Good morning. It's Tuesday, Aug. 4, and welcome to this week's Science & Technology newsletter. First time reading? Sign up here or forward to share with friends.
During a recent visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I was fortunate enough to learn about some adorable sea otters, which are examples of and the inspiration behind this week's write-up on keystone species. We're also breaking down the hacks carried out by Anthropic's AI models, a study of which Americans are most at risk of landslides, the optical illusion that makes polar bears appear white, and much more.
PS—Reader feedback is a gift! Whether it's feedback on today's email, suggestions for what we should cover, or anything else, we're happy to hear from readers. Simply reply to this email or reach out at [email protected].
—Marco Daniel Machado, 1440 Science & Technology Section Editor |
|
|
|
Keeping Ecosystems Intact |
Keystone species are species that have an outsized ecological impact relative to their population size. The term was coined in 1969 to describe the role of a starfish species found along the Washington coast, which fed on mussels and kept their population in check, allowing organisms from many other species to thrive in the area. The name derives from the wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch that keeps the entire structure from collapsing.
> Learn more about Pisaster ochraceus, the purple starfish found in Pacific tide pools. (More)
Keystone species fall into three categories: predators, environmental engineers, and mutualists. Predators hunt organisms that jeopardize the food sources and habitats multiple species rely on, such as sea otters feeding on sea urchins that consume kelp forests. Environmental engineers, such as beavers and elephants, create ecosystem variety by reshaping their surroundings, enabling greater biodiversity. Mutualists are species that provide vital support to one another, such as flowering plants providing food to pollinators, which help plants reproduce.
> Urchins are among the up to 15 pounds of seafood that sea otters eat daily. (More)
> Beavers create wetlands and can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes. (More)
> African elephants can tear apart vegetation with their trunks, which possess about 40,000 muscles. (More)
While the interconnectedness of organisms across food webs means all species are important, the irreplaceable functions provided by keystone species safeguard against a domino effect of widespread destabilization known as trophic cascades. As of 2023, about 230 keystone species have been identified—though thousands may exist—helping inform conservation effort priorities.
> Prairie dogs support over 150 other species, primarily via their burrowing of underground tunnels. (More)
> Despite their importance, some researchers have suggested that no microorganisms qualify as keystone species. (More)
Discover more:
> Gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone to restore biodiversity at the national park. (More)
> Sharks help keep ocean gene pools healthy while controlling the population of multiple species. (More)
> Fig trees provide year-round habitats and fruit, which are eaten by an estimated 1,300 species worldwide. (More)
Keep learning by exploring all our findings on Keystone Species here. |
|
|
|
|
In partnership with Proton |
|
16 Billion Passwords Just Leaked Online |
|
This year, researchers found more than 16 billion login credentials exposed online, the largest compilation of leaked passwords ever recorded. It wasn't one company getting hacked. It was years of infostealer malware and old breaches, quietly combined into a single searchable database now circulating among criminals.
If you reuse passwords across accounts (most people do), one leaked login can unlock your email, banking, and cloud storage. Attackers don't need to guess your password, they just try what's already been stolen.
That's why we recommend Proton Unlimited; you get Proton Pass for passwords, Proton Mail for encrypted email, and Proton VPN for private browsing, plus 500GB of Drive storage, Calendar, and encrypted video calls. Get the entire ecosystem for just $1 your first month. |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
1440 brings you the knowledge and context behind the week's stories:
Anthropic's AI models hacked three organizations, the company announced after reviewing its systems following OpenAI's hack of an AI platform. (More)
> The models took advantage of weak passwords, and guidelines on what makes a good one has changed in recent years.
> See a visual breakdown of how OpenAI hacked Hugging Face using agentic AI.
Deployment of a humanoid robot in a New York school district paused after backlash from state education officials, teachers, and local residents. (More)
> Learn what happened after a ChatGPT-powered robot was introduced to a San Diego charter school.
> In 2025, almost 90% of shipped humanoid robots were manufactured by Chinese companies.
Major changes to science research funding were proposed in a White House report, which received mixed responses. (More)
> Read the report, titled "Science: A New Golden Age."
> The percentage of government-funded basic research in the US peaked in 1967. |
|
|
|
|
Like all great researchers, we love spending time learning about the latest breakthroughs across science and technology. Here's what we found this week.
Winds from supermassive black holes are 100 times more powerful than thought.
Tohoku University | Staff. Observations by the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission revealed that high-temperature gas around quasar H1821+643 flows beyond the host galaxy to distances of 300,000 light-years. The gas is strongly scattered by turbulent winds whose energy is equivalent to several billion supernovas. (More)
> Quasars can emit over a thousand times more energy than the Milky Way.
> Visualize the size of a light-year, which is a unit of distance, not time.
Rapid intensification of hurricanes may be predictable five days in advance.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research | David Hosansky. The method analyzes how rapid intensification in previous hurricanes was affected by numerous variables, including sea surface temperatures, and uses these variables to calculate the likelihood of rapid intensification for a storm. The technique builds on a previous method that could predict the phenomenon up to three days in advance. (More)
> Rapid intensification can cause hurricanes to increase by two categories in a day.
> Projections show climate change is making rapid intensification more common.
A study finds that 6.5 million Americans live in areas at risk of landslides.
American Geophysical Union | Sasha Warren. The estimate was obtained by combining USGS land-susceptible area maps, nighttime building occupancy estimates, and the spatial footprints of US buildings. Although the steepest terrain is in the west of the country, the majority of those living in landslide hazard zones are closer to the East Coast, where population density is higher. (More)
> View animations of 10 different phenomena categorized as landslides.
> ... and a guide to anticipating landslides and their warning signs.
Microscopic oil droplets can be made to mimic the properties of living cells.
New York University | Rachel Harrison. Scientists found that adding a soap-like molecule to spherical oil droplets suspended in water enabled them to reshape themselves and engulf material in their surroundings, as cells do. The research has the potential to contribute to the development of future adaptive materials. (More)
> Adaptive materials include nitinol, a metal that bends back to its previous shape when heated.
> Red blood cells destroy their own DNA to facilitate changing shape. |
|
|
|
|
In partnership with Proton |
|
Your Internet Provider Is Watching You |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
> Reindeer are the only known mammals whose eye color changes with the seasons.
> Can forever chemicals be destroyed?
> Despite 10,000 possible combinations, about 27% of people use one of 20 four-digit numbers for their PIN.
> Born with black skin and transparent hair, polar bears appear white because of an optical illusion.
> Quantum computers rely on environments colder than outer space created by dilution refrigerators.
> Although currently drifting away from Earth, the moon could not exist if it were less than one-twelfth of its current distance.
> To survive underwater hibernation, some turtles breathe through their butts.
> Crocodiles cannot stick out their tongues, but what else makes them different from alligators?
> First discovered after wine was left to sour, explore the chemistry behind vinegars.
> Unlike humans, owls do not have eyeballs but possess a diagonal eyelid.
> Oysters and mussels make pearls as a natural defense mechanism.
> Dung beetles can push over 1,100 times their body weight, but are they the world's strongest animal? |
|
|
|
|
🔭 Want more? Explore over 100 topics and thousands of resources at 1440's hub for Science & Technology. |
|
|
"A keystone, that's called, and without it everything falls, like a tower of blocks or a house of cards. It's the same with keystone species—beavers, wolves, prairie dogs, bees, desert tortoises, sea otters—they are nature's glue, holding habitats together." |
|
|
Behind the Name. Why 1440? The printing press was invented around the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. More facts: In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. We’re here to make each one count.
Want to connect with 4.7 million insatiably curious minds? Become a 1440 partner here. |
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2026, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
