#stefanfwirth — Public Fediverse posts

RE: https://mastodon.green/@plazi_species/117075926915876086

A #newspecies of #chimaera has been #discovered. #Chimaeras (#Chondrichthyes) are the only extant representatives of the taxon Holocephali. They have been less studied than other cartilaginous fish and often inhabit continental margins. N. V. Vidaurre-Quesada et al. (2026) described the new species Rhinochimaera costaricana off the #Pacific #coast of #CostaRica. #Biodiversity.

© #StefanFWirth, August 2026, Berlin

RE: https://mastodon.green/@plazi_species/117075926915876086

A #newspecies of #chimaera has been #discovered. #Chimaeras (#Chondrichthyes) are the only extant representatives of the taxon Holocephali. They have been less studied than other cartilaginous fish and often inhabit continental margins. N. V. Vidaurre-Quesada et al. (2026) described the new species Rhinochimaera costaricana off the #Pacific #coast of #CostaRica. #Biodiversity.

© #StefanFWirth, August 2026, Berlin

#Animals unable to #smell, #see, or #hear their food will sooner or later #starve.
However, researchers have now discovered using #Tyto #alba that #owls #retain their most important sense, #hearing, well into #oldage. According to the authors, owls are capable of #regenerating lost hair cells in the inner ear.

© #StefanFWirth, 2026, Berlin

Reference
B. Krumm et al (2017)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1584

#Photo:
Tyto alba; Wales. 2016, author Alun Williams333, licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.de

#Animals unable to #smell, #see, or #hear their food will sooner or later #starve.
However, researchers have now discovered using #Tyto #alba that #owls #retain their most important sense, #hearing, well into #oldage. According to the authors, owls are capable of #regenerating lost hair cells in the inner ear.

© #StefanFWirth, 2026, Berlin

Reference
B. Krumm et al (2017)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1584

#Photo:
Tyto alba; Wales. 2016, author Alun Williams333, licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.de

Female #antalates can serve as #vectors for introducing #phoreticorganisms, such as #mites, from an established #colony into a newly founded #nest. Hitching a ride on a #youngqueen can be a key #dispersalstrategy for #myrmecophilous #phoreticmites.
However, some #phoretic species also utilize other routes, such as via #workerants.
© #StefanFWirth

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Reading:
H. Klompen & K. U. Campbell (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-024-01003-z

#Photos:
©S. F. Wirth, L. niger #queen

Female #antalates can serve as #vectors for introducing #phoreticorganisms, such as #mites, from an established #colony into a newly founded #nest. Hitching a ride on a #youngqueen can be a key #dispersalstrategy for #myrmecophilous #phoreticmites.
However, some #phoretic species also utilize other routes, such as via #workerants.
© #StefanFWirth

Support my work: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Reading:
H. Klompen & K. U. Campbell (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-024-01003-z

#Photos:
©S. F. Wirth, L. niger #queen

At #night, impressions of the #metropolis of #Berlin shift. Even the famous #sculptures no longer stand out or dominate the #cityscape; instead, like everything else, they are enveloped in darkness, #transforming their #visualimpact. The #sculpture "Berlin", created in 1987 by Brigitte and Martin #MatschinskyDenninghoff, symbolizes the Berlin of that era: a #dividedcity yet intrinsically united.
© #StefanFWirth

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#Photos:
© S.F. Wirth, July 2026

At #night, impressions of the #metropolis of #Berlin shift. Even the famous #sculptures no longer stand out or dominate the #cityscape; instead, like everything else, they are enveloped in darkness, #transforming their #visualimpact. The #sculpture "Berlin", created in 1987 by Brigitte and Martin #MatschinskyDenninghoff, symbolizes the Berlin of that era: a #dividedcity yet intrinsically united.
© #StefanFWirth

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#Photos:
© S.F. Wirth, July 2026

In these #Berlin #nighttime #photographs, I captured the dynamic #movement of a passing #bus. I #perceived the movement in a less differentiated way. But how do #animals like #dogs perceive #movementstimuli? Especially movement dynamics that they associate with #animacy? See the mini-review by J. Abdai (2025).
© #StefanFWirth

