Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, Sign up for free here.
Earth’s oceans are full of abundant life and mystery.
To better understand the ocean floor, enterprising marine scientists decided to attach tags equipped with cameras to tiger sharks patrolling the shallow tropical seas of the Bahamas.
Thanks to data collected by these apex predators, researchers have uncovered the world’s largest known seagrass ecosystem, covering an area of approximately 35,000 square miles (92,000 square kilometers), according to a 2022 study.
Marine biologist and study co-author Dr. Seagrass meadows can store huge amounts of carbon, which could be a crucial tool to help alleviate the climate crisis, Austin Gallagher recently told CNN. Gallagher is CEO of the research group Beneath the Waves.
And as scientists look at Earth’s history, fossils paint a portrait of other aquatic ecosystems in the past.
dig this
When researchers observed unusual pieces of rock emerging from the ground near the Napo River in the Loreto region of Peru, they put them together and realized they were looking at something unexpected.
“We started shouting: ‘It’s a dolphin! It’s a dolphin!’” said Aldo Benites-Palomino, a doctoral candidate in paleontology at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.
The newly identified dolphin species lived in a freshwater lake in the Peruvian Amazon 16 million years ago. The creature was approximately 12 feet tall, making it twice as large as some humans.
The finding helps fill in gaps in the evolutionary history of freshwater dolphins, which are incredibly rare in the fossil record.
Long time ago
Genetic material recovered from the tomb of a sixth-century Chinese emperor allowed scientists to create a 3D reconstruction of the ruler’s face.
Emperor Wu ruled China from 560 to 580, unifying the northern part of China during a chaotic period when dynasties rose and fell rapidly.
While the cause of death of Wu, who died suddenly at the age of 36, could not be determined, ancient DNA analyzes revealed that he had a genetic predisposition to paralysis.
Most intriguing to researchers was that Wu belonged to a little-studied nomadic group called the Xianbei, who lived in modern Mongolia and northeastern China.
solar energy update
On April 8, astrophotographer Stan Honda will be stationed in Fredericksburg, Texas, equipped with four cameras to document the total solar eclipse.
Honda has tips for those looking to photograph the historic celestial event, whether you’re using a DSLR camera or a smartphone. Get a safe solar filter for your camera and never look at the sun with a camera without a filter, even if you wear eclipse glasses.
Honda recommends using manual focus to capture different phases of the eclipse, such as the “diamond ring” effect as the moon gradually blocks sunlight.
Experts also warned about fake Eclipse lenses entering the market. Here’s how to test your glasses to make sure they’re safe, and everything you need to know about eye safety before getting them.
And now it’s time to countdown to April 8! Mark your Apple iCal or Outlook, Google or Office365 calendar with the date of the upcoming total solar eclipse, which CNN will be broadcasting live.
we are a family
The marble tomb in Mount Vernon, Virginia is the final resting place of the first US president, George Washington. But questions remain about the fate of some family members, such as Washington’s younger brother Samuel, who died in 1781.
He and 19 other members of the Washington family are buried in the cemetery at Samuel’s Harewood estate near Charles Town, West Virginia. Some graves, including Samuel’s, were unmarked, possibly to deter grave robbers.
Researchers took the remains excavated at Harewood in 1999 and used new DNA analysis techniques to identify Samuel’s two grandchildren and their mother.
While the location of Samuel’s grave remains a mystery, the latest techniques could help identify the unknown remains of those who served in the military.
uncovered
Meanwhile, new excavations at Pompeii have revealed the site of a house renovation that probably occurred when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.
Archaeologists found piles of construction materials near the residence’s reception area, which was decorated with a mythological painting.
The site offers a close look at Roman construction techniques used thousands of years ago, including a recipe for sustainable materials and a stronger concrete that can be applied today.
Separately, researchers have unearthed the remains of a collection of small, tightly rolled lead scrolls in a village in Oxfordshire, England, in what site manager Francesca Giarelli of the Red River Archeology Group called an “extraordinary” Roman villa complex.
Take note
Grab your favorite weekend drink and dive into these insightful reads:
— A mind-blowing archive of human brains spanning hundreds to thousands of years is changing the way researchers understand the intricacies of human health.
— Scientists believe they have found a volcano on the surface of Mars higher than Mount Everest, and the oddly shaped formation has likely been hiding in plain sight for decades.
— Dachshunds, Germany’s famous sausage dogs, may be under threat domestically as new legislation could ban the cultivation of canines with a “skeletal abnormality.”
— Colorful paintings found in an ancient Egyptian necropolis show what daily life was like for people living south of Cairo 4,300 years ago.
Did you like what you read? But there is more. Sign up here To get the next edition of Wonder Theory brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers in your inbox Ashley Strickland And Katie Hunt. They are finding wonders on planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.
For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com