Augmenting citizen science with computer vision for fish monitoring - MIT News

Authors: Alan Li, Ved Chirayath Laboratory for Advanced Sensing, NASA Ames Research Center. Recently, there has been increased interest in monitoring the effects of climate change upon the world’s marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs. These delicate ecosystems are especially threatened due to their sensitivity to ocean warming and acidification, leading to unprecedented levels of coral bleaching and die-off in recent years. However, current global aquatic remote sensing datasets are unable to quantify changes in marine ecosystems at spatial and temporal scales relevant to their growth. We at LAS are directly addressing this challenge through recent UAV imaging campaigns directed towards coral reefs, utilizing a new algorithm known as Fluid Lensing capable of removing optical distortions caused by the fluid surface to produce cm-scale resolution imagery of benthic cover. Taking these data products, we were able to generate highly detailed and accurate maps of coral cover and morphology breakdown utilizing MAP estimation, with error rates of 5% and 8% , respectively.

With 302 neurons, 200 of them in their heads, hermaphrodite female roundworms reveal surprising sex-specific differences in the nervous system and how these differences influence behavior, reproduction, and aging. Researchers at Northeastern University compared brain activity in male and hermaphroditic Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic worm widely used in biological research to understand how sex wires males and female nervous systems differently.

Artist’s concept of the new dinosaur species Invictibellatrix amberina, along with the fossil from which it was identified. The fossil had been sitting in a drawer for 100 years, until researchers pulled it out and became curious. Image via Sergey Krasovskiy and Pedro Salas/ Natural History Museum London. You deserve a daily dose of good news. For the latest in science and the night sky, subscribe to EarthSky’s free daily newsletter.

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a new view of NGC 1827, an intermediate spiral galaxy seen edge-on in the constellation Columba. This Hubble image shows the edge-on, intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 1827. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Michael Jones, California Institute of Technology / Gladys Kober, NASA / Catholic University of America.

Archaeologists have discovered a faience workshop at a major temple complex in the ancient Nubian capital of Napata, showing how the rulers of ancient Kush used specialized craft production to reinforce royal power.