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Reference:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1522489

#Photos:
S.F.Wirth, Berlin 2026

In these #Berlin #nighttime #photographs, I captured the dynamic #movement of a passing #bus. I #perceived the movement in a less differentiated way. But how do #animals like #dogs perceive #movementstimuli? Especially movement dynamics that they associate with #animacy? See the mini-review by J. Abdai (2025).
© #StefanFWirth

Please support my work, I depend on it: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Reference:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1522489

#Photos:
S.F.Wirth, Berlin 2026

RE: https://mastodon.social/@proseandpassion/116935425709917770

Where in #space can #planets with #atmospheres be found? C. Cherubim et al. (2026) used #nearinfraredspectroscopy to characterize a #rocky #exoplanet orbiting its host star within the #habitablezone. Planet #LHS1140b exhibits #helium #absorption in its atmosphere, a feature the authors attribute to a helium-dominated #upperatmosphericlayer.

© #StefanFWirth, July 2026, Berlin

Reference
C. Cherubim et al. (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aea9708

RE: https://mastodon.social/@proseandpassion/116935425709917770

Where in #space can #planets with #atmospheres be found? C. Cherubim et al. (2026) used #nearinfraredspectroscopy to characterize a #rocky #exoplanet orbiting its host star within the #habitablezone. Planet #LHS1140b exhibits #helium #absorption in its atmosphere, a feature the authors attribute to a helium-dominated #upperatmosphericlayer.

© #StefanFWirth, July 2026, Berlin

Reference
C. Cherubim et al. (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aea9708

#mites of the #Astigmata (#Acariformes) are soft-skinned. Their thin #cuticle is sensitive to #drought, which is why they avoid leaving their mostly #moist #fungus- and bacteria-rich #habitats. For the purpose of #dispersal, a modified instar, the #deutonymph, with stronger cuticle and other specific #adaptations #evolved, performing #phoresy, the transport most often via larger arthropods.
© #StefanFWirth, July 2026, Berlin

#Photo:
#Adult female of #Histiostoma sp. © Stefan F. Wirth

#mites of the #Astigmata (#Acariformes) are soft-skinned. Their thin #cuticle is sensitive to #drought, which is why they avoid leaving their mostly #moist #fungus- and bacteria-rich #habitats. For the purpose of #dispersal, a modified instar, the #deutonymph, with stronger cuticle and other specific #adaptations #evolved, performing #phoresy, the transport most often via larger arthropods.
© #StefanFWirth, July 2026, Berlin

#Photo:
#Adult female of #Histiostoma sp. © Stefan F. Wirth

#ElNiño is a phenomenon in which the surface waters of central and eastern #PacificOcean warm more than usual. This results in #extreme #weatherevents that further amplify the effects of #globalwarming. An El Niño is happening in 2026 and has already begun to form. According to Yale Climate Connections and other institutions, 2026 and 2027 could be among the #hottestyears since #weatherrecords began.

© #StefanFWirth 2026

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#Photos:
#Berlin #Kreuzberg

#ElNiño is a phenomenon in which the surface waters of central and eastern #PacificOcean warm more than usual. This results in #extreme #weatherevents that further amplify the effects of #globalwarming. An El Niño is happening in 2026 and has already begun to form. According to Yale Climate Connections and other institutions, 2026 and 2027 could be among the #hottestyears since #weatherrecords began.

© #StefanFWirth 2026

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#Photos:
#Berlin #Kreuzberg

#Wasps of the genus #Psenulus (Crabronidae, #Spheciformes) are particularly species-rich in the Indomalayan region. Ten species occur in #Europe. These small #predatory wasps provision their #brood with small insects. The genus is possibly the #sistertaxon to #bees, and some species are well-adapted to urban environments (see link 2026).
© #StefanFWirth

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Reference
H. İnci et al. (2026) https://doi.org/10.51963/jers.v28i1.2916

#Photos © S.F. Wirth, 2026, Psenulus sp.

