When beetles see red

University of Würzburg

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A beetle of the species Pygopleurus chrysonotus on an Anemone pavonina flower in Greece. The beetle can do what other insects cannot: see the colour red.

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Credit: Johannes Spaethe / University of Würzburg

Insect eyes are generally sensitive to ultraviolet, blue and green light. With the exception of some butterflies, they cannot see the colour red. Nevertheless, bees and other insects are also attracted to red flowers such as poppies. In this case, however, they are not attracted by the red colour, but because they recognise the UV light reflected by the poppy flower.

However, two beetle species from the eastern Mediterranean region can indeed perceive the colour red, as an international research team was able to show. The beetles are Pygopleurus chrysonotus and Pygopleurus syriacus from the family Glaphyridae. They feed mainly on pollen and prefer to visit plants with red flowers, such as poppies, anemones and buttercups.

Beetles Have Photoreceptors for long-wave Light

‘To our knowledge, we are the first to have experimentally demonstrated that beetles can actually perceive the colour red,’ says Dr Johannes Spaethe from the Chair of Zoology II at the Biocentre of Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany. He gained the new insights together with Dr Elena Bencúrová from the Würzburg Bioinformatics Chair and researchers from the Universities of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Groningen (Netherlands). The study has been published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

The scientists used electrophysiology, behavioural experiments and colour trapping. Among other things, they found that the two Mediterranean beetles possess four types of photoreceptors in their retinas that respond to UV light as well as blue, green and deep red light. Field experiments also showed that the animals use true colour vision to identify red targets and that they have a clear preference for red colours.

New Model System for Ecological and Evolutionary Questions

The researchers consider the Glaphyrid family to be a promising new model system for investigating the visual ecology of beetles and the evolution of flower signals and flower detection by pollinators.

‘The prevailing opinion in science is that flower colours have adapted to the visual systems of pollinators over the course of evolution,’ says Johannes Spaethe. However, based on the new findings, it is now possible to speculate whether this evolutionary scenario also applies to Glaphyrid beetles and the flowers they visit.

Why do the researchers think this? The three genera of this beetle family (Eulasia, Glaphyrus and Pygopleurus) show considerable differences in their preferences for flower colours,  which vary between red, violet, white and yellow. This suggests that the physiological and/or behavioural basis for seeing red and other colours is relatively labile.

The great variety of flower colours in the Mediterranean region and the considerable variation in the colour preferences of the beetles made it plausible that the visual systems of these pollinators may adapt to flower colours than is commonly assumed.

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Journal

Journal of Experimental Biology

DOI

10.1242/jeb.250181 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Remarkable red colour vision in two Mediterranean beetle pollinators

Article Publication Date

19-Jun-2025

 

Advancing sustainable and circular aquaculture: Policy Report offers recommendations for Germany and Brazil

