Kristeen Cherney via Sciencing:

‘Scientists have only explored a fraction of Earth’s ocean, mainly because some areas, like submarine canyons or steep-sided deep valleys, are logistically challenging to explore. Despite that, they continue to study what they can to learn more about sea inhabitants. That research has led to the discovery of the strangest deep sea creatures ever, such as the goblin shark and giant tubeworms. While conducting the first comprehensive environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis of Western Australia‘s Cape Range Canyon and Cloates Canyon, scientists detected that they’re home to one of the most elusive and mysterious creatures: the giant squid (Architeuthis dux)….’

What could they be trying to tell us?

Sheena Harvey via Discover Wildlife:

‘“Humpback whales live in complex societies, are acoustically diverse, use bubble tools and assist other species being harassed by predators,” says co-lead author Dr Fred Sharpe. “Now, akin to a candidate signal, we show they are blowing bubble rings in our direction in an apparent attempt to playfully interact, observe our response, and/or engage in some form of communication.”…’

Jonquilyn Hill interviewing philosopher Jeff Sebo on Vox:

‘There are many factors that shape how much empathy we have for non-human animals of various kinds. Are they cute and do they look like us? Do they remind us of ourselves? What role do we assign them in our lives?

We have more empathy by default for animals who play companion roles in our lives as opposed to animals who play commodity roles in our lives. This is why we can often have much more empathy for some animals over others, even if they display the same markers of sentience and the same markers of intelligence….’

Beverly Braga via Jalopnik:

‘Getting pulled over is never a fun time. The reasons are seemingly endless, from driving a police magnet to dangling a keepsake from the rearview mirror or having Flock misidentify your car as stolen. Now imagine going through any of these scenarios while also having a disability that creates communication challenges, such as autism. For someone with sensory, cognitive, and verbal difficulties, the already stressful event of being pulled over could lead to trauma or even being shot. And for the police officer, being unaware of the driver’s medical condition can lead to miscommunication and mishandling of the situation.

That’s why the Blue Envelope Program was developed: to improve communication between law enforcement and people who require additional accommodations or time during stops. Designed to be an all-inclusive information tool that’s easy and straightforward to use for both the driver and officer, on the envelope’s exterior are printed instructions and guidelines regarding how to interact with one another, while inside are essential documents, such as a driver’s license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration….’