#Wasps of the genus #Psenulus (Crabronidae, #Spheciformes) are particularly species-rich in the Indomalayan region. Ten species occur in #Europe. These small #predatory wasps provision their #brood with small insects. The genus is possibly the #sistertaxon to #bees, and some species are well-adapted to urban environments (see link 2026).
© #StefanFWirth

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Reference
H. İnci et al. (2026) https://doi.org/10.51963/jers.v28i1.2916

#Photos © S.F. Wirth, 2026, Psenulus sp.

#Humandiversity has always been a key #drivingforce for #progressivesocieties, even in ancient times. In contrast, the #NationalSocialists perfected #hatred, #xenophobia, #racism, #antisemitism, and #homophobia. Emerging #rightwingforces must not be allowed to repeat this, for diversity fosters higher #collectiveintelligence and greater scientific progress (see Nature editorial).
© #StefanFWirth

Reference
Nature 558, 5 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-05326-3

Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

#Humandiversity has always been a key #drivingforce for #progressivesocieties, even in ancient times. In contrast, the #NationalSocialists perfected #hatred, #xenophobia, #racism, #antisemitism, and #homophobia. Emerging #rightwingforces must not be allowed to repeat this, for diversity fosters higher #collectiveintelligence and greater scientific progress (see Nature editorial).
© #StefanFWirth

Reference
Nature 558, 5 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-05326-3

Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

Very fascinating new #findings from a #molecular point of view about the 2015 discovered new species of #hominid, #Homo #naledi, found in the #RisingStarcave in South Africa. According to anatomical characters, an #age of about 2,5 million years was estimated. Read about first #moleculardata of the specimen in the linked article.
© #StefanFWirth 2026

Ref
Radical Anthropology
https://c.im/@RadicalAnthro/116810427514777718

#Photo:
Homo naledi, authors Lee Roger Berger team, 2015, licensed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de

Very fascinating new #findings from a #molecular point of view about the 2015 discovered new species of #hominid, #Homo #naledi, found in the #RisingStarcave in South Africa. According to anatomical characters, an #age of about 2,5 million years was estimated. Read about first #moleculardata of the specimen in the linked article.
© #StefanFWirth 2026

Ref
Radical Anthropology
https://c.im/@RadicalAnthro/116810427514777718

#Photo:
Homo naledi, authors Lee Roger Berger team, 2015, licensed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de

RE: https://biologists.social/@stefanfwirth/116499593874743495

Please read about the #California #Coastal #prairie in the #PointReyes #NationalSeashore and about the distinctive nature of the #geologicalsituation: it's about #platetectonics, #ecology and #biodiversity.
Text #StefanFWirth

RE: https://biologists.social/@stefanfwirth/116499593874743495

Please read about the #California #Coastal #prairie in the #PointReyes #NationalSeashore and about the distinctive nature of the #geologicalsituation: it's about #platetectonics, #ecology and #biodiversity.
Text #StefanFWirth

A #thermopolium/#caupona, was an #ancientRoman #fastfood shop; well-preserved e.g. in #Pompeii/#Herculaneum. Simple meals were sold at a #counter with inset #vessels kept warm by a fire. Food was typically consumed while standing, though seating areas as in a #tavern could exist. A. Pecci et al. (2023) #analyzed #organicresidues from thermopolium V 4, 6–8 in Pompeii using gas chromat.-#massspectrometry.
© #StefanFWirth

Reference
https://doi.org/10.21014/tc4-ARC-2023.134

#Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

A #thermopolium/#caupona, was an #ancientRoman #fastfood shop; well-preserved e.g. in #Pompeii/#Herculaneum. Simple meals were sold at a #counter with inset #vessels kept warm by a fire. Food was typically consumed while standing, though seating areas as in a #tavern could exist. A. Pecci et al. (2023) #analyzed #organicresidues from thermopolium V 4, 6–8 in Pompeii using gas chromat.-#massspectrometry.
© #StefanFWirth

