Do elephants know when we're looking at them?

Studying how Asia's largest land animals recognize human visual attention

Kyoto University

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

An elephant takes part in a test trial where the human’s body and face are directed towards the animal. 

view more 

Credit: KyotoU / Hoi-Lam Jim

Kyoto, Japan -- With their massive flapping ears and long trunks, it isn't hard to believe that elephants tend to rely on acoustic and olfactory cues for communication. They use gestures and visual displays to communicate as well, but we don't really know how much. Visual communication research has mainly focused on species that are primarily visual, like nonhuman primates.

A previous study demonstrated that African savanna elephants can recognize human visual attention based on a person's face and body orientation, but this had yet to be investigated in their Asian cousins. Asian elephants split from African elephants millions of years ago, so their behavior and cognition differ in some aspects.

Motivated to find out whether Asian elephants share this ability with African elephants, a team of researchers at Kyoto University turned their attention to elephants in Thailand.

"After conducting doctoral work on how elephants form reputations, I wanted to test whether Asian elephants understand when humans are paying attention to them," says corresponding author Hoi-Lam Jim.

The research team headed to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, where they engaged ten captive female elephants in a food-requesting task. The experimenter conducted the task while arranging her body orientation in one of four positions: with both her face and body toward the elephant, with both away from the elephant, only the face toward, or only the body toward the elephant. Then the team analyzed how frequently the elephant directed signals to the experimenter in each position, including the elephant's reaction when the experimenter was not present.

The researchers observed that the elephants gestured most when both the experimenter's body and face were oriented towards them, and body orientation appeared to be a stronger visual cue than face orientation. However, this effect depended on the face also being oriented towards the elephant.

"We were surprised to find that the elephants did not gesture simply because a human was present," says Jim. When no one was there, the elephants gestured as if a person was standing there with their body turned away. This shows that elephants are sensitive to body orientation, but that they do not respond to the mere presence of a human.

These findings suggest that Asian elephants do indeed understand the importance of visual attention for effective communication, and that elephants are not sensitive to face or body orientation alone, rather they rely on a combination of cues to recognize human visual attention.

By revealing more about elephant intelligence, how it compares across species, and how complex abilities evolve in animals, this study deepens our understanding of elephant cognition and adds to broader research on visual attention in animals. In the future, the research team plans to focus on other aspects of Asian elephant cognition, such as cooperation, prosociality, and delayed gratification.

###

The paper "Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) recognise human visual attention from body and face orientation" appeared on 2 October 2025 in Scientific Reports, with doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-16994-3

About Kyoto University

Kyoto University is one of Japan and Asia's premier research institutions, founded in 1897 and responsible for producing numerous Nobel laureates and winners of other prestigious international prizes. A broad curriculum across the arts and sciences at undergraduate and graduate levels complements several research centers, facilities, and offices around Japan and the world. For more information, please see: http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en

---

Journal

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-025-16994-3 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) recognise human visual attention from body and face orientation

Article Publication Date

2-Oct-2025

 

Water works: Groundbreaking study reveals hydropower’s power to cool southeast Asia’s carbon curve

Dr. Rinaldi Idroes of Universitas Syiah Kuala delivers data-driven blueprint for clean energy transition in Southeast Asia

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

Investigating hydropower energy consumption's effect on Southeast Asia's path to achieving environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality
 

view more 

Credit: Ghalieb Mutig Idroes, Iffah Hafizah, Djoni Hartono, Dian Budi Dharma, Irsan Hardi, Teuku Rizky Noviandy & Rinaldi Idroes

When it comes to clean energy, solar and wind often dominate the headlines. But in the lush, river-rich landscapes of Southeast Asia, another renewable powerhouse is quietly making waves—hydropower. A major new study published on August 4, 2025, in Carbon Research proves that hydropower isn’t just a side player in the region’s energy mix—it’s a leading force in cutting carbon emissions, with the potential to reshape the future of sustainable development.

Led by Dr. Rinaldi Idroes from the School of Mathematics and Applied Sciences at Universitas Syiah Kuala in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, this original open-access research dives deep into two decades of energy and economic data across Southeast Asian nations. Using advanced statistical models—including the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), and Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality tests—the study offers the most comprehensive analysis yet of how energy choices shape the region’s climate trajectory. And the verdict? Hydropower is a climate game-changer. The study found that as hydropower consumption increases, CO₂ emissions drop significantly. Even more compelling, capital formation—a sign of investment in infrastructure and green development—also correlates with lower emissions. In contrast, reliance on fossil fuels, rapid economic growth without green safeguards, agricultural expansion, and rising labor intensity all drive emissions upward.

“Southeast Asia is growing fast, but that growth doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense,” says Dr. Idroes. “Our data shows a clear path: invest in hydropower, build smarter infrastructure, and you get both economic progress and environmental protection.” One of the study’s most striking findings is the bidirectional causality between hydropower use and CO₂ reduction. Not only does more hydropower lead to lower emissions, but as societies prioritize climate action, they also tend to expand their clean energy capacity—a virtuous cycle in motion. The impulse response analysis further confirms this: a sudden increase in hydropower consumption leads to a sustained decline in carbon emissions over time. This isn’t just a short-term blip—it’s a long-term trend with real policy implications.

Why This Matters for Southeast Asia

From the Mekong Basin to the islands of Indonesia, Southeast Asia is rich in rivers, rainfall, and hydropower potential. Yet many countries still rely heavily on coal and natural gas to fuel their booming economies. Dr. Idroes’ research provides a data-backed argument for shifting course. It shows that hydropower—especially when integrated with other renewables and energy efficiency measures—can help decouple economic growth from carbon emissions. “Hydropower is not just an energy source,” explains Dr. Idroes. “It’s a climate mitigation tool, a driver of green investment, and a foundation for energy security in a region vulnerable to climate impacts.”

A Triumph for Indonesian Science and Regional Leadership

This study highlights the growing strength of Universitas Syiah Kuala as a center for applied environmental research in Indonesia. Located in Banda Aceh, the university is emerging as a key player in sustainability science, particularly in data modeling and policy-relevant climate research.

Dr. Idroes’ work demonstrates how local expertise can generate insights with regional impact and global relevance. By focusing on Southeast Asia—a region often underrepresented in global climate studies—he fills a critical knowledge gap and empowers policymakers with homegrown solutions.

The Road Ahead: From Data to Decisions

The study concludes with a clear call to action:

• Scale up investment in hydropower and other renewables
• Phase out fossil fuel subsidies and redirect funds to green infrastructure
• Improve energy efficiency in manufacturing and agriculture
• Promote green technologies that support low-carbon development

With climate change already affecting monsoon patterns, sea levels, and agricultural yields across the region, the need for action has never been greater. Dr. Idroes’ research doesn’t just diagnose the problem—it offers a roadmap. And the destination? A cleaner, more resilient, and sustainably powered Southeast Asia. So next time you hear the rush of a mountain river, listen closely. It might just be the sound of the region’s low-carbon future—flowing forward.

 

 

=== 

• Title: Investigating hydropower energy consumption's effect on Southeast Asia's path to achieving environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality
• Keywords: Climate change; Global warming; Environmental degradation; Hydropower energy consumption; CO2 emissions; Fossil fuels; Economic growth
• Citation: Idroes, G.M., Hafizah, I., Hartono, D. et al. Investigating hydropower energy consumption's effect on Southeast Asia's path to achieving environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality. Carbon Res. 4, 57 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44246-025-00218-4 

 

=== 

About Carbon Research

The journal Carbon Research is an international multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on natural and engineered carbonaceous materials that are associated with ecological and environmental functions, energy generation, and global change. It is a fully Open Access (OA) journal and the Article Publishing Charges (APC) are waived until Dec 31, 2025. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient and professional platform for researchers in the field of carbon functions around the world to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science. The journal is currently indexed by Scopus and Ei Compendex, and as of June 2025, the dynamic CiteScore value is 15.4.

Follow us on Facebook, X, and Bluesky. 

---

Journal

Carbon Research

DOI

10.1007/s44246-025-00218-4 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Investigating hydropower energy consumption's effect on Southeast Asia's path to achieving environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality

 

Wildfire smoke linked to declines in sperm quality

Wildfires don’t just cloud the skies, they may also affect fertility, a new study suggests.

University of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

As wildfires grow more frequent across the U.S. and Canada, their hidden toll may extend into the fertility clinic. A new study from UW Medicine suggests that wildfire smoke exposure may reduce key measures of sperm quality in patients undergoing fertility treatments. 

The research, published in Fertility and Sterility, encompassed an analysis of semen samples from 84 men who provided sperm for intrauterine insemination procedures between 2018 and 2022. Major wildfire smoke events in the Seattle area occurred in 2018, 2020 and 2022. By comparing semen analyses collected before and during wildfire seasons, the researchers were able to track changes in sperm health. 

“This study takes advantage of our institution’s location in the Puget Sound region, where wildfire smoke events create distinct pre- and post-exposure periods in a natural experiment to examine how a sudden, temporary decline in air quality influences semen parameters,” the authors wrote. 

The team found consistent declines in sperm concentration, total sperm count, total motile (movement-capable) sperm count, and total progressively motile sperm count during wildfire smoke exposure. One measure, the percentage of progressively motile sperm, showed a slight increase, though it was not enough to offset the overall reductions in sperm quality. 

Subjects served as their own control in this retrospective analysis of medical records across the smoke-event years. Findings were consistent across different wildfire years, showing that the results were not outliers, the authors added. 

“These results reinforce growing evidence that environmental exposures — specifically wildfire smoke — can affect reproductive health,” said senior author, Dr. Tristan Nicholson, an assistant professor of urology in the University of Washington School of Medicine and a reproductive urologist at the UW Medicine’s Men’s Health Center. Her patients are primarily men with infertility issues.  

The results align with prior smaller studies led by Oregon Health & Sciences University, which linked air pollution and wildfire smoke to impaired reproductive health. This underscores the need for further investigation, Nicholson said. 

“As we see more frequent and intense wildfire events, understanding how smoke exposure impacts reproductive health is critical.”  

Exposure to the very small particles in wildfire smoke has been linked to respiratory problems, heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and cognitive impairment. But the impact of the smoke exposure on human male fertility has not been well-characterized in the scientific literature. 

The researchers suggested that further study is needed of wildfire smoke’s impact on reproductive age, men versus women, and what happens to individuals trying to conceive if one or both have had wildfire smoke exposure.  

Although the study was not designed to evaluate the impact of wildfire smoke on reproductive outcomes, the pregnancy rate was 11% in the cohort of women with partners in this study, and the live birth rate was 9%, which tracks with similar rates previously published in literature and at the center, the authors note.  

One question unanswered by this study: Do sperm counts bounce back after smoke exposures? "We are very interested in how and when sperm counts recover after wildfire smoke exposure,” Nicholson said. “Currently we are conducting a prospective pilot study of men in the Seattle area to evaluate how wildfire smoke affects sperm quality.”  

She also has a joint appointment with UW Department of Occupational and Health Sciences in the School of Public Health. Nicholson is also a scholar in the UW Pediatric and Reproductive Environmental Health Scholars K12 program and a member of the UW Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. 

---

Journal

Fertility and Sterility

DOI

10.1016/j.fertnstert.2025.08.031 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Wildfire smoke exposure is associated with decreased sperm concentration and total motile sperm count

Article Publication Date

1-Oct-2025