Leopoldina

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Today, more than half of all the fish, mussels, crustaceans, and algae consumed worldwide come from aquaculture – and the numbers are rising. Freshwater aquaculture, in particular, is considered a highly promising way to produce animal protein in a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly way. It has the potential to make a significant contribution to global food security while reducing the pressure on wild ecosystems. A joint Policy Report published today by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (Academia Brasileira de Ciências, ABC) explores what sustainable and circular aquaculture could look like in practice in both Germany and Brazil. The report also offers concrete recommendations for policy-makers, administrative authorities, and researchers. Both Germany and Brazil have significant untapped potential in freshwater aquaculture. However, this potential has not yet been adequately utilized. Annual per capita fish consumption in both countries remains well below the global average of 20.5 kilogrammes – approximately 10 kg in Brazil and 14 kg in Germany. Despite favourable geographic and climate conditions, Brazil continues to rely heavily on fish imports. In Germany, the situation is even more concerning: Aquaculture production is declining, and only about two percent of finfish consumed comes from domestic aquaculture. To better leverage the potential of freshwater aquaculture, the authors identify three key areas of action: Simplify regulatory procedures: Approval procedures should be streamlined and responsibilities more clearly coordinated. Appointing dedicated “Aquaculture Officers” within relevant authorities could help improve efficiency and implementation.  Attract and train skilled professionals: Developing sustainable production systems requires targeted initial training and continuing education programmes, including programmes at the university level. Translate scientific knowledge into practice: A stronger transfer of research findings and technological innovations to locally adapted approaches is needed. The authors recommend developing tailored technological packages that take into account local conditions, fish species, production systems, and waste management. The report was developed by an interdisciplinary group of emerging scientists from Brazil and Europe as part of the workshop “Sustainable Aquaculture – Environmental Impacts and Food Security”, held at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin/Germany in October 2023. The event was organised by the Leopoldina and the ABC with the aim of combining international scientific expertise to jointly shape a vision for the future of sustainable aquaculture. The Policy Report “Advancing sustainability and circularity in aquaculture to build a resilient global food system” is published in English on the Leopoldina website: https://www.leopoldina.org/en/aquaculture The Leopoldina on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/leopoldina.org The Leopoldina on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nationalakademieleopoldina The Leopoldina on X: https://www.twitter.com/leopoldina About the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina As the German National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina provides independent science-based policy advice on matters relevant to society. To this end, the Academy develops interdisciplinary statements based on scientific findings. In these publications, options for action are outlined; making decisions, however, is the responsibility of democratically legitimized politicians. The experts who prepare the statements work in a voluntary and unbiased manner. The Leopoldina represents the German scientific community in the international academy dialogue. This includes advising the annual summits of Heads of State and Government of the G7 and G20 countries. With around 1,700 members from more than 30 countries, the Leopoldina combines expertise from almost all research areas. Founded in 1652, it was appointed the National Academy of Sciences of Germany in 2008. The Leopoldina is committed to the common good.

 

Why Kowloon keeps getting hotter: rethinking urban climate solutions

Zhejiang University

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Urban warming and humidifying are intensifying in densely built areas like Kowloon, Hong Kong, despite decades of targeted interventions. A new study asks a critical question: why have conventional strategies—ranging from enhanced urban ventilation to building efficiency programs—failed to curb this trend? By analyzing long-term climate data, wind patterns, and the city's architectural form, researchers identified the underlying culprit: Kowloon's dense, high-rise structure and its disruption of natural air circulation. The study challenges conventional wisdom, revealing that piecemeal solutions are insufficient in the face of complex urban systems, and calls for a bold, city-scale rethinking of climate-responsive design.

Kowloon stands as one of the world's most scrutinized urban climate zones—yet it continues to heat up. Since the 1960s, both temperature and humidity have climbed steadily in the district, with evidence pointing to urban morphology, rather than global climate change alone, as the key driver. Standard mitigation tactics, such as creating ventilation corridors and promoting energy-efficient buildings, have been outpaced by the area's vertical sprawl and heat-trapping infrastructure. The intertwined effects of anthropogenic heat, solar radiation, and obstructed airflow have rendered many interventions inadequate. Given these persistent challenges, a more integrated, multi-dimensional approach to urban climate research is urgently needed.

In an editorial published (DOI: 10.1007/s44213-024-00031-6) in July 2024 in City and Built Environment, researchers from the University of Hong Kong, Zhejiang University, and Virginia Tech explored why urban warming and humidifying trends remain unchecked in Kowloon. By combining real-world climate data with simulations—such as a "stone forest" mimicking high-rise density—and advanced modeling, the team uncovered how urban structure and wind dynamics uniquely shape thermal conditions in dense cities. Their findings advocate a transformative shift in urban climate thinking: from isolated technical fixes to a system-of-systems strategy that considers the city as a holistic, interactive climate entity.