Reference
https://doi.org/10.21014/tc4-ARC-2023.134

#Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

#Fouling means that #sessileanimals as #crustaceans or #mussels attach themselves to non-living #underwatersurfaces as #shiphulls. According to Capt. Raghu Sharma (2026), this particularly affects ships beyond the #StraitofHormuz due to #warmwaters and #highsalinity. It increases #hydrodynamicdrag leading to higher #fuelconsumption (M. Tadros et al. 2022).
©#StefanFWirth

References
https://thedeepdraft.com/2026/06/08/the-barnacle-problem-waiting-behind-hormuz/

https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121891

https://ecoevo.social/@AquaClaire/116734274878226843

Illustrations
©S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

#Fouling means that #sessileanimals as #crustaceans or #mussels attach themselves to non-living #underwatersurfaces as #shiphulls. According to Capt. Raghu Sharma (2026), this particularly affects ships beyond the #StraitofHormuz due to #warmwaters and #highsalinity. It increases #hydrodynamicdrag leading to higher #fuelconsumption (M. Tadros et al. 2022).
©#StefanFWirth

References
https://thedeepdraft.com/2026/06/08/the-barnacle-problem-waiting-behind-hormuz/

https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121891

https://ecoevo.social/@AquaClaire/116734274878226843

Illustrations
©S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

#Greenspaces and #canals are very common in #Berlin, as seen in these #photos: the #treelined #SchlesischeStraße and the #Flutgraben #canal with the famous techno venue "#ClubderVisionäre." Green spaces and #waterways can be havens of #urban #biodiversity. However, canals can also release #greenhousegases, but they can simultaneously act as #carbonsinks.

© #StefanFWirth, June 2026

Please support my freelance work with a donation: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Photos
©S.F.Wirth

#Greenspaces and #canals are very common in #Berlin, as seen in these #photos: the #treelined #SchlesischeStraße and the #Flutgraben #canal with the famous techno venue "#ClubderVisionäre." Green spaces and #waterways can be havens of #urban #biodiversity. However, canals can also release #greenhousegases, but they can simultaneously act as #carbonsinks.

© #StefanFWirth, June 2026

Please support my freelance work with a donation: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Photos
©S.F.Wirth

#Cities with extensive #waterways can exhibit higher levels of #urban #biodiversity; however, modified and slow-flowing #rivers and #canals can also release #methane and #carbon #dioxide, which support #globalwarming. Their importance as #flightcorridors for the urban #dispersal of #flying #animalspecies should not be overlooked. Pictured here: the #Spree River in #Berlin.

© #StefanFWirth, 10 June 2026

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#Photos:
© S.F. Wirth

#Cities with extensive #waterways can exhibit higher levels of #urban #biodiversity; however, modified and slow-flowing #rivers and #canals can also release #methane and #carbon #dioxide, which support #globalwarming. Their importance as #flightcorridors for the urban #dispersal of #flying #animalspecies should not be overlooked. Pictured here: the #Spree River in #Berlin.

© #StefanFWirth, 10 June 2026

Please support me with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#Photos:
© S.F. Wirth

Please check out my latest #YouTube #video, a #slowmotion #documentary featuring #bumblebees pollinating flowers in #slowmotion, and give it a like:
https://youtu.be/B47TfFUjb-M?is=Jki6_Pc8Y2OG9aSM

Visible are the bumblebees #Bombus #pascuorum and B. #pratorum visiting and pollinating blossoms of #Rhododendron #ponticum in two slow motion speeds up to 960 frames per second, and digitally slowed down even more.
© #StefanFWirth, June 2026, #Berlin

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth, #videoframes

Please check out my latest #YouTube #video, a #slowmotion #documentary featuring #bumblebees pollinating flowers in #slowmotion, and give it a like:
https://youtu.be/B47TfFUjb-M?is=Jki6_Pc8Y2OG9aSM

Visible are the bumblebees #Bombus #pascuorum and B. #pratorum visiting and pollinating blossoms of #Rhododendron #ponticum in two slow motion speeds up to 960 frames per second, and digitally slowed down even more.
© #StefanFWirth, June 2026, #Berlin

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth, #videoframes

#Human #landuse has significantly influenced natural landscapes over the past millennium. Nevertheless, I. S. Martins et al. (2022) note that while this has resulted in a #loss of #pristine #natural #ecosystems, #ecosystemdiversity actually #increased, at least until the mid-20th century.

