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AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - One-in-100-million white lobster named Casper joins Maine research effort on rare shell colors

A ghostly white lobster so rare that only one in every 100 million lobsters shares its coloring is now helping University of New England researchers crack the genetic code behind the species' most unusual shell colors. The lobster, named Casper, arrived at UNE's Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center in Biddeford, Maine, after the Maine […] The post One-in-100-million white lobster named Casper joins Maine research effort on rare shell colors appeared first on American Almanac .

A ghostly white lobster so rare that only one in every 100 million lobsters shares its coloring is now helping University of New England researchers crack the genetic code behind the species' most unusual shell colors. The lobster, named Casper, arrived at UNE's Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center in Biddeford, Maine, after the Maine State Aquarium in Boothbay donated the animal to a research project launched in 2024. UNE calls white lobsters "the rarest among the unusual color variations found in the species," and Casper is now the crown specimen in a growing collection of oddly colored American lobsters that includes orange, blue, purple, yellow, calico, and split-colored animals. Markus Frederich, a marine sciences professor who…Open

Why is understanding the genetics of rare lobster coloration scientifically significant?
Understanding these mechanisms can explain how shell color affects a lobster's ability to camouflage from predators and may provide insights into pigment biology across various crustacean species.
Q&A ID 1710cc28-cef5-4add-a2cb-ac3fbb5c9002
How do the researchers at the University of New England ensure that the lobsters are not harmed during the genetic research?
The project uses non-invasive techniques to collect and analyze genetic material, ensuring that no harm comes to the lobsters.
Q&A ID db12c7aa-6433-4f97-88f6-fa71d90e62f0
What happened to the multicolored offspring of the lobster Peaches on May 12, 2025?
On May 12, 2025, Markus Frederich released Peaches' multicolored baby lobsters at Ram Island to return them to the wild.
Q&A ID 23ed449b-c53e-462c-a3d9-f33b62d83208
How does the rarity of Casper compare to the orange lobster named Peaches?
Casper is much rarer with a 1 in 100 million chance of occurrence, whereas Peaches, an orange lobster, has odds of approximately one in 30 million.
Q&A ID 76864f1a-5f59-4c1d-a29a-26a7a7d92af6
What are some of the other rare lobster colors included in the UNE collection alongside Casper?
The collection includes orange, blue, purple, yellow, calico, and split-colored animals. Specific specimens mentioned include Peaches (orange), Currant (blue-and-orange), and Fig (purple).
Q&A ID 98e54b12-61eb-4f1e-b04f-09e2a9771a26
Who is leading the research project at UNE's Invertebrate Physiology Lab and what is the primary focus of the genetic analysis?
Markus Frederich, a marine sciences professor who directs the lab, leads the project. The team is analyzing more than 15,000 genes to find differences in gene expression that produce unusual shell colors.
Q&A ID adea09c4-cfa8-4990-bf70-5dad618c82a8
Where is Casper currently located for research purposes, and who donated the lobster to the project?
Casper is located at the University of New England's (UNE) Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center in Biddeford, Maine, after being donated by the Maine State Aquarium in Boothbay.
Q&A ID 745d81f9-9375-4b55-8d64-655cb451d259
What is the name of the white lobster that is helping University of New England researchers study rare shell colors, and how rare is its coloring?
The lobster is named Casper, and its ghostly white coloring is so rare that only one in every 100 million lobsters shares it.
Q&A ID c30ae33e-8135-4b20-9810-95e437ca874b
Keywordslobstermainecasperwhite-lobstermarine-biologyoceanographyuniversity-of-new-englandgeneticssciencenaturewildlifecrustaceanbiodiversitybiologyanimal-behaviorresearchmarine-lifemaine-state-aquariumbiddefordusaoceanecosystemdiscoveryanimal-rescueecologypigmentgene-expressionsea

AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - Antarctic krill found at deep-sea volcanic vents for the first time, raising new questions about ocean life

Scientists discovered egg-laden Antarctic krill thriving nearly 3,600 feet below the surface at hydrothermal vents, a finding that upends long-held assumptions about one of the ocean's most important creatures. A research team operating a remotely piloted submarine off the Antarctic Peninsula in late 2024 spotted the tiny crustaceans drifting through superheated water near a volcanic […] The post Antarctic krill found at deep-sea volcanic vents for the first time, raising new questions about ocean life appeared first on American Almanac .

