Darkness

Arctic Krill Track Day and Night Even in Polar Darkness

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During Arctic winter, the sun disappears below the horizon for long weeks of “polar night.” But new research shows that tiny crustaceans in the Arctic Ocean somehow maintain their daily rhythms during these extended periods of darkness. Most living creatures use sunlight to time their biological processes and behaviors. This becomes a challenge when there … Read more

Darkness caused by dino-killing asteroid snuffed out life on Earth in 9 months

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The years following the asteroid impact that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs were dark times — literally. Soot from raging wildfires filled the sky and blocked the sun, directly contributing to the wave of extinctions that followed, new research has found. After the asteroid struck, around 66 million years ago, the cataclysm extinguished many forms of … Read more

Shockingly Abundant Life Found Thriving in Darkness Under an Antarctic Ice Shelf

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Deep under the ice of Antarctica’s Ekström Ice Shelf there is nothing but complete darkness. Well, complete darkness and a thriving ecosystem that’s existed for thousands of years, according to a new paper by researchers from the UK and Germany.   “This discovery of so much life living in these extreme conditions is a complete … Read more