All articles tagged with #shark bay
Researchers find that a subset of Shark Bay dolphins that sponge foraging show subtle DNA methylation differences, suggesting a link between culturally learned behavior and epigenetic change; a machine-learning model distinguished spongers from non-spongers using multiple methylation sites, though causality and whether changes are inherited remain unclear.
A Western Australia videographer filmed a critically endangered whitespotted wedgefish leading a group of fish—juvenile golden trevally, cobia and remoras—off Shark Bay, with the shoal mirroring the leader for about 10 minutes in drone footage.
Rare footage from Shark Bay shows bottlenose dolphins using sea sponges as protective tools on their snouts to hunt along the seafloor. The behavior alters echolocation and is transmitted from mothers to offspring; only about 5% of the population uses it, and calves typically learn it over 3–4 years. Sponge shape changes the acoustic beam, affecting hunting efficiency, with cone-shaped sponges guiding clicks more narrowly than basket-like sponges. The study, led by Ellen Rose Jacobs of Aarhus University and the Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project, highlights cultural transmission and the costs of tool use in a changing ocean, and was published in Royal Society Open Science.
Scientists studying Shark Bay’s stromatolites report that an Asgard archaeon named Nerearchaeum marumarumayae and a sulfate-reducing bacterium may have cooperated early in life’s history. DNA sequencing, AI protein modeling, and high-resolution electron cryotomography showing nanotube connections suggest a possible precursor to the first eukaryotic cells, offering a living glimpse into how complex life may have originated. The work also honors Indigenous Malgana language in naming the microbe and highlights the cultural and environmental significance of Gathaagudu (Shark Bay).
Researchers studying Shark Bay stromatolites show that Asgard archaea and a sulfate‑reducing bacterium directly interact, observed with DNA sequencing, AI protein modeling, and high-resolution imaging, offering a plausible model for the origin of eukaryotes and complex life; the new archaeon was named Nerearchaeum marumarumayae in collaboration with the Malgana people, highlighting a blend of modern science and Indigenous knowledge.
An Australian couple kayaking in Shark Bay, Western Australia, had a close encounter with a curious tiger shark that repeatedly approached and circled their transparent kayak, leading to a viral video capturing their mix of fear, joy, and excitement.