Scientists discovered egg-laden Antarctic krill thriving nearly 3,600 feet below the surface at hydrothermal vents, a finding that upends long-held assumptions about one of the ocean's most important creatures. A research team operating a remotely piloted submarine off the Antarctic Peninsula in late 2024 spotted the tiny crustaceans drifting through superheated water near a volcanic vent on the seafloor, a place no one expected to find them. The four krill collected were all reproductive females, packed with eggs and apparently feeding on microbes unique to the vent site. The discovery, published in the journal Communications Biology, marks the first confirmed observation of Antarctic krill at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. The finding…Open

Keywordsantarcticakrilloceanmarine-biologyhydrothermal-ventsdeep-seasciencebiologyecosystemsouthern-oceanvolcanic-ventsmarine-lifewildlifeoceanographydiscoveryresearchnational-geographicoregon-state-universityuc-santa-bartacommunications-biologyenvironmentbiodiversitymarine-ecologykrill-populationocean-researchdeep-oceanmarine-protectionscientific-discovery

AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach hatches seven African penguin chicks in banner breeding year

A South Carolina aquarium is calling it the "Lucky Seven" after hatching seven critically endangered African penguin chicks since May, a bright spot for a species running out of time in the wild. Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach announced that five African penguin chicks hatched in June and July, following two earlier arrivals in May, […] The post Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach hatches seven African penguin chicks in banner breeding year appeared first on American Almanac .

A South Carolina aquarium is calling it the "Lucky Seven" after hatching seven critically endangered African penguin chicks since May, a bright spot for a species running out of time in the wild. Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach announced that five African penguin chicks hatched in June and July, following two earlier arrivals in May, UPI reported . The aquarium's animal care team collectively dubbed the group "the Lucky Seven" in a news release marking the milestone. The first two chicks, named Vic and Chel, arrived in May and were introduced to guests at the aquarium's Penguin Playhouse exhibit. Five more followed over the next two months. Those five had not yet been named as of the September 3 announcement. Seven chicks from one…Open

Keywordsafrican-penguinpenguinwildlifeconservationendangered-speciesanimal-welfareripleys-aquariummyrtle-beachsouth-carolinanaturebiologyscienceaquariumanimal-hatchingzoo-newsmarine-lifebirdsecosystembiodiversityanimal-conservation

AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - More than 2,000 ocean predators spotted off Cape Cod — weeks after feds reopened the waters to commercial fishing

Scientists captured more than 2,000 marine animals from 15 species feeding together at a protected monument off Massachusetts, raising fresh questions about a federal rollback of fishing restrictions just months earlier. A New England Aquarium survey plane flew over the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument on August 16 and documented a scene researchers […] The post More than 2,000 ocean predators spotted off Cape Cod — weeks after feds reopened the waters to commercial fishing appeared first on American Almanac .

Scientists captured more than 2,000 marine animals from 15 species feeding together at a protected monument off Massachusetts, raising fresh questions about a federal rollback of fishing restrictions just months earlier. A New England Aquarium survey plane flew over the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument on August 16 and documented a scene researchers called extraordinary: dolphins, whales, whale sharks, and manta rays all congregating near the surface of a nearly 5,000-square-mile ocean preserve roughly 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod. The sheer number of animals, and the presence of several species classified as endangered, landed the survey squarely in the middle of a policy fight that has bounced between…Open

Keywordsatlantic-oceancape-codcommercial-fishingmarine-lifewhalesdolphinswhale-sharksmanta-raysblue-whalesperm-whalesmassachusettsnew-englandocean-conservationfishing-industryenvironmental-policytrumpobamabidenwhite-housenatural-resourcesbiodiversitymarine-biologyeconomyregulationsecosystemwildlifeocean-predatorsmarine-monumentcoastal-economyfishermen

AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams) - Venomous yellow-bellied sea snake could slither into Southern California waters as El Niño heats the Pacific

Warmer ocean temperatures driven by El Niño may push one of the world's most venomous sea snakes into Southern California beach waters, and the region's punishing heat wave suggests conditions are ripe. Scientists warn that the yellow-bellied sea snake, a highly toxic predator normally found in tropical stretches of the Pacific and Indian oceans, could […] The post Venomous yellow-bellied sea snake could slither into Southern California waters as El Niño heats the Pacific appeared first on American Almanac .

Warmer ocean temperatures driven by El Niño may push one of the world's most venomous sea snakes into Southern California beach waters, and the region's punishing heat wave suggests conditions are ripe. Scientists warn that the yellow-bellied sea snake, a highly toxic predator normally found in tropical stretches of the Pacific and Indian oceans, could drift northward into waters off the Southern California coast as El Niño drives ocean surface temperatures well above average. Douglas McCauley, director of the Benioff Ocean Initiative at UC Santa Barbara, told USA Today that unusual species are already showing up as the ocean warms. The snake's venom packs a combination of powerful neurotoxins and myotoxins that the Australian Museum…Open

Keywordscaliforniasouthern-californiael-ninoweatheroceanmarine-lifewildlifesea-snakeyellow-bellied-sea-snakevenomousheat-wavemalibunewport-beachlos-angeleshammerhead-sharkclimate-changeocean-warmingbiologynaturescienceusapacific-oceansafetyenvironmentbiodiversityuc-santa-barbara

NEWSCATS - 2026 Great Barrier Reef Statistics: They told us a fairy tale

Image: Great Barrier Reef Coral Cover Defies 40 Years Of Climate Doom Related: New Research Documents The Lack Of Any Net Decline In GBR Coral Cover Since The 1980s 1,121 New Marine Species Discovered in [...]

Keywordsgreat-barrier-reefcoral-reefclimate-changeenvironmental-crisisoceanmarine-biologyaustraliaclimate-doomcoral-covernew-researchmarine-speciesecologysustainabilityglobal-warmingocean-levelsbiodiversity

AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - DiCaprio and Bezos pledge $200 million to rescue 100 endangered species worldwide

Leonardo DiCaprio has launched what backers call the largest philanthropic fund ever dedicated to recovering critically endangered species, a $200 million commitment bankrolled in equal parts by his conservation group and the Bezos Earth Fund. The initiative, called the Phoenix Species Project, aims to pull roughly 100 species back from the edge of extinction across […] The post DiCaprio and Bezos pledge $200 million to rescue 100 endangered species worldwide appeared first on American Almanac .

Leonardo DiCaprio has launched what backers call the largest philanthropic fund ever dedicated to recovering critically endangered species, a $200 million commitment bankrolled in equal parts by his conservation group and the Bezos Earth Fund. The initiative, called the Phoenix Species Project, aims to pull roughly 100 species back from the edge of extinction across 30 countries. Half the money, $100 million, comes from the Bezos Earth Fund, chaired in part by Lauren Sánchez Bezos. The other $100 million comes from Re:wild, the conservation nonprofit DiCaprio co-founded with wildlife scientist Dr. Wes Sechrest, with additional backing from the Todd Graves Family Foundation and a group called Age of Union. The project grew out of a spring…Open

Keywordsleonardo-dicapriojeff-bezosphoenix-species-projectendangered-specieswildlife-conservationphilanthropyrewildbezos-earth-fundnature-preservationecosystemclimate-crisisbiodiversityextinctionmadagascaraustralianorth-carolinalauren-sanchez-bezosenvironmentalismconservation-fundingglobal-warmingspecies-recoverywildlife-protectionsustainable-futurecelebrity-philanthropyecology

AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith) - DiCaprio and Bezos pledge $200 million to save 100 endangered species worldwide

Leonardo DiCaprio and the Bezos Earth Fund have launched what they call the largest philanthropic fund ever dedicated to recovering critically endangered species, a $200 million bet that private money can reverse extinction across 30 countries. The Phoenix Species Project, announced by DiCaprio's conservation group Re:wild, splits its funding evenly: $100 million from the Bezos […] The post DiCaprio and Bezos pledge $200 million to save 100 endangered species worldwide appeared first on American Almanac .

Leonardo DiCaprio and the Bezos Earth Fund have launched what they call the largest philanthropic fund ever dedicated to recovering critically endangered species, a $200 million bet that private money can reverse extinction across 30 countries. The Phoenix Species Project, announced by DiCaprio's conservation group Re:wild, splits its funding evenly: $100 million from the Bezos Earth Fund and $100 million from Re:wild, backed by contributions from DiCaprio himself, the environmental group Age of Union, and the Todd Graves Family Foundation. The initiative targets 100 species across seven groups, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants, and will work with more than 100 local and international partners, The…Open

Keywordsleonardo-dicapriojeff-bezosbezos-earth-fundrewildphoenix-species-projectendangered-specieswildlife-conservationphilanthropyextinctionnature-preservationmadagascaraustraliabiodiversityenvironmentalismclimate-changemarine-ecologyanimal-protectionecologysustainabilitycelebrity-activismglobal-conservationecosystemsmammalsbirdsplants

JUSTTHENEWS (Kevin Killough) - Group blocked from seeing full enviro report on solar farm drafts its own, only to have it rejected

A solar developer in New York redacted information about its project on endangered species, so a nonprofit commissioned its own assessment. What the report found shocked them, and now the developer is fighting to keep it out of the record.

Keywordssolar-energyrenewable-energynew-yorkenvironmental-reportendangered-speciesnonprofitsolar-farmlitigationlegal-fightland-useclean-energyenvironmental-policyenergy-developmentactivismecologybiodiversity