The geologically oldest known crinoid pentacrinoid larva is reported from Verulam Formation (Katian) from the Lafarge Cannifton Agg Quarry in Cannifton, Ontario, Canada. The entire specimen (arms, aboral cup, and incomplete column) is ~4.2 mm high with the aboral cup only ~1.3 mm high. The specimen is comparable in size to the early pentacrinoid larva of the living crinoid Metacrinus rotundatus Carpenter, 1885. As known, the morphology of this pentacrinoid larva does not correspond in all details with any adult crinoid in the Cannifton area or from the nearby Brechin Lagerstätte fauna, suggesting that considerable morphological change occurred during ontogeny of this taxon.

The Afro-Arabian dome is a broad (4000 × 1500 km) topographic swell extending from Ethiopia to the Eastern Mediterranean, initiated by Late Eocene epeirogeny associated with the Afar plume and further shaped by Oligo-Miocene rifting of the Red Sea. Here, we evaluate stages in the uplift history of Afro-Arabia by analysing the mineralogical and geochemical properties of Oligocene-Miocene sediments from the Levant Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean. Our findings show that the 3-km-thick siliciclastic section in the basin preserves a unique record of the regional-scale uplift in Afro-Arabia, revealing a three-stage evolution: (1) Oligocene sediments (∼33–25 Ma) exhibit extreme weathering signatures reflecting deep chemical alteration of Neoproterozoic basement rocks of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. These sediments record the erosion of widespread Late Cretaceous-Late Eocene etchplains that blanketed the region and were dismantled during early stages of mantle-driven domal uplift; (2) A major transition occurred in the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene (∼25–20 Ma) when sedimentation rates peaked, sediment weathering intensity declined and recycling intensified, reflecting more vigorous erosion as uplift accelerated along the emerging Red Sea Rift shoulders; (3) Since ∼20 Ma, sediments show reduced weathering intensity, reflecting incision through the residual weathering mantle into fresh basement and marking the development of a rugged, high-relief landscape. Together, this record documents a stepwise transition from a deeply weathered, low-relief surface to a high-relief topography, shaped by the combined effects of regional doming and flexural uplift along the Red Sea Rift margins. It provides independent sedimentary constraints on the timing and style of Oligocene-Miocene uplift of Afro-Arabia.

Sagittal otoliths are structures that integrate the sensory system of teleost fish, assisting in balance and hearing, which are normally composed of calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. The dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus has great economic importance and there are already initiatives to produce this species through aquaculture. This study aimed to check the frequency of anomalous otoliths and to characterize the crystallization of sagittal otoliths in E. marginatus from a rearing system. We examined sagittal otoliths of 184 E. marginatus, most otoliths presented normal morphology (n = 152; TL = 24.0 ± 3.59 cm; OW = 0.034 ± 0.014 g), while about 17% were deformed (n = 32; TL = 29.7 ± 1.87 cm; OW mean = 0.040 ± 0.011 g). Raman spectroscopy detected aragonite deposition in all normal and anomalous otoliths. The morphological changes in otoliths of groupers may have been caused by transport between hatchery and fattening locations, by the constant flow of aeration during hatchery rearing, or even by a possible starvation period.

Glacier energy-balance models offer mechanistic insights into glacier mass balance under a changing climate, yet their considerable data requirements hinder large-scale applications. Here we present the open-source Python Energy Balance model for Snow and Ice (PEBSI), which includes physically based albedo evolution using the Snow, Ice and Aerosol Radiative (SNICAR) model. PEBSI is calibrated and validated using robust in situ data from Gulkana Glacier, Alaska from 2000 to 2024. Simulations forced with original and bias-corrected climate reanalysis data show that statistically downscaling reanalysis data with in situ observations is necessary to reproduce summer mass balance (mean absolute error [MAE] = 0.75 m w.e. vs 0.22 m w.e., respectively). A grid search across two parameters, a precipitation factor and a densification parameter, reveals tradeoffs in performance compared to seasonal mass balance and end-of-winter snow density and depth. No single combination of parameters minimizes all errors, underscoring the inherent overparameterization of energy-balance models and challenges with translating coarse climate data to the glacier scale. The calibrated model successfully simulates the 2024 melt season, agreeing with surface-height change (MAE = 0.48 m) and albedo (MAE = 0.066) observations. Moving forward, PEBSI provides unique opportunities to quantify albedo feedbacks and their impact on present and future glacier mass loss.

At ANSTO, we have developed an automated dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) processing line, known as A-DIC, designed to sequentially process 10 water samples for radiocarbon analysis without any operator intervention. The A-DIC works at ambient pressure using helium (He) gas as a carrier. It includes a water pump capable of drawing adjustable sample volumes between 22-180 mL into a 250 mL reaction vessel. Upon the addition of 5 mL of phosphoric acid to the vessel, the sample is sparged with helium (He) gas at a rate of 45 mL/min for 16 min. The desorbed CO2 from the sample is then carried along with He through a series of traps: water vapor traps at –75 °C, a sulphur (SOx) trap containing silver wires at 650 °C, and two CO2 traps at –196 °C. The A-DIC is automated via a Python script executed on a PC connected via USB. It demonstrates consistent performance and CO2 trapping efficiency across batches of up to 10 samples. For contamination study, the CO2 gas collected is transferred to graphitization units to be converted into graphite for AMS analysis.

