers studying these unique creatures have found that Portuguese man o' wars — also known as bluebottles — may actually belong to at least four distinct species. A research team led by Yale University, in Connecticut, and the University of New South Wales and Griffith University, in Australia, analyzed the genetics of more than 150 bluebottles from around the world to better understand how the widespread species was related to one another, according to a study published June 19 in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology. The team sequenced the genome of each bluebottle, then grouped them together in clusters based on their geographic range in the oceans, according to the study. What they found was distinct genetic differences between groups of man o' wars from different areas, despite some overlap between the populations, according to the study. 'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species,' study author Kylie Pitt said in a June 20 news release from Griffith University. 'But the genetic data clearly show they're not only different, they're not even interbreeding despite overlapping ranges. The bluebottle is uniquely suited to long-distance travel, using its gas-filled float and muscular crest to catch the wind and sail the sea surface.' The study describes four species: Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus, Physalia megalista and Physalia minuta. Researchers confirmed the species deviations by comparing their collected man o' wars to more than 4,000 images posted on the citizen-science website iNaturalist, according to the study. They compared differences in tentacle length, color and other physical characteristics to previous records of man o' wars found around the world, including in centuries-old publications that previously argued the species should be broken up, according to the study. Physalia minuta is described for the very first time as a new species, according to the study. The species is 'distinguished from other Physalia by its small size at maturity and colony arrangement with multiple principle tentacles,' researchers said, earning the species its name 'minuta,' meaning small. The well-known Portuguese man o' war — Physalia physalis — may look like a jellyfish, but it's actually a siphonophore, or a colony of animals that live together to create the complete structure, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The specialized animals are called zooids and are genetically identical but each serve a different function for survival, such as floating, catching prey or reproduction, NOAA says. Man o' wars use a balloon-like float to move up and down in the water column, according to NOAA, and their tentacles can grow an average of 30 feet long, with some man o' wars reaching as long as 100 feet. 'There's this idea the open oceans all connected, and it's just one species of bluebottle and they're all globally connected because they drift with the wind and the current. But that's absolutely not the case,' Pitt said in the release. 'And what's really interesting in Eastern Australia is that we have multiple species that have evolved despite potentially co-existing.' Researchers said further studies will be needed to understand why, despite overlapping and being in the same environment, the man o' wars deviated, according to the release. The research team includes Pitt, Samuel H. Church, River B. Abedon, Namrata Ahuja, Colin J. Anthony, Dalila Destanović, Diego A. Ramirez, Lourdes M. Rojas, Maria E. Albinsson, Itziar Álvarez Trasobares, Reza E. Bergemann, Ozren Bogdanovic, David R. Burdick, Tauana J. Cunha, Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Guillermo D'Elía, Kirstin B. Dion, Thomas K. Doyle, João M. Gonçalves, Alvaro Gonzalez Rajal, Steven H.D. Haddock, Rebecca R. Helm, Diane Le Gouvello, Zachary R. Lewis, Bruno I.M.M. Magalhães, Maciej K. Mańko, C. Gabriela Mayorga-Adame, Alex de Mendoza, Carlos J. Moura, Catriona Munro, Ronel Nel, Kohei Oguchi, Jessica N. Perelman, Laura Prieto, Moninya Roughan, Amandine Schaeffer, Andrea L. Schmidt, Javier Sellanes, Nerida G. Wilson, Gaku Yamamoto, Eric A. Lazo-Wasem, Chris Simon, Mary Beth Decker, Jenn M. Coughlan and Casey W. Dunn.