© #StefanFWirth 2026

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Reference
I. S. Martins et al. (2022) https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16335

#Illustrations
©S.F.Wirth, #AI assisted

#Human #landuse has significantly influenced natural landscapes over the past millennium. Nevertheless, I. S. Martins et al. (2022) note that while this has resulted in a #loss of #pristine #natural #ecosystems, #ecosystemdiversity actually #increased, at least until the mid-20th century.

© #StefanFWirth 2026

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Reference
I. S. Martins et al. (2022) https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16335

#Illustrations
©S.F.Wirth, #AI assisted

The beetle #Valgus #hemipterus is a not very rare inhabitant of Southern Europe and #CentralEurope. The #specimen shown here flew onto my windowsill in #Berlin. It harbored unidentified #mites of the #Uropodina and of #Laelapidae with the latter having conspicuous strongly developed chelicerae. The Uropodinae are #phoretic and Laelapidae either phoretic or facultatively #parasitic.©#StefanFWirth

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#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

The beetle #Valgus #hemipterus is a not very rare inhabitant of Southern Europe and #CentralEurope. The #specimen shown here flew onto my windowsill in #Berlin. It harbored unidentified #mites of the #Uropodina and of #Laelapidae with the latter having conspicuous strongly developed chelicerae. The Uropodinae are #phoretic and Laelapidae either phoretic or facultatively #parasitic.©#StefanFWirth

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#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

Modern #imagingtechnologies allow more #fluorescence insights in #vertebrates. B. Burriel-Carranza et al. (2026) show that the #granularglands and #epidermis of the #firesalamander produce different #fluorophores, and that such compounds also circulate via the #bloodstream. Fluorescence may have a #communicative function.

© #StefanFWirth

Reference
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.251991

#Figure
Potential #ecologicalrelevance of biofluorescence in S. salamandra, by the authors above http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Modern #imagingtechnologies allow more #fluorescence insights in #vertebrates. B. Burriel-Carranza et al. (2026) show that the #granularglands and #epidermis of the #firesalamander produce different #fluorophores, and that such compounds also circulate via the #bloodstream. Fluorescence may have a #communicative function.

© #StefanFWirth

Reference
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.251991

#Figure
Potential #ecologicalrelevance of biofluorescence in S. salamandra, by the authors above http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

#Natural #Renaturation can take many forms in #Berlin, for in few other #majorcities do #abandoned #places and #vibranthubs of activity lie side by side. Therefore, #ruins, #waste, and #urban #biodiversity can exist in close #proximity, as is the case near historical but #repurposed #ruins like the RAW site in Berlin-#Friedrichshain.

© #StefanFWirth May 2026

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#Photos
© S F.Wirth, RAW Berlin

#Natural #Renaturation can take many forms in #Berlin, for in few other #majorcities do #abandoned #places and #vibranthubs of activity lie side by side. Therefore, #ruins, #waste, and #urban #biodiversity can exist in close #proximity, as is the case near historical but #repurposed #ruins like the RAW site in Berlin-#Friedrichshain.

© #StefanFWirth May 2026

As a freelancer, I urgently depend on your donation. Thanks so much in advance:
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#Photos
© S F.Wirth, RAW Berlin

The greater #celandine #Chelidonium #majus (#Papaveraceae) is native to Eurasia and is sometimes treated as a weed. However, it possesses significant #pharmaceutical properties due to the #alkaloids it contains, making it of interest for basic research. Consequently, T.E. Samatadze et al. (2020) have #characterized it #agromorphologically, #microanatomically, and molecular-#cytogenetically.
©#StefanFWirth

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Ref
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9101396

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

The greater #celandine #Chelidonium #majus (#Papaveraceae) is native to Eurasia and is sometimes treated as a weed. However, it possesses significant #pharmaceutical properties due to the #alkaloids it contains, making it of interest for basic research. Consequently, T.E. Samatadze et al. (2020) have #characterized it #agromorphologically, #microanatomically, and molecular-#cytogenetically.
©#StefanFWirth

