ARGENTINA
Only 800 hooded grebes–a bird living in Santa Cruz Patagonia–are left in the world. A science writer flies to Argentina to take a look.
An Argentine researcher has published a study in PLoS ONE that explores empathy and its role in moral judgments. Read more on Eze’s blog here. Press release here.
A study across 19 countries, 41 different agricultural systems and more than 600 fields analyzed the effectiveness of combining the action of wild insect pollinators with managed honey bees. Led by Argentine researcher Lucas Garibaldi, the study found that wild pollinators were more effective at at enhancing yields. The results are published in the journal Science.
BRAZIL
The Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria (EMBRAPA) successfully cloned a calf from adipose cells and is the first institution in the world to successfully use the technique. The animal’s oocyte nucleus was inserted into the adipose (fat) cell and subsequently stimulated to develop. The resulting embryo was placed in a surrogate, which gave birth to the calf that is now breastfeeding. EMBRAPA researchers believe that this technique can facilitate and bring down the costs of producing high-quality cattle.
CHILE
Chilean research is trying to find bacterial solutions to the treatment of industrial solutions to reduce impurities and improve the copper extraction process.
COLOMBIA
“Colombia is not prepared for the mining locomotive,” says Luis Jorge Garay, director of a new study from Colombia’s Government Accountability Office. Colombian newspaper El Espectador has a report.
MEXICO
Mexican researchers are looking at the population genetics of great white sharks in Baja California.
On the summit of Sierra Negra in Puebla, Mexico, the large millimeter telescope (GTM) has been debuted. The project aims to analyze the development of radiation-emitting material as well as look at the development and death of stars and galaxies. In this first stage of operation, the GTM research will include 11 projects from scientists across Mexico who will also be collaborating on with international projects.
PERU
Between 30 and 50 sea lions have been found washed ashore on Peru’s northern coast. Officials from Peru’s IMARPE say the numbers were below 20.