Fagan, a Belgian Malinois, sniffs out spotted lanternfly egg masses. Eric Clifton/Cornell UniversityShareThe next phase in the fight against invasive spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) in the United States might just involve mans best friend. New research from Cornell University found that trained dogs were better than humans at detecting the lanternfly eggs that spend the winter in some landscapes, particularly forested areas. The findings are detailed in a study published December 26, 2024 in the journal Ecosphere.Dia the Labrador retriever sniffs out the eggs of the invasive insects at a vineyard. CREDIT: Eric Clifton/Kaitlyn Serrao/Cornell University.Why are spotted lanternflies a problem?The spotted lanternfly is native to China, and was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, it has spread to at least 17 other states primarily in the eastern United States. Roughly 61,000 of these winged insects were found in 2021 alone. While they may not bite or sting humans, they can be devastating to crops and are difficult to eradicate. The insect feeds on and kills several host plants including maple and walnut trees, apples, hops, and grapes.A spotted lanternfly infestation in a vineyard can cause 80% to 100% mortality of the vines in one growing season, study co-author and Cornell University conservation ecologist Angela Fuller told the Cornell Chronicle.[ Related: Whats going on with spotted lanternflies? ]According to Fuller, these infestations can also increase the amount of insecticide that growers need to use on their plants. The added insecticide can increase costs by up to 170 percent in a single growing season.Scientists have used pesticides, physical traps, and even robots and fungi to manage the insects at a local level. However, the pesticides and traps do have their downsides. Sticky traps can ensnare other animals and the lanternflies can eventually evolve resistance to certain current methods. A team at the United States Department of Agriculture is currently investigating a parasitoid wasp species as natural predators that could provide a potential solution. Using dogs and their keen sense of smell to find their eggs in the winter may be another possibility.Enter the dogsThis new study was designed to compare how well dogs and humans can find the lanternflys eggs when they overwinter. Dogs typically rely on their noses to find things, while humans rely on visual cues and touch.A mass of spotted lanternfly eggs. CREDIT: Kaitlyn Serrao/Cornell University. Professional dog trainers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and Working Dogs for Conservation trained two dogsa Labrador retriever and a Belgian Malinoisto track the scent of spotted lanternfly egg masses.Fuller and colleagues selected 20 vineyards in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that are known to have lanternfly infestations. Next, the team used the various lines along vineyard rows called transects and the forests next to them. One day, humans surveyed the area for egg masses. Leashed dogs with a human handler scanned the same areas on different days, so that the scene of people did not influence the dogs. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.In the vineyards, humans spotted 1.8 times more egg masses than the dogs. Here, adult female lanternflies will lay their eggs on support poles and vines.Compared to the humans, the dogs searched more randomly in the vineyards, so their surveys were likely less systematic and effective. By comparison, humans found 31 egg masses per hour versus 24 egg masses per hour for dogs in vineyards.However, in the adjacent forests, the dogs at 3.4 times more detections than humans. The forests are where many spotted lanternflies overwinter and then hatch to infect vineyards.The dogs find egg masses by smell, Fuller said. So, in a very complex environment, its easier for a dog to smell something than it is for a human to see something that is small and cryptic.In forests, the dogs found 7.6 egg masses per hour versus 6.7 per hour for humans. The dogs also did spend more time searching than the humans did.The extra time that dogs take to find them is not as important as it is to find them in the first place, because you need to detect the egg masses in order to eradicate them, Fuller said.No vacancy in the vineyardThe researchers also used a computer model to estimate the probability that a particular area has a spotted lanternflyor occupancy rates. They models shows that occupancy was higher invineyards than in forests and higher on metal poles than on vines. The lines in the vineyards that were closest to the forest had a higher chance of having egg masses than those that were further away from the forest. The team believes that this is likely because lanternflies do not typically disperse very far, will often fall out of trees or are carried away by wind.If youre searching in a vineyard close to the forest, thats more likely where theyre going to be, Fuller said.

Nature, Published online: 03 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04006-9Researchers have questions about how so many authors have racked up a large number of citations so quickly, although some of those authors are honest overachievers.

One of the last easily visible lunar occultations of Saturn until 2037 will occur on Jan. 4.

The Nikon 5x15 HG Monocular is tiny, but it promises the same high-quality build and lens of Nikon's other optical devices. Will it live up to the high standard set by this premium manufacturer?