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Ref
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9101396

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

#Taraxacum #officinale (#Cichorieae) is native to Eurasia; it serves as a #pollensource for numerous insects and also is #indicatorplant for #calcium/#potassium. Its parts are relevant #foodsources. In their studies in Armenia B. Babayan et al. (2025) found concentrations of #heavymetals in the #soil leading to #DNApolymorphisms and thus being well-suited as a #bioindicator for #ecotoxicology.
©#StefanFWirth

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Ref
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i9.1753

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

#Taraxacum #officinale (#Cichorieae) is native to Eurasia; it serves as a #pollensource for numerous insects and also is #indicatorplant for #calcium/#potassium. Its parts are relevant #foodsources. In their studies in Armenia B. Babayan et al. (2025) found concentrations of #heavymetals in the #soil leading to #DNApolymorphisms and thus being well-suited as a #bioindicator for #ecotoxicology.
©#StefanFWirth

Support me: https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Ref
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i9.1753

#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

Please read my short #sciencecommunication #article on #YouTube about a #newlydeveloped type of #wheel #designed for #spacemissions on #Mars or our #Moon; I would also greatly appreciate a Like:
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxmzIigZnXB9Sj2QxNZDQh2A-RMeQJiuQa?si=BaDACO-egSunY0jW

In the truest sense of the word, NASA has #reinvented #the #wheel. New material properties allow it to navigate, where conventional vehicles would fail (see my illustrations depicting failed locomotion on Mars).
©#StefanFWirth Berlin

#Illustrations:
©S.F.Wirth,#AI-assisted

Please read my short #sciencecommunication #article on #YouTube about a #newlydeveloped type of #wheel #designed for #spacemissions on #Mars or our #Moon; I would also greatly appreciate a Like:
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxmzIigZnXB9Sj2QxNZDQh2A-RMeQJiuQa?si=BaDACO-egSunY0jW

In the truest sense of the word, NASA has #reinvented #the #wheel. New material properties allow it to navigate, where conventional vehicles would fail (see my illustrations depicting failed locomotion on Mars).
©#StefanFWirth Berlin

#Illustrations:
©S.F.Wirth,#AI-assisted

The greater #celandine (#Chelidonium #majus) prefers #nitrogenrich #soils and tends to be #thermophilic. In Germany, it grows in #parks and along roadsides. #Seeddispersal occurs via #myrmecochory; #ants are #attracted by means of a #lure (an #elaiosome). In the case of C. majus, this takes the form of a fleshy outgrowth (a #caruncle).
© #StefanFWirth

Important! As a freelancer, I rely on funding—even through small donations—to support my work:
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#Photos
© S.F. Wirth

The greater #celandine (#Chelidonium #majus) prefers #nitrogenrich #soils and tends to be #thermophilic. In Germany, it grows in #parks and along roadsides. #Seeddispersal occurs via #myrmecochory; #ants are #attracted by means of a #lure (an #elaiosome). In the case of C. majus, this takes the form of a fleshy outgrowth (a #caruncle).
© #StefanFWirth

Important! As a freelancer, I rely on funding—even through small donations—to support my work:
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#Photos
© S.F. Wirth

#Geologically, the #Germancapital, #Berlin, is a remnant of a region situated near a #glacial #terminalmoraine. The #city's natural chains of #lakes date back to this era. However, even restored #artificial #bodiesofwater—such as the #Flughafensee, pictured below—adapt to the typical #wetlandecology characterized by thick layers of #sand.

© #StefanFWirth

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Photos
© S.F. Wirth, March 2026 (edited May)

#Geologically, the #Germancapital, #Berlin, is a remnant of a region situated near a #glacial #terminalmoraine. The #city's natural chains of #lakes date back to this era. However, even restored #artificial #bodiesofwater—such as the #Flughafensee, pictured below—adapt to the typical #wetlandecology characterized by thick layers of #sand.

