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Extreme heat waves are not only a growing threat to humans but also to vital pollinators like bumble bees. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reveals that heat waves can significantly impair bumble bees’ ability to detect the scents of flowers they depend on for food. This discovery raises concerns about the potential impact of climate change on bee populations and the agricultural industries that rely on them.

Impact of Heat on Bumble Bee Physiology

Coline Jaworski, a field ecologist at France’s National Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environmental Research, told Science.org that heat waves have a clear effect on bumble bee physiology. If these bees struggle to find their food sources, the consequences could reportedly be severe for crops that depend on their pollination. Without successful pollination, seeds won’t form, leading to a decline in plant reproduction, which could have disastrous outcomes for food supply chains.

Bumble bees play a crucial role in pollinating various crops that contribute to about one-third of the global food supply. Despite their importance, bee populations have been on a steady decline, primarily due to habitat loss and climate change. Last year, the planet experienced record-breaking heat, and such conditions are becoming more frequent, correlating with the ongoing decline in bee populations, as per the study.

How Rising Temperatures Affect Bumble Bees

Bumble bees rely on their eyesight to locate flower patches and use their antennae to detect the scent of the most suitable flowers. Receptors in their antennae pick up scent molecules, which are then transmitted as electrical signals to their brains, helping them decide which flowers to visit. Sabine Nooten, an insect ecologist at Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, told the publication how rising temperatures affect this vital process in bumble bees.

Nooten and her team reportedly conducted experiments on 190 bumble bees from two species commonly found in Europe: Bombus pascuorum and Bombus terrestris. They exposed the bees to a simulated heat wave by placing them in a tube where the temperature was raised to 40°C for nearly three hours, as per Science.org. Afterward, the team removed the bees’ antennae and tested their electrical responses to three common flower scents: ocimene, geraniol, and nonanal.

The Long-Lasting Effects of Heat Exposure

The results showed that heat exposure significantly reduced the bees’ antennal responses to these scents, sometimes by as much as 80 percent. Sandra Rehan, a molecular ecologist at York University, commented on the importance of this study, noting that 40°C is within the range of temperatures currently experienced in many parts of the world.

Worryingly, most of the heat-exposed bees’ antennae failed to recover their ability to detect scents, even after a 24-hour recovery period in cooler conditions. This suggests that the damage caused by heat waves could have long-lasting effects on bumble bees’ ability to forage effectively.

The study also found that the wild species B. pascuorum was less resilient to heat compared to B. terrestris. Additionally, female worker bees, which are responsible for gathering food for their colonies, appeared more vulnerable to heat exposure than male bees.

Implications for Future Research and Pollinator Health

Future research should explore whether other bee species and pollinators, such as hoverflies, suffer similar heat-induced damage. Jaworski warns that some solitary pollinators, like the carpenter bee, might be at even greater risk. These insects do not have the advantage of stored food in colonies and could face devastating consequences if they are unable to forage effectively due to extreme heat.

This research highlights the pressing need to understand and address the impacts of climate change on vital pollinators, as their decline could have far-reaching effects on global food security.

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SpaceX Launches 26 New Starlink Satellites, Expands Global Internet Network

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June 13, 2025

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SpaceX Launches 26 New Starlink Satellites, Expands Global Internet Network

SpaceX just aced another launch of its Starlink internet satellites. On Thursday night (June 12), the company launched 26 new Starlink spacecraft to join its ever-growing internet megaconstellation in orbit. Flying from Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, the launch occurred at 9:54 p.m. EDT (6:54 p.m. PDT or 0154 GMT) on June 13. The satellites are planned to be deployed into orbit from the second stage about one hour and one minute after liftoff. This accomplishment brings to more than 7,600 the number of active satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink.

As per SpaceX’s official update for its 15-6 mission, the rocket’s first-stage booster, known as B1081, flew for the 15th time after 14 prior flights. It successfully touched down on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of southern California, yet again. The company’s current record for reflight of Falcon 9 boosters is 28 flights, proving itself at the same time to be the best at orbital launch efficiency.

Thursday’s mission marks the 72nd Falcon 9 launch, with 53 of those dedicated to the Starlink network. The system aims to provide high-speed internet access around the world, and an increasing number of satellites provide direct-to-cell services for texting and a limited data connection on certain kinds of smartphones and through certain carriers.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX continues to add satellites to the Starlink constellation to increase redundancy and coverage, particularly in remote areas. The current constellation has wide coverage of the Earth, allowing small satellite dishes and mobile phones to connect to the internet in real time in dozens of countries.

SpaceX is simultaneously expanding the reach of Starlink and laying the groundwork for next-generation applications like in-flight connectivity and emergency response communications. With more than 7,600 satellites now orbiting Earth and as many as dozens of additional launches on the docket, Starlink is rapidly redefining how global internet coverage can work in the modern era.

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Aurora Alert! Northern Lights May Be Visible as Far South as New York on June 14

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June 13, 2025

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Aurora Alert! Northern Lights May Be Visible as Far South as New York on June 14

A rare display in the night sky could be visible to skywatchers in the U.S., as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a geomagnetic storm watch for the night of June 14. The moderate G2-level event, fuelled by disturbances in solar wind, might produce auroras visible as far south as New York and Idaho, providing a spectacular light show far beyond the usual polar zones. While it’s welcome news for aurora enthusiasts, experts caution that extended daylight hours due to the approaching summer solstice could limit ideal viewing windows.

Coronal Hole Sparks Geomagnetic Storm; Auroras May Glow as Far South as New York June 14

As per the statement from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC), this increase in geomagnetic activity is associated to a greater degree with a co-rotating interaction region (CIR), a turbulent region where high-speed streams of solar wind collide with slower-moving wind. While these CIRs may not be as dramatic as CMEs, they can still lead to shock waves that rattle the Earth’s magnetic field. The latest CIR was formed around a large coronal hole – a particularly dark region in the Sun’s outermost atmosphere – that is currently facing Earth and spewing high-speed solar wind directly into space.

Coronal holes are allowed to expand and develop into space weather due to reduced density and lower temperature solar wind pressing outward. Forecasts suggest a Kp index of 5.67 on 14 June, so there is another chance for auroras at lower latitudes.

To catch the northern lights, search for dark, clear skies in the hours before dawn, and check in with NOAA’s 3-day space weather forecast, as well as real-time resources like the “My Aurora Forecast & Alerts” app.

The aurora is weather and atmospheric conditions permitting, and should be visible for those based outside of the Arctic Circle viewing it during an approaching storm.

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New Island Forms in Caspian Sea as Water Levels Drop, Russian Scientists Confirm

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June 13, 2025

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New Island Forms in Caspian Sea as Water Levels Drop, Russian Scientists Confirm

Russian scientists have confirmed a brand-new island in the northern Caspian Sea. Satellite imagery from late 2024 first hinted at a sandbank breaking the surface, and a field expedition in mid 2025 verified it. The feature lies about 30 km southwest of Maly Zhemchuzhny Island, on the Europe-Asia boundary of the world’s largest inland sea. It barely rises above the water, and it appeared as the Caspian’s level reached unusually low values. Scientists note the sea has fallen in recent decades (linked to higher evaporation in a warming climate and regional tectonic shifts) and has been dropping again since the 2010.

Confirming the Island’s Emergence

According to a translated statement , in November 2024, satellite images showed a pile of sand and sediment poking above the sea surface. When a Russian research vessel reached the location, scientists saw a flat, sandy patch just above the water. Its surface was damp and crisscrossed by small ridges of sand, but only a few inches higher than the surrounding sea. Approaching by boat proved tricky: very shallow water and foul weather meant the team could not actually land on the new islet. Instead, researchers flew drones (quadcopters) to photograph the site from above. These aerial pictures confirmed the island’s outline and scale. In the field images, the new island appeared as a low, sandy plain with no vegetation.

Environmental Significance and Future Outlook

The island highlights the Caspian’s shifting waters and geology. Scientists have observed that long-term cycles of water rise and fall can expose underwater banks as temporary islands, as seen in the Kumani Bank mud volcano off Azerbaijan’s coast. The island, which could become a nesting ground for seabirds or a haul-out site for Caspian seals, could be influenced by climate-driven water loss and tectonic or volcanic activity. The island’s fate will help scientists understand the interaction between Caspian water levels, climate change, and Earth movements, and what new habitats may emerge when an inland sea shifts its shoreline.

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