MANY pet owners name their furry friends after successful singers. But they're not the only ones taking inspiration from celebrities, as scientists do it too. They often give the name of a famous musician to invertebrates, especially if they are in danger of extinction.
Taylor Swift is on a roll. After recently being added to the program of study at NYU's Clive Davis Institute, the singer has now taken a new step in her career... by having an insect named after her.
The invertebrate in question is a millipede with twisted claws, which is the subject of a new study published in the journal ZooKeys.
This little-known insect, native to Appalachia, plays an essential role in preserving biodiversity as a decomposer. It feeds on decaying leaves and other plant material, which it gradually recycles into mineral elements essential to plants.
If specimens of twisted-claw millipedes are kept in many natural history museums around the world, scientists have long suspected that some species had not yet been recorded. So, American scientist Derek Hennen and his team set out in search of them in 17 American states.
Their work allowed them to identify and name the millipede Nannaria swiftae. Derek Hennen chose the name to pay tribute to the role that Taylor Swift has played in his life.
"Her music helped me get through the highs and lows of graduate school, so naming a new millipede species after her is my way of saying thanks," he said in a statement.
40,000 species under threat from extinction
While the initiative may sound surprising, it is far from unusual. Many researchers have named insects and plants after major names in music. Beyoncé, for example, lends her name to a subspecies of horsefly with a golden abdomen and honey-colored wings, discovered in 2011 by Bryan Lessard.
The Australian entomologist hoped that the name Scaptia beyonceae would make this insect "an ambassador for bootylicious biodiversity."
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga lends her name to a family of ferns, identified in 2012 by the American biologist Kathleen Pryer and colleagues.
Naming wildlife after famous musicians helps to draw public attention to threats facing the environment.
The scientific community estimates that there are approximately 8.7 million living species on our planet, 6.5 million of which are found on land and 2.2 million in water. However, many of these species may become extinct before they have been discovered and their unique function in the ecosystem has been analyzed.
The latest update of the "Red List," established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), lists more than 40,000 species currently under threat from extinction.
ETX Studio
Sun Apr 24 2022
Taylor Swift (L) and Beyonce (R) have both lent their names to insects. - ETX Studio
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [05 Julai 2024]
Fokus Awani Pagi bersama Azib Zikry & Farhan Hakimi
- Sasaran 3,000 kilang pintar dipacu 5G menjelang 2030
- Kerajaan sedia terima kritikan membina bagi tambah baik tatakelola
- Parti Buruh UK diramal menang besar, Keir Starmer bakal jadi PM baharu
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
- Sasaran 3,000 kilang pintar dipacu 5G menjelang 2030
- Kerajaan sedia terima kritikan membina bagi tambah baik tatakelola
- Parti Buruh UK diramal menang besar, Keir Starmer bakal jadi PM baharu
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
2 juta tan pelepasan CO2 akibat pemusnahan bangunan di Gaza oleh Israel
Serangan berterusan Israel ke atas Gaza telah mengakibatkan kemusnahan alam sekitar yang ketara, termasuk dua juta tan pelepasan karbon dioksida (CO2).
PRK Sungai Bakap: Jalan sekitar Dewan Serbaguna Jawi ditutup bermula hari ini hingga Ahad
Beberapa jalan di sekitar kawasan Dewan Serbaguna Jawi, Taman Desa Jawi akan ditutup bermula jam 5 petang Jumaat hingga 3 petang Ahad ini.
Penyanyi rap Sean Diddy berdepan tuduhan jenayah seksual baharu
Aduan yang difailkan di New York oleh bekas bintang filem lucah, Adria English, merupakan kes terbaharu daripada beberapa dakwaan.
PRK Sungai Bakap: Latar belakang Cikgu Joohari mampu tambat hati golongan muda - Adam Adli
Cikgu Joohari itu tidak perlu berlakon untuk menjadi orang muda, sebaliknya tahu bagaimana mendekati golongan itu.
AUG 2024: Taekwondo dan silat jelma satu emas
Emas dari taekwondo hadir dalam acara poomsae berpasukan wanita dibarisi Nur Humaira Abdul Karim, Seah Jing Ying dan Wong Zin.
Terima kasih Stadium Shah Alam - TMJ
Rumah pasukan Selangor itu kini sedang dalam proses untuk dirobohkan selepas lebih empat tahun tidak digunakan.
Peniaga besi buruk terlepas hukuman mati, digantikan penjara 35 tahun
Panel tiga hakim diketuai Ketua Hakim Negara Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat membenarkan permohonan semakan V Raja.
Komuniti India terima tambahan RM130 juta dalam tempoh empat bulan - Ramanan
Ramanan berkata, hanya Kerajaan Perpaduan dan Anwar yang prihatin memberi peruntukan besar kepada masyarakat India di Malaysia.
Beberapa jalan ditutup bermula Sabtu hingga petang Ahad
Beberapa jalan di sekitar kawasan Dewan Serbaguna Jawi, Taman Desa Jawi akan ditutup bermula jam 5 petang Sabtu hingga jam 3 petang Ahad sempena Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sungai Bakap, Sabtu ini.
Ketua Polis Daerah Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) Superintendan Chong Boo Khim berkata, jalan yang terlibat ialah Jalan Serindit, Jalan Susur Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah SPS dan Jalan Susur Jabatan Kerja Raya SPS.
Ketua Polis Daerah Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) Superintendan Chong Boo Khim berkata, jalan yang terlibat ialah Jalan Serindit, Jalan Susur Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah SPS dan Jalan Susur Jabatan Kerja Raya SPS.