Anyone whose seen photographs of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch knows how gross our oceans are getting. (And anyone who read Andrew’s post last month knows that most famous gyre isn’t alone.) For a different way of looking at marine pollution, enter Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang, who have been collecting beach trash in Northern California since 1999 and taking pictures of it. This isn’t stuff left behind by visitors, mind you: It’s stuff that’s been belched out by the ocean. Their resulting work is surprisingly beautiful, and provocative because of it. These lemons are my favorite, but the entire series is worth a look.While you’re at it, check out Surfrider’s new European campaign, which draws attention to the same issue with the tag line “In the sea, there’s no such thing as a little bit of rubbish.” There’s an initiative to go along with it, tied to World Water Day on Monday, so if you live in Europe, you can follow the link here and get involved. The images are gorgeous and sad, and they can be found here.Image via, with permission
Tags
advertisement
More for You
-
Researchers capture sperm whales headbutting on camera, validating what sailors have said for centuries
“It’s exciting to think about what as-yet unseen behaviours we may soon uncover”
For centuries, sailors have told wild tales of whales ramming ships. Reports of a sperm whale smashing and sinking the Essex in 1820 inspired Herman Melville to write Moby-Dick. Scientists had never witnessed it themselves—until now.
Researchers have captured the first-ever drone footage of sperm whales headbutting each other. During fieldwork off the coast of the Balearic Islands, they recorded three separate incidents between 2020 and 2022.
Drone footage captures sperm whales headbutting
The new study was published in the journal Marine Mammal Science. Using drones, researchers from the University of St Andrews, the University of the Azores, and Asociación Tursiops captured video evidence of sperm whales headbutting. They found that most of the whales were young, immature males. In one incident, a young male circling near a female suddenly charged and slammed into her, knocking her off course. After the impact, she broke away from the group and did not return.
The researchers estimated impact speeds ranging from 1.8 to 8 miles per hour, with collisions generating forces of up to 20 tons of pressure. The impacts captured on video were not necessarily considered aggressive. In fact, researchers believe the behavior reflects rough play or forms of mock combat. Similar behaviors can be seen in other mammals, like dolphins and lions.
A depiction of Moby-Dick.
Photo credit: CanvaObservations of sperm whale behavior
Using their large heads, sperm whales have been reported by whalers to strike and move objects since the 19th century. “It was really exciting to observe this behaviour, which we knew had been hypothesised for such a long time, but not yet documented and described systematically,” said Dr. Alec Burslem, lead author of the study.
“It’s exciting to think about what as-yet unseen behaviours we may soon uncover, as well how more headbutting observations may help us to shed light on the functions the behaviour may serve,” Burslem added.
Documented, unprovoked attacks on humans by sperm whales are exceedingly rare, with most occurring during historical whaling incidents. Research indicates that sperm whales do not naturally exhibit aggression toward humans. While they can be curious, they often avoid vessels and observers. Historical accounts of whales ramming ships are likely defensive reactions rather than predatory attacks.
A sperm whale.
Photo credit: CanvaLanguage and cultural identities
Whales use clicks like letters, combining them into sequences that function like words in a complex form of communication. A 2024 study found that sperm whales use a highly sophisticated communication system with structures resembling a phonetic alphabet. These audio cues are used for coordination, caregiving, and social interaction.
A 2022 study found that specific click patterns serve as symbolic markers that help establish cultural identities within sperm whale pods. Researchers identified seven distinct clans, each with its own unique dialect. This provided quantitative evidence of whale social structures known as identity codas.
Studying this new drone footage offers fresh insights into whale social groups and behavior. While the headbutting may look aggressive, researchers interpret it as rough play. With technologies like drones giving scientists unprecedented access to these interactions, it’s exciting to think of what discoveries are yet to be made.
-
Study reveals startling truth: Intelligence lowers our empathy toward other people
“Smart people care less about moral judgements.”
A recent study conducted on adults in the UK found that people with higher cognitive ability scored lower on moral foundations. The study, published this summer in the journalIntelligence, sought to gage people’s response to the Moral Foundations Theory based on their overall intelligence. After two different studies, no difference was found between genders, but a person’s intelligence revealed a different story.
The research suggests that analytical thinkers tend to override their baseline moral intuitiveness. But what does that actually mean? First, cognitive ability refers to problem solving, abstract thinking, memory, logic, language comprehension, and basic critical thinking. This isn’t only IQ, but a person’s ability to process and apply their knowledge. Think of it as a living scholastic aptitude test (SAT.)
Man embraces a sunset. Photo Credit: Canva After testing to rate cognitive ability, subjects were then tested against The Moral Foundations Theory. The idea behind the theory is that, despite different cultures and populations, people tend to follow a similar set of themes and intuitive ethics. The theory follows six core ideas: care, equality, proportionality, loyalty, authority, and purity.
Surprisingly, the results of the tests found that people with higher intelligence found the moral foundations to be less important.
Care
Care has to do with the virtues of kindness, gentleness, and nurturing. This is the foundation of empathy. By feeling connected and emotionally attached to the community, people gain purpose and a strong feeling of belonging.