Researchers have excavated the largest dinosaur footprint site in the U.K. after a quarry worker found tracks left by two of Britain's biggest Jurassic dinosaurs.

Batman Tumbler vs. Two-Face and The Joker $60 See at The Lego Store Superman Mech vs. Lex Luthor $15 See at The Lego Store Batman & Batmobile vs. Mr. Freeze $20 See at The Lego Store As strange as it may sound, this month's new DC Lego sets includes the first Superman building kit in more than a decade. Superman Mech vs. Lex Luthor, which is exactly what it sounds like, joins a very small list of Superman Lego products. There have been a few minifigure releases, including a Lego keychain that's still available, but as far as actual building sets go, this is the first since Superman vs. Power Armor Lex in 2012. The only other Superman building set is a 2014 Duplo playset. But with the new Superman film hitting theaters this July, the Clark Kent's return to the alien world of Lego couldn't have come at a better time.Superman Mech vs. Lex Luthor is one of three new DC Lego sets that dropped this month. The other two sets feature Lego mainstay Batman, including a new small-scale playset featuring the Batmobile Tumbler from The Dark Knight.Lego DC - Superman Mech vs. Lex Luthor (120 pieces) -- $15Lego DC - Batman Tumbler vs. Two-Face and The Joker (429 pieces) -- $60Lego DC - Batman and Batmobile vs. Mr. Freeze (63 pieces) -- $20 New Lego Sets Over 100 new Lego sets released on January 1 Check them out at Amazon You can check out all three of the new Lego DC building sets below. For more on Lego's 100-plus releases in January 2025, check out our roundups focused on Lego Marvel, Star Wars, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Harry Potter.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Each month, Pokemon Go players take part in the mobile game's Community Day: A recurring monthly event in which one Pokemon takes center stage and becomes available to catch in its Shiny form. January's Community Day Pokemon is Sprigatito, but players who want to get their hands on this grassy feline familiar will find themselves paying double the cost of past Community Day events.Previously, a Community Day Ticket was available to purchase in-game for just $1, but as of this month, that price is doubling to $2. The ticket does include a new reward (a battle pass), but Pokemon Go battle passes can often be found in bundled pairs that cost less.Other changes have been made to Community Day as well, but Pokemon Go developer Niantic says these changes may not be permanent.Continue Reading at GameSpot

A new year on the calendar means it's almost time for another speedrunning spectacle, as Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 is set to begin this Sunday. The marathon will be streamed on Twitch from the Wyndham Grand in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As usual, donations can be made to the Prevent Cancer Foundation throughout the marathon via the Games Done Quick website, with prizes given away to a lucky few donors as the week progresses.How to watch AGDQ 2025 The entirety of AGDQ 2025 can be viewed on the official Games Done Quick Twitch channel, with streaming scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM PT / 11:30 AM ET on Sunday, January 5. As runs finish up, the GDQ YouTube channel uploads each individual run within hours of completion, so you will be able to catch up on specific runs you might have missed.AGDQ 2025 schedule highlightsAGDQ 2025 will run continuously January 5-12, with a continuous schedule of speedruns designed to take place one right after the other (with a short break in between). While the full schedule is available on the event website, below we have listed a few events--and their starting times--which have us particularly excited, whether it's the first run for a game at an event like this or it's an old retro game that we love seeing get torn apart. Someone is playing Elden Ring using a saxophone--and honestly, after a dog hit a Super Nintendo walk-off home run last summer, a jazzy Elden Ring run could be the perfect wacky follow-up.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Dragon Ball DAIMA has been a wild ride as Goku and friends travel through the Demon Realm, and the series continues to fill many gaps in Dragon Ball lore along the way. Fans have learned much about the Glinds, the Supreme Kai race, but additional details about the very origins of their universe are slowly providing clarity for one mysterious connection. The Supreme Kai and God of Destruction in each universe are uniquely linked, and the reason for that is slowly coming to light in Dragon Ball DAIMA.

With Kingdom Hearts 4 underway, Square Enix should bring back a fan-favorite world from the series' debut. Traverse Town served as the central hub for the first game and remains memorable for its calm atmosphere, endearing characters, and distinct musical theme. Despite its enduring appeal, Traverse Town was noticeably absent in Kingdom Hearts 3. While players explored a range of new worlds, the absence of this nostalgic location felt like a missed opportunity to connect with the series' roots. Kingdom Hearts 4 could remedy this.