Biologists confirmed the presence of a lethal fungus known as white-nose syndrome in Washington, the first occurrence in western North America of the disease that has killed about 7 million bats.

The discovery of white-nose syndrome in a little brown bat in North Bend, Wash., is a setback for cooperative conservation measures, such as restricting human access to bat roosting sites, to slow the spread of the epidemic.

The disease that gets its name from the powdery, white substance that appears around muzzles, ears and wings of affected bats has swept across 28 states — including Minnesota — and five Canadian provinces.

Bigger is better for dating posture

When it comes to impressing potential dates, a little change in posture might make the difference between a swipe right and a swipe left. A new study led by a University of California, Berkeley researcher finds that, when all you've got is a moment, people who use more expansive, dominant gestures are the ones most likely to earn a second look.

The researchers found that in a speed-dating setting, the more expansive the posture, the more likely the date was to want to go out with him or her. The pattern was true for both men and women, and it held up on a dating app. Photos of people in more expansive postures — leaning back, spreading out, opening the arms — earned more interest than those in contracted postures.

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