Hive Health | Snake Man | Salamander People

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‘Tis the season for “Best of the Year” posts! This week we’re looking back at the top stories from each of the top 3 issues of 2025.

Next week we’ll check out my personal favorites of the year.

—Steve 🥳 

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Hive Health

Bees can tell us how they’re feeling, if we listen. Measuring honeybee response after tapping the outside of their hive acts like a wellness checkup.

• Electromagnetic shaker gently taps the hive

• Accelerometer records response vibrations

• Recordings account for seasonal variation due to temp.

Healthy bees vibrate less during busy summer months and more when huddled together in the winter. Non-invasive inspections enable proactive management while minimizing unnecessary stress for the hive. But have they tried playing music?

chill BEEts to buzz to

Snake Man

Snake bites don’t grant superpowers, but they could save lives. One man’s quest to build immunity is leading to new antivenoms.

• Enthusiast intentionally bitten by venomous snakes 800+ times

• Developed broad resistance to multiple venoms

• Scientists studied his blood to develop antivenom

Keying in on the specific antibodies snake-man developed generated multi-species antivenoms that replace region-specific alternatives. A development that could save thousands of lives in remote areas. Sssssweet ssssuccesssss.

Nice try, Slytherin

Salamander People

Human limb regeneration could be rebranded axolotl tricks. Researchers discovered how the beloved creature knows what and where to regrow.

• Axolotl = salamander with remarkable regeneration ability

• Gradient chemical signals helped map tissue identity

• Retinoic acid tells cells where they are in the body

Blocking these signals disrupted limb regrowth, suggesting vertebrate regeneration requires combining positional memory and localized cues. Further research could lead to human regeneration after traumatic injuries. Or let us grow axolotl hair.

Axolotl gardens

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Sound Check

Bees may be happy if you tap their hive, but they will be ecstatic when you tap into their jive. DJ st3v aobee keeps them buzzin!

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