This study examines the Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife™ (ACE for Wildlife™) Network, a collaborative professional network that draws on elements of the collective impact model to foster empathy for wildlife and advance conservation goals. Using a mixed-methods case study design, including social network analysis and qualitative interviews, we examine how the Network’s structured design and facilitation supported information-sharing and collaboration among participating zoos and aquariums. The results demonstrate that information-sharing served as a critical foundation for collaboration, with participants forming new partnerships and leveraging shared resources. The study highlights the roles of centralized backbone coordination and bridging individuals in supporting network connectivity, shared learning and collaboration. We provide insights into how intentionally designed professional networks can strengthen practice within the zoo and aquarium field and contribute to understanding how collaboration can be supported in other sectors working towards shared environmental or learning goals.

The clayey sludge resulting from aggregate washing in quarries of the Marrakech region generates significant environmental impacts and adds an economic burden to the industry. This study aims to characterize these clayey sludges in order to explore their potential for ceramic applications. Fifteen samples were collected from various quarries along the major waterways of the Marrakech region. The physical properties of the clayey materials were analysed according to particle-size distribution and plasticity limits. The mineralogical composition was determined using X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The chemical composition was determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The carbonate and volatile contents were determined by calcimetry and loss on ignition at 500°C and 950°C, respectively. SiO2 and Al2O3 are main constituents, while quartz, feldspars and clay minerals are the main phases, along with minor calcite and hematite. Illite is the dominant clay mineral, followed by kaolinite and chlorite. The clayey material exhibits low to medium plasticity and variable particle-size distributions. The chemical composition of these sludges confirms their potential for red ceramic applications. However, their low plasticity, variable particle-size distribution and mineralogical composition, characterized by a low clay mineral content, limit their direct applicability. To improve their suitability for ceramic production, adding clay-rich tempers is essential to enhancing their mineralogical composition, granulometry and plasticity. Furthermore, the results provide a valuable guide for selecting local materials for Marrakech pottery and can serve as a model for other regions.

In freshwater samples, benzalkonium chloride (BAC) effectively prevents radiocarbon (14C) of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from changing owing to its bactericidal effects. The addition of BAC is a promising alternative method to mercury, which is currently the standard method of sterilization. Therefore, it is important to investigate its basic potential in advance for radiocarbon observations in seawater if mercury is prohibited. Since the BAC efficiency decreases in seawater, our investigation focused on salinity, which is the distinguishing characteristic of seawater. The disinfectant effects of BAC in the low- and high-salinity (4.4 and 26.5) seawater samples at a constant BAC concentration and the varying BAC concentrations at a constant salinity (20.8) were examined. With BAC treatment, the higher-salinity samples exhibited larger changes in DIC 14C concentration and δ13C value, indicators of microbial activity, than the lower-salinity samples. At higher BAC concentrations (0.1% or 1%), DIC isotope values changed negligibly over time, whereas at the lower concentration (0.01%) they changed significantly over time. These findings suggest that salt diminishes the efficiency of BAC, potentially by degrading it, thereby reducing its bactericidal activity and allowing microorganism populations to recover, thus altering 14C concentration. Further, they indicate that increasing the BAC dosage may overcome its diminished efficacy in seawater samples.

Burial mounds, or kurgans, are a widespread archaeological feature in ancient Eurasia. In the South Caucasus, the Kura-Araxes (KA) culture adopted these funerary structures to express horizontal social ideology through collective inhumations. KA communities also constantly re-engaged with the dead through the regular reopening of burials, contributing to a rich organic archive that relates to episodes of funerary manipulation. This article reports on the results of a radiocarbon wiggle-match obtained from a semi-burnt branch of Juniperus sp. associated with Kurgan 8 at Uzun Rama (Ganja, Azerbaijan). This structure yielded evidence of burial activity during the KA I phase (ca. 3500–3000/2900 BCE) and the post-KA, the “Early Kurgan” period (ca. 2500–2000 BCE), and the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1500–1150 BCE). The sample came from a wooden structure constructed and then burnt in the ritual closure of the kurgan by fire, marking the final stage of its KA use. The results of the wiggle-match allowed us to produce a close estimate for the felling of the branch, thus providing a refined Terminus Post Quem (TPQ) for the construction of the wooden structure itself and its use within 3204–3174 BCE. These results shed light on finer temporal resolution of burial history not just pertaining to funerary sequences, but also in terms of social engagement with visible landmarks and long-term cultural or generational memory. The results correlate with broader trends observed in other KA kurgans and settlements excavated along the Kura basin, pointing at large-scale landscape (or even historical) reconfigurations across the Kura-Araxes world.