© #StefanFWirth

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Photos
© S.F. Wirth, March 2026 (edited May)

#Snail #Caracolus #sagemon (#Solaropsidae, #Sagdoidea, #Helicina, #Stylommatophora, #Gastropoda) is widespread in #Cuba and a popular terrarium inhabitant. It is predominantly nocturnal, primarily frugivorous, and—as a #terrestrialsnail—frequently exhibits a need to #bathe. I have documented a #mating encounter both through video and as #photoseries. Here two primary #bodypositions of both partners.
© #StefanFWirth

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#Photos
© StefanFWirth May 2026

#Snail #Caracolus #sagemon (#Solaropsidae, #Sagdoidea, #Helicina, #Stylommatophora, #Gastropoda) is widespread in #Cuba and a popular terrarium inhabitant. It is predominantly nocturnal, primarily frugivorous, and—as a #terrestrialsnail—frequently exhibits a need to #bathe. I have documented a #mating encounter both through video and as #photoseries. Here two primary #bodypositions of both partners.
© #StefanFWirth

I rely on your donation
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#Photos
© StefanFWirth May 2026

#Macrophotography can #document the #structures,#colorpalettes, and #textures of organisms,while also visualizing them in an aesthetically artistic manner. In this context every photograph represents an engagement with the #visualnature of the subject in its #environment. For some time now,I'm experimenting with #lowkey bw macros,e.g. these featuring the#commonnettle.
©#StefanFWirth #Berlin

I urgently rely on even smalledt donations to support my work https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Photos ©S.F.Wirth

#Macrophotography can #document the #structures,#colorpalettes, and #textures of organisms,while also visualizing them in an aesthetically artistic manner. In this context every photograph represents an engagement with the #visualnature of the subject in its #environment. For some time now,I'm experimenting with #lowkey bw macros,e.g. these featuring the#commonnettle.
©#StefanFWirth #Berlin

I urgently rely on even smalledt donations to support my work https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Photos ©S.F.Wirth

Please give a "Like" to my #YouTube post regarding new findings on #extinct #sabertoothed #cats in #Europe:
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxWq5kVVlAtyFiuwhqZ0tI3nxU2BwELRIZ?si=Gnxr_XXiDSD6VFgx

According to new #researchresults—based on the reconstruction of the #brain #morphology of fossils—#Megatereon #cultridens was a skilled #climber, possessed #poorhearing, and had #keeneyesight.
© #StefanFWirth, May 2025

Reference

I. Meli et al. (2026) https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.70213

Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

Please give a "Like" to my #YouTube post regarding new findings on #extinct #sabertoothed #cats in #Europe:
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxWq5kVVlAtyFiuwhqZ0tI3nxU2BwELRIZ?si=Gnxr_XXiDSD6VFgx

According to new #researchresults—based on the reconstruction of the #brain #morphology of fossils—#Megatereon #cultridens was a skilled #climber, possessed #poorhearing, and had #keeneyesight.
© #StefanFWirth, May 2025

Reference

I. Meli et al. (2026) https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.70213

Illustrations
© S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

Please like my new #article about #lichens and their role as #monitorspecies for #climaticchanges and #airpollution on YouTube:

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxusBM8nwtY62q_IxYVx38J4qt44zdJPob?si=l402ltWU467vdr67

My article is presenting a short #macro series of the #lichen #Parmelia #sulcata, which I #photographed in the #urban #forest area #Jungfernheide in #Berlin in March 2026, close to a wetland area, the lake Flughafensee.
© #StefanFWirth, Berlin, May 2026

Please support my freelance science writing and photography
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

Please like my new #article about #lichens and their role as #monitorspecies for #climaticchanges and #airpollution on YouTube:

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxusBM8nwtY62q_IxYVx38J4qt44zdJPob?si=l402ltWU467vdr67

My article is presenting a short #macro series of the #lichen #Parmelia #sulcata, which I #photographed in the #urban #forest area #Jungfernheide in #Berlin in March 2026, close to a wetland area, the lake Flughafensee.
© #StefanFWirth, Berlin, May 2026

Please support my freelance science writing and photography
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth