A recent study hints that we could make a universal antivenom for snakebites, but some scientists say we need something else instead.
Topping this week’s headlines was the passing of world-renowned primatologist and conservation icon Jane Goodall, who died of natural causes on Wednesday (Oct. 1) at the age of 91.
Goodall rose to prominence for her groundbreaking research on wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. When she first arrived there, she had no formal scientific credentials and was entering a field overwhelmingly dominated by men. Yet her sharp observation skills, deep empathy, and patience soon led her to transform our understanding of primate behavior — and of humanity itself.
Her work revealed that chimpanzees use tools, form complex social bonds, display distinct personalities, and engage in coordinated aggression and strategy — behaviors once believed to be uniquely human.
In related research covered this week, scientists have found that the ability to metabolize alcohol is another biological trait humans share with chimpanzees. The finding suggests that our ancestors’ exposure to naturally fermented fruits may have influenced our evolutionary relationship with ethanol.
Meanwhile, a new study has raised alarm over Iran’s rapidly sinking landscape. Parts of the country are subsiding by as much as one foot (0.3 meters) per year, driven primarily by excessive groundwater extraction for agriculture. This overuse is worsening drought conditions and could place more than 650,000 people at heightened risk of water shortages and food insecurity.
Iran’s situation reflects a growing global concern — land subsidence is also affecting major cities in Mexico, the United States, China, and Italy. Areas such as Mexico City and California’s Central Valley are sinking at similar rates, threatening infrastructure, intensifying droughts, and increasing the risk of disasters like the 2021 Mexico City Metro collapse.