The study delves into the mechanics behind Kowloon's stubborn heat problem. Researchers discovered that the built environment's thermal inertia—especially that of tall buildings—enables heat to be stored during the day and slowly released at night, sustaining high temperatures around the clock. Using a simulated stone forest, the team demonstrated that even without human-generated heat, compact and dense formations absorb and retain significantly more heat than their low-rise counterparts. Another surprising revelation: calm winds aren't the only threat. Under certain conditions, mountain winds from the northeast can create a 'thermal dome' effect, trapping heat over the city. These findings suggest that Kowloon's overheating stems not only from human activity but from how buildings, topography, and atmospheric flows interact. Without a radical redesign of city form and function, the study concludes, existing cooling measures will remain inadequate in high-density urban environments.

For too long, we've treated urban climate as a patchwork of technical challenges—fixing one building, one street at a time. But cities are complex organisms. Unless we address how form, flow, and function work together—from building materials to wind patterns—we'll be stuck treating symptoms instead of solving the problem. It's time to embed climate logic into every layer of city design.

The implications of this study go far beyond Kowloon. As cities worldwide expand vertically and face intensifying heatwaves, the findings offer a blueprint for more sustainable urban growth. The researchers urge policymakers, architects, and planners to adopt a system-of-systems (SoS) approach that unites climate science, urban planning, and infrastructure design. By doing so, cities can escape the cycle of rising temperatures, growing energy demands, and escalating emissions. Without bold, city-scale interventions, the study warns, the path toward climate resilience and sustainable urban living may remain out of reach.

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References

DOI

10.1007/s44213-024-00031-6

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44213-024-00031-6

Funding information

This editorial was supported by two RGC research grants (no. E-HKU702/17 and no. 17202618).

About City and Built Environment

City and Built Environment focuses on newer fields related to various forms of urbanization and development, which resolves those related challenges from a world view perspective. The inner relationship between buildings and cities, as well as the complicated interactions among people, building and city, is emphasized.

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Journal

City and Built Environment

DOI

10.1007/s44213-024-00031-6 

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

The continuing trend of air warming and humidifying in Kowloon, Hong Kong—is there an effective intervention?

Article Publication Date

1-Jul-2025

 

ESMT Berlin study shows how citizens evaluate scientific research proposals

ESMT Berlin

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New research by ESMT Berlin and Politecnico di Milano explores how non-experts assess scientific research proposals and reveals key implications for public participation in science funding. The study shows that while citizens value both social impact and scientific merit, their judgments can be shaped by personal interests, income, and education.

The paper, published in Research Policy, is co-authored by Henry Sauermann (ESMT Berlin), Chiara Franzoni, and Diletta Di Marco (both of Politecnico di Milano). It involved more than 2,300 citizen evaluators who assessed four real research proposals using both a recommendation mechanism (advising a funding agency) and a crowdfunding mechanism (donating their own money). The proposals covered a diverse range of topics including COVID-19 drug discovery, Alzheimer’s, otter-human conflict in Florida, and economic preferences across demographic groups. 

Each participant read a real research proposal from the science crowdfunding platform experiment.com and then assessed it based on three core criteria: 

• Scientific merit, the extent to which the project would advance academic knowledge 
• Social impact, the project’s potential to benefit society, health, or the environment 
• Team qualifications, the perceived ability of the research team to deliver on the project 

The researchers found that when making their final funding decisions, participants weighed social impact and scientific merit nearly equally, while team qualifications played a smaller but still important role. “Our findings challenge the simplistic idea that nonscientists care only about feel-good impacts,” said Henry Sauermann, professor of strategy at ESMT. “People care whether the science is solid, and the researchers are credible, even if they also prioritize relevance to real world problems.” 

The choice of evaluation mechanism strongly influenced who participated. Crowdfunding, which required participants to contribute their own money, gave greater voice to more affluent and educated individuals. The recommendation mechanism, in contrast, enabled broader and more inclusive engagement. This suggests that the choice of funding mechanism strongly shapes whose voices are heard. Personal connection also shaped perceptions. Participants who had a direct link to the topic were more likely to support the proposal and rate its potential impact higher. This suggests that self-interest or wishful thinking may influence public judgments. “Involving the public in science can democratize decision making, but it can also introduce new biases,” said Chiara Franzoni, professor at Politecnico di Milano. “Evaluation processes must be carefully designed if we want to include citizen input in meaningful and responsible ways.” 

The researchers emphasize that evaluation patterns varied across topics, and different citizens prioritized different criteria. This variability presents a challenge for science governance: The processes of citizen involvement are difficult to manage and their outcomes difficult to predict.  

Rather than choosing between expert review and public input, the authors propose hybrid systems that integrate both. While experts bring technical knowledge and methodological rigor, citizens may better reflect societal needs and priorities. Combining the two could strengthen both the quality and legitimacy of research funding decisions. 

As policymakers and funding bodies consider expanding the role of citizen input in science, the authors call for thoughtful process design. “We should embrace public engagement not as a slogan,” said Sauermann, “but as a complex process that requires careful scaffolding, evaluation, and reflection.”

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Journal

Research Policy

DOI

10.1016/j.respol.2025.105214 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

When citizens judge science: Crowd evaluations in Mode 2 knowledge production

Article Publication Date

19-Jun-2025

 

Philippine studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints has just published its latest issue, Bulul and Healing

Ateneo de Manila University

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The June 2025 issue of Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints features a range of scholarly articles and book reviews exploring indigenous healing traditions, state welfare misdiagnoses, and the evolving landscape of Philippine Studies in China. Highlights include Armand Nicod-am Camhol’s study on the multifunctionality of the bulul, Marie Bembie A. Girado’s critical analysis of conditional cash transfers among the Palaw’an, and Ma Yuchen’s cross-border perspective on Philippine Studies. The volume also reviews recent publications on indigeneity, colonial religious devotion, conflict in the Bangsamoro, Filipino leadership, and the historical impact of typhoons. Access is available via the Philippine Studies website, Ateneo’s Rizal Library E-Resources, Project Muse, JSTOR, and Archium Ateneo.

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Credit: Ateneo de Manila University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Editor’s Introduction (135–36) 

Michael D. Pante

 

Articles

 

Beyond the Mythical God Label: Healing and Multifunctionality in the Bulul (137–67)

Armand Nicod-am Camhol

 

State Misdiagnosis of Poverty: The Conditional Cash Transfer Experience of the Palaw’an People (169–209)

Marie Bembie A. Girado

 

Philippine Studies in China: Background, Achievements, and Opportunities Through the Perspective of Country and Region Studies (211–42)

Ma Yuchen

 

Book Reviews

 

Mark Dizon’s Reciprocal Mobilities: Indigeneity and Imperialism in an Eighteenth-Century Philippine Borderland (243–46)

Review Author: Andrea Malaya M. Ragragio

 

Francisco J. Lara Jr. and Nikki Philline C. de la Rosa, eds. Conflict’s Long Game: A Decade of Violence in the Bangsamoro (247–49)

Review Author: Jose Mikhail Perez

 

Christina H. Lee’s Saints of Resistance: Devotions in the Philippines Under Early Spanish Rule (250–52)

Review Author: Paul A. Dumol

 

Resil B. Mojares’s Enigmatic Objects: Notes Towards a History of the Museum in the Philippines (253–56)

Review Author: Sheldon Ives Go Agaton

 

Mendiola Teng-Calleja, Ma. Regina M. Hechanova, Edna P. Franco, and Emerald Jay D. Ilac, eds. Filipino Leadership: Stories and Science (257–62)

Review Author: Nerisa N. Paladan

 

James Francis Warren’s Typhoons: Climate, Society, and History in the Philippines (262–65)

Review Author: Ma. Luisa de Leon-Bolinao

 

 

We invite you to see the volume’s articles and other items of interest on our website

https://philippinestudies.net

https://tinyurl.com/PSHEVJun2025

We also invite you to access the journal using the Rizal Library E-Resources Portal. 

To access the journal, follow the instructions below:

1. Visit this link: go.ateneo.edu/RLOffCampusAccess

2. Log in with your Ateneo email.

3. Click E-Resources, and look for "Philippine Studies."

You can also find Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints on Project Muse, JSTOR, and Archium Ateneo. 

 

About the Journal

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints is an internationally refereed journal that publishes scholarly articles and other materials on the history of the Philippines and its peoples, both in the homeland and overseas. The journal is published quarterly by the Ateneo de Manila University through the Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences.

 

Home accidents as important as road traffic crashes – study finds 

University of Birmingham

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Accidents occurring in the home are a substantial cause of non-fatal injuries requiring medical care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) – with women disproportionately affected, a new study reveals.  

While global health agendas often focus on Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs), researchers discovered that non-RTC injuries were nearly three times as common, with a prevalence of 5.6% compared to 1.7%. For non-RTC injuries, falls were the most common mechanism, with most occurring at home, but a substantial proportion also occurring on or around roads. 

Homes were the most frequent location for non-RTC injuries (38.1% of non-RTC injuries occurred in the home). These were especially seen among women, for whom 51.6% of non-RTC injuries occurred at home. In contrast, men experienced more injuries at workplaces and on roads. 

Researchers analysed data from 47,747 people, aged 15 to 64, from 12 LMICs across four WHO regions - Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guyana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine - to understand the causes of injuries requiring medical attention. 

The University of Birmingham-led international research team published its findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health.  

Researchers noted that being female, married, or older was associated with a lower likelihood of being injured, while having at least primary education increased the likelihood. Urban residents had a higher injury rate than people living in rural areas.  

Lead author Dr Leila Ghalichi, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Our findings challenge the assumption – held by many - that road traffic crashes are the greatest cause of injuries in the world. We highlight falls as the largest issue causing injuries – a factor likely to cause more issues as people age and are prone to falling.  

“Falls and other non-RTC injuries, especially those occurring at home, are a substantial and neglected burden in LMICs. Women face significant risks in the domestic environment, which must be addressed through targeted prevention and health system strengthening.” 

The researchers call for a broader injury prevention agenda that includes all mechanisms and settings, not just RTCs. They advocate for targeted interventions such as home safety improvements, public education, and better data collection to inform policy, identify high-risk groups, and tailor interventions accordingly. 

Co-Senior Author, Dr Michaela Theilman of Harvard University said: “Integrating injury surveillance and care into universal health coverage frameworks is essential. There is an urgent need to broaden the global injury prevention focus beyond RTCs to include non-RTC injuries.” 

Senior author Professor Justine Davies, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “The large burden of falls on the roads is particularly concerning – these were not related to RTCs, and suggest the need for investment in infrastructure to improve road conditions for non-vehicular users. This is especially pertinent to the drive to improve active transport to help reduce obesity and overweight and assist with climate change mitigation.” 

The researchers note that, with non-fatal injuries requiring medical attention affecting nearly 7% of adults annually, health systems must allocate resources for emergency, critical, and rehabilitative care, not just trauma from road accidents.  

ENDS   

For more information,please contact the Press Office at University of Birmingham on pressoffice@contacts.bham.ac.uk  or +44 (0) 121 414 2772.  

Notes to editor:    

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries. 

• ‘Unintentional injuries requiring medical attention in low-income and middle-income countries: Evidence from nationally representative surveys in 12 countries’ - Leila Ghalichi, Albertino Damasceno, David Flood, Pascal Geldsetzer, Mongal Gurung, Maja Marcus, Kibachio Joseph Mwangi, Sebastian Vollmer, Michaela Theilmann, and Justine Davies is published by Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 

• Participating institutions: University of Birmingham, UK; Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; University of Michigan, USA; Stanford University, USA; Ministry of Health, Bhutan; Ministry of Health, Kenya; University of Göttingen, Germany; Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA. 

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Journal

Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

Article Title

Unintentional injuries requiring medical attention in low-income and middle-income countries: Evidence from nationally representative surveys in 12 countries

Article Publication Date

17-Jun-2025