The newly discovered Hades snake moray (Uropterygius hades) is right at home in muddy river mouths. This moray eel is dark brown and appears to be an expert burrower. Unlike other moray eels that are brightly colored and live in primarily saltwater environments, Hades snake moray can be found in estuaries across southern Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Java, and Fiji. Its unique features are described in a study published in December 2024 in the journal ZooKeys.A living Uropterygius hades in a tank. CREDIT: Wen-Chien Huang. There are roughly 230 known species of moray eels, with most living in salty marine environments. The freshwater moray (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) has been confirmed to spend most of its life in fresh water. The slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) and a few other species can also tolerate and occasionally enter lower-salinity environments such as river mouths. However, most moray eels specifically adapted to an estuary habitat with mixed salt and fresh water are considered rare.This new and particularly dark moral eel was also discovered by accident. Three of the studys co-authors from Taiwans National Sun Yat-sen University were investigating a cave of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in the Philippines, hoping to survey the aquatic animals in the area and find a different cave eel species, the bean-eyed snake moray (Uropterygius cyamommatus. While they did not find any bean-eyed snake morays, they collected a slender moray with a strange dark color.They brought several specimens back to their lab and performed DNA testing to see how its genes compared to other known moray eels. While it was in a tank, the team observed that the Hades snake moray burrowed tail first. This behavior is rarely seen in moray eels. It also appears to be highly sensitive to light and kept trying to hide when it was exposed to any sort of illumination. Its small eyes are believed to be an adaptation to life in low-light environments. It also has a reduced number of head sensory pores, which the team believes helps the pores avoid clogging.[ Related: How citizen scientists are protecting glass eels. ]According to the team, its small and sensitive eyes and lack of sensory pores on the head suggests it may rely on its senses of smell and tasteor chemoreceptionto sense changes to the chemicals in their environment rather than vision to find food or avoid its predators.This allows the eel to stay burrowed in the mud, yet still find prey and avoid being eaten.This new moral eel was described by a team of scientists from the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan, Western Philippines University, and Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History in Japan. They named it after Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, as a way to emphasize its intimidating appearance and its dark and murky habitat. This idea was inspired by study co-author Wen-Chien Huang from National Sun Yat-sen University who was influenced by actor Ralph Fiennes portrayal of Hades in the film Clash of the Titans.The post New Hades moray eel discovered by accident appeared first on Popular Science.

Researchers believe they have found the site where Alexander the Great's troops fought the Battle of the Granicus.

An expanding polar vortex is expected to lower temperatures across the eastern half of the U.S., with the potential for record-breaking cold in January.

A growing body of research suggests crabs, lobsters and other animals caught for seafood can feel pain. Scientists are pushing for legal protections to ensure they are treated humanely.

Animal Crossing fans can add to their Lego collection with three new sets featuring a total of seven villagers to invite to their brick-built towns. The trio of new sets includes the iconic Able Sisters Clothing Shop for $40, Leif's Caravan and Garden Shop for $30, and Stargazing with Celeste for $10.January 1 is always a big day for Lego fans, as the company drops dozens of new products as we roll into the New Year. Along with Animal Crossing, youll also find product releases across many other popular franchises, including the long-awaited arrival of Lego Mario Kart.New Lego Animal Crossing SetsContinue Reading at GameSpot

For the last two decades, players have looked for any sign that Valve is moving forward with Half-Life 3. The 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2 came and went without any announcement about the long-awaited sequel. Now, actor Mike Shapiro, who voices the enigmatic G-Man in the Half-Life games, has shared a cryptic New Year's message on X that has some fans speculating that Half-Life 3 could finally arrive this year.#Valve #Halflife #GMan #2025 pic.twitter.com/mdT5hlxKJT Mike Shapiro (@mikeshapiroland) December 31, 2024 In the brief recording, Shapiro revisits his unsettling G-Man voice as he says, "May the next quarter century deliver as many unexpected surprises, as did the millennium's first." He then cryptically notes that time is fluid like music, before adding that he'll "see you in the new year."This message follows a previous report by Valve leaker Gabe Follower, who claims that Half-Life 3 recently entered play testing for "family and friends of Valve developers." If so, that would be a remarkable cone of silence from the trusted few, since there haven't been many other reports that suggest a new game is closer than expected.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Prime Video's video game anthology series Secret Level debuted in December, featuring episodes inspired by all manner of video game franchises, but not Halo or Doom. It appears this wasn't for lack of trying, however. Supervising director Dave Wilson and creator Tim Miller recently discussed how they tried to work out a deal with Microsoft for Master Chief and the Doom Slayer, but it didn't work out.Wilson told Collider that because Secret Level was a brand-new idea, some of the development executives struggled to get on board because they had existing deals with other companies. He said what he heard from these executives was, "This is going to get in the way of everything we're doing."Miller, meanwhile, pushed back against the idea that his team didn't try to get a franchise like Halo. They did, but Microsoft apparently decided to pass, though it's unclear why.Continue Reading at GameSpot

There are lots of great zombie games on offer these days. Some take the form of linear action games or first-person rail-shooters, but an increasing number of zombie game developers are looking toward the open-world genre for inspiration on how to keep their players engaged. Here's a few of our favorites.

Cursed Techniques are the backbone of Jujutsu Kaisen's power system. In a world filled with powerful sorcerers and terrifying Cursed Spirits, these techniques serve as the primary means of combat, with the series being no stranger to abilities that are far stronger than their contemporaries in either defensive or offensive aspects. However, very few powers come close to the Crown Jewel of the Zenin Clan: the Ten Shadows technique.

Netflix has revealed the Squid Game: Unleashed Season 2 content roadmap, which the company plans to release to players throughout January 2025. The upcoming content drops include new characters and events inspired by the second season of Squid Game, among other novelties.