India.com
9 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Have 4 wives, owns 38 private jets, 300 cars, 52 golden boats and..., he is world's richest king, his name is..., not richer than Mukesh Ambani, Adani
Have 4 wives, owns 38 private jets, 300 cars, 52 golden boats and..., this is world's richest king, his name is..., not richer than Mukesh Ambani, Adani There are many billionaires across the world, but very few live as richly and royally as King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, also known as King Rama X. According to The Business Standard , he is believed to be the richest king in the world, with an estimated wealth of around Rs 3.7 lakh crore (which is about 43 billion US dollars). Where does his wealth come from King Vajiralongkorn didn't make his money like most businesspeople. His wealth comes from centuries of royal inheritance, and it grew even more after his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away in 2016. Since then, he has made major investments in some of Thailand's biggest companies and owns a lot of valuable land and buildings. In fact he owns more than 17,000 properties in Bangkok alone which makes him one of the largest landowners in Thailand. These include hotels, old palaces, and commercial buildings, many of which earn large amounts of rent. A life of extreme luxury King Vajiralongkorn lives a life of true royal luxury. His collection includes: Over 300 luxury cars 38 private jets A fleet of 52 golden boats used for special royal events These boats are not for travel, but part of grand traditional ceremonies, showing the rich culture of Thailand's royal family. A royal with military training Born in 1952, he is the only son of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. Raised from an early age to take over the throne, he was given elite military training abroad, where he studied in the United Kingdom and then at the University of New South Wales in Australia, graduating in military studies. He also had pilot training and served with the Royal Thai Army, where he saw action in counter-insurgency campaigns during the politically charged 1970s. A controversial figure Even though his personal life has been full of headlines, he has been married four times and often attracts media attention. Out of the four, three of them ended in divorce and have been the subject of tabloid headlines. He also remains an important and powerful figure in Thailand. He represents both the rich royal tradition and the modern face of the monarchy. Meanwhile, in India… India's richest people are well-known business tycoons. As of May 2025, Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian, with a net worth of about 92.5 billion dollars. Gautam Adani is second with 56.3 billion dollars, with businesses in ports, energy, and infrastructure. But even compared to these corporate giants, King Vajiralongkorn stands out—not just for his huge fortune, but for a lifestyle filled with palaces, private jets, golden boats, and royal ceremonies that few others in the world can match.
Time Out
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time Out
One Sydney university has ranked among the world's 20 best in the QS World University Rankings
Sydney's good looks are rarely under question, but it's always nice to be reminded that the Harbour City is more than just a pretty face. Recently, Sydney ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world (not factoring in cost of living), and in seventh place on the prestigious 2025 Global Cities Index. Now, the QS World University Rankings for 2026 have just dropped, revealing which institutions stand in the best stead for the year ahead. One Sydney university cracked the top ten – hats off to you, than 1,500 institutions from around the world were assessed for the 2026 rankings, including 36 from Australia. The top five were pretty similar to last year, with MIT holding onto first place with a perfect score of 100, followed by Imperial College London, Stanford, Harvard and Cambridge. Australia's highest-ranked institution was the University of Melbourne, which landed 19th on the global list. And just one position behind was the University of New South Wales (UNSW), which held onto its place among the top 20 universities in the world for the third consecutive year. Its overall score of 90.7 saw it drop one position from 19th in 2025, but it maintained impressive ratings for academic reputation (96.3) and ranked equal 12th in the world for sustainability. Of the 36 Australian institutions assessed, UNSW placed first in the employment outcome and international research network categories. Overall, two-thirds of Australia's ranked universities dropped in this year's rankings. Meanwhile, only seven climbed higher, including Monash University's jump from 37th to 36th. The University of Sydney slipped out of the top 20, landing at 25th, with the Australian National University and the University of Queensland also dropping two spots to 32nd and 42nd, respectively. Despite the overall decline, we think it's still pretty impressive that nine Australian universities still made the top 100 worldwide. You can check out the full rankings here. Here are the 20 best universities in the world Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA Imperial College London, UK Stanford University, USA University of Oxford, UK Harvard University, USA University of Cambridge, UK ETH Zurich, Switzerland National University of Singapore, Singapore University College London, UK California Institute of Technology, USA The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Chicago, USA Peking University, China University of Pennsylvania, USA Cornell University, USA Tsinghua University, China University of California, Berkeley, USA University of Melbourne, Australia University of New South Wales, Australia Yale University, USA Here are the 10 best universities in Australia University of Melbourne University of New South Wales University of Sydney Australian National University Monash University University of Queensland University of Western Australia Adelaide University University of Technology Sydney RMIT University Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists perplexed after discovering 'out of place' whales in unexpected location: 'What were they doing here?'
