AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 10, 2023--

A crocodile has made herself pregnant in what is believed by scientists to be a world first. The crocodile at the Costa Rica zoo created a foetus that was 99.9 per cent genetically identical to itself, often known as a "virgin birth." This process typically does not occur with crocodiles but with other species such as birds, lizards, snakes, fish and sharks. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Scientists believe this kind of solo reproduction could be traced back to the dinosaurs, as they suggest the species may have also been capable of this rare method. The latest study was published on Wednesday (June 7) in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters. Back in January 2018, an egg was laid by an 18-year-old female American crocodile in Parque Reptilania, the BBC reported. The fully formed foetus did not hatch however and was stillborn. Researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, say this is the "first documentation" of this kind of reproduction in this species. Dr Warren Booth who has studied virgin births (parthenogenesis) for 11 years theorised that this reproduction method has not been seen in crocodiles because weren't looking out for this happening. ''There was a big increase in reports of parthenogenesis when people started keeping pet snakes. But your average reptile keeper doesn't keep a crocodile," he noted to the BBC. "This new evidence offers tantalizing insights into the possible reproductive capabilities of extinct archosaurian relatives of crocodilians, notably the Pterosauria and Dinosauria," experts said in the study. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

ACCRA, Ghana & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2023--

X, formerly known as Twitter, has reinstated Kanye West's account on the social media platform. West will not be able to monetize his account, and no ads will appear next to his posts, the company told the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.

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Self-conscious people may suck in their stomachs - but doing so can be unhealthy. Adam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster University, has explained that the habit can create abdominal imbalance and all sorts of problems. In an article, he explained: "This can lead to a condition called 'hourglass syndrome; – a detrimental change in the structure of the abdominal wall, which may cause a visible crease to form in the mid-abdomen. Not only that, but this change can also have a knock-on effect on the internal organs and other parts of the body if left untreated." He added: "When we suck our stomach in it causes our rectus abdominis (commonly referred to as our "six-pack" muscles) to contract. But since we tend to store more fat tissue in our lower abdomen, the muscles at the top of the stomach tend to be more active. This creates a fold or crease in the abdomen over a long period, with the belly button being pulled upwards. "Sucking the stomach in places greater pressure on the lower back and neck. This is because they now have to compensate for changes in core stability." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter He also said it may lead to changes in breathing capacity, though said more research needs to be done, and said sucking in the abdomen also puts strain on the pelvic floor which could cause incontinence. Fortunately, hourglass syndrome is reversible through exercises that strengthen core muscles like planks or bridges, he explained. And he also said the condition develops over weeks of consistently sucking in the stomach. "So occasionally sucking the stomach muscles in is not likely to cause problems," he said. Who knew it could have so many bad effects? Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The pioneering artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has ejected its chief executive Sam Altman after claims that he was not honest with the board of directors. In a blog post on Friday afternoon, the company behind ChatGPT and the image generation AI Dall-E said that its board “no longer has confidence” in Mr Altman’s ability to lead. It was an abrupt and cryptic departure for a man who, alongside his former colleague Elon Musk, has become one of the global figureheads of the AI industry and the seismic change it has created. The company will now be run by its former chief operating officer Mira Murati, with immediate effect. ”Mr Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” said OpenAI’s statement. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” The board itself added that it was “grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI”, and that it had “utmost confidence” in Ms Murati. This story is breaking and will be updated. Read More ChatGPT Plus stops signups after major update ChatGPT creator mocks Elon Musk in brutal tweet ChatGPT goes offline

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