Equality
Symbols for equal diversity. Photo credit: Canva Always a hot topic on the political playing field, equality looks to create fair circumstances. The idea is all people have equal opportunity and treatment. Communities offering equality have reduced resentment and foster a cooperative environment where people feel respected and included.
Proportionality
This concept is based on fairness and merit. People should get what they deserve and be treated by what they do, not just who they are. What you put in, you get out. This is a driving principle underlying a core belief of this country: that anyone can achieve most anything if they are willing to put in the work. Many would argue for its merit while others would call it wishful thinking.
Loyalty
Hands come together. Photo credit: Canva This is another popular topic of political leaders and followers. We are tribal by nature and greatly benefit from a feeling of belonging. Sacrificing the individual wants for the needs of the group, this is one of the foundational cornerstones of building communities.
Authority
Leader in front of group. Photo credit: Canva Authority encompasses the concepts of hierarchy and respect for traditions. Research shows we are genetically programmed to seek a social hierarchy. As much as many fight to climb to the top, feeling a part of the system is often enough to supply someone with a great amount of emotional security.
Purity
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “Your body is a temple.” The ideal is expressed through self-discipline, self-improvement, and spirituality. Striving to be noble and less carnal, people try to be the best version of themselves. The moral advancement and the elevation of the social consciousness of the community is believed to have incredible value.
These core values are believed to be inherent in all people, but are they? At least according to this most recent study, the more intelligent you are, the less you might care about them. However, author and literary genius Leo Tolstoy once famously claimed that kindness is one sure sign of a highly intelligent person and other studies back up his views. Maybe when it comes down to it, it depends on the person.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
-
Tech company helps dementia patients live independently with memory-prompting smart glasses
“For people with the condition like mine who’ve got cognitive impairment, it’s just an amazing thing.”
People with Alzheimer’s disease and their families often require support. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in nine people aged 65 and older has the disease. Nearly 12 million Americans also provide unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. With that in mind, a tech company is hoping to help through a simple pair of glasses.
CrossSense, a British technology company, has developed AI-driven smart glasses designed for people experiencing cognitive decline. Using a camera built into the frame, the glasses can identify and label objects directly in the lenses. They also feature an AI assistant, dubbed “Wispy,” which can gently ask questions, provide reminders, and adapt to a user’s needs.
The purpose of these lenses is to help people with cognitive disabilities live more independently. The AI helps those with Alzheimer’s disease remember steps in a sequence and labels the items they are looking at. This can give patients a sense of confidence while also easing the burden on those who care for them.
The creators spent more than a decade developing prototypes of the glasses. They trained the AI on everyday activities such as household chores and preparing basic meals. The glasses are designed to work with a patient’s prescription and hearing aids, allowing the AI to learn more about the user’s surroundings. Over time, this can help identify unusual discrepancies for the wearer.
According to CrossSense’s website, the glasses will check in with the user about items on their schedule, such as appointments and medications. They can also help users remember the names and appearances of people they frequently interact with. The glasses can keep track of conversations users have had, along with items they’ve interacted with throughout the day. The built-in battery allows the glasses to operate for an hour, but a portable power bank can extend use throughout the day.
Initial results look promising
The technology is still being thoroughly tested to ensure safety and quality, but it has already made an impression. CrossSense’s glasses were awarded the Longitude Prize on Dementia from the Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK. The prize included £1 million to help fund research and production of the glasses. CrossSense hopes to make the glasses available to the public by 2027.
For the few patients with Alzheimer’s disease who have tested these smart glasses, the support the gadget provides has been game-changing.
“For people with the condition like mine who’ve got cognitive impairment, it’s just an amazing thing,” Carole Greig, an Alzheimer’s patient and smart glasses tester, told The Guardian. “How fantastic that we can be given some more independence, that we’re going to be able to cope on our own and not be a burden. And not only that, it’s not just [not] being a burden, it’s enjoying your life.”
A neurologist weighs in
Dr. Rab Nawaz, a board-certified neurologist in the United Kingdom, spoke to GOOD about the smart glasses and their potential uses.
“The most promising use is real-time cueing,” he said. “In early-stage dementia, people often struggle not just with memory, but with sequencing, word-finding, visual-spatial processing, and carrying out familiar multistep tasks.”
He added, “A tool like these glasses could help by labeling objects, prompting the next step in an activity, and reducing the panic that comes when someone knows what they want to do but cannot bridge the gap in the moment.”
However, Nawaz is hesitant to see this technology as an end-all, be-all solution.
“My biggest concern is overpromising,” he said. “These glasses are exciting, but they are not a treatment for Alzheimer’s and they will not work equally well for every patient, especially as dementia becomes more advanced or if someone has paranoia, hallucinations, poor vision, major hearing impairment, or trouble tolerating wearable devices.”
With continued testing over time, there will hopefully be further advances in both technology and medicine to support patients with Alzheimer’s disease now and in the future.
advertisement
Researchers capture sperm whales headbutting on camera, validating what sailors have said for centuries
Tech company helps dementia patients live independently with memory-prompting smart glasses
Want to reconnect with someone but aren’t sure what to say? Try this simple, no-risk way to reach out.
Sign Up for the Daily Good!
Advertisement