Research has found newborn humpback whales as far south as Tasmania, over 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from where experts thought humpback mothers typically gave birth. According to The Guardian, the study began when Jane McPhee-Frew, whale-watching skipper and researcher at the University of New South Wales, spotted a tiny calf off Newcastle. "It seemed out of place," she told the publication. "The calf was tiny, obviously brand new. What were they doing here?" The previous understanding was that humpback mothers swam north to give birth in warmer, tropical waters near the Great Barrier Reef before heading south with their calves to feed in Antarctic waters. "It may be the case that this has always been happening and we've just not documented it well or been paying attention," said Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, the study's co-author and whale scientist, per The Guardian. "Or it may be something new is happening because waters are becoming warmer further south of those traditional tropical areas." Most of these unusual sightings have been recorded after 2016, indicating this could be a recent development. These unexpected whale births point to how much our oceans are changing. Australia's average sea surface temperatures have risen by 1.08°C since 1900, according to CSIRO data shared by The Guardian, with the highest rises recorded off southeast Australia and Tasmania. When marine animals change their behavior patterns dramatically, it can create new challenges for both the whales and the communities that share coastal waters with them. Baby whales in unexpected locations face more risks from ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and other human activities that weren't previously considered threats in these areas. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "You've got human impacts — ship strike risks, entanglement risks, predation from natural predators, tourists and boats," Pirotta said about the navigation dangers along what researchers call the "humpback highway." The expanding range also means fishing communities, shipping companies, and coastal towns need to adjust their practices to account for whale mothers and calves in areas where they weren't previously expected. Scientists are working to understand and protect these whale families in their expanded range. Researchers like Dr. Angus Henderson from the University of Tasmania told The Guardian that speed restrictions and rerouting vessels away from whale habitat represent the most effective ways to minimize dangerous interactions. If you live near the coast, you can contribute by reporting any whale sightings to local marine research organizations. Boaters can help by maintaining safe distances from whales and reducing speeds in areas where mothers and calves might be present. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
India.com
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Usman Khawaja's beautiful wife Rachel who converted to Islam, also has dual citizenship of..., she works as...
In this collection of pictures we shall know about Usman Khawaja's wife Rachel who converted to Islam for love and she also have a dual citizenship of two countries. Let's dive in. Rachel Khawaja whose real name is Rachel McLellan, is not only the wife of Australia star Usman Khawaja but also a successful working professional. She was born on January 21, 1987 in Sydney, Australia. Usman Khawaja's wife is a Business Development Manager and a reporter at 7Cricket. Rachel Khawaja has a degree in Marketing from the University of New South Wales, she completed her education with a field which supported her professional journey. Talking about their romantic journey, it all started during their time at University in 2015. Both faced the ups and downs of student life together, which automatically made thier bond stronger. Both dated for three years, they chose to make it permanent for each other. Before their marriage, Rachel was a Catholic of Christian religion. She made the decision to covert to Islam. She also cleared that she made this choice by herself, without any pressure or influence from Usman or his family. The couple got married on April 6, 2018, in a private ceremony that celebrated their families and cultural heritages. The also had a traditional Islamic 'nikah' ceremony in 2017 before their official marriage looking forward to Rachel's conversion to Islam. The wedding celebration from both ways showed their deep commitment and love for each other and also the respect for one another's cultures and values. Both Usman Khawaja and Rachel are having two beautiful daughters whose names are Aisha Rahil and Ayla Fozia. Rachel Khawaja is generally active on social media as she posts about their family moments. At the age of 38, Usman Khawaja's wife Rachel remains very active and successful even after balancing her roles as a mother and wife. Rachel also shows her support to Usman Khawaja during cricket games as she has fully adapted to the cricketing lifestyle.
