Wildlife Science (Galápagos–Amazon): A Spain–Ecuador research push links Valencia institutions with Ecuador’s USFQ via Gaias Europa, building a necropsy lab near Galápagos National Park to track why sea lions and marine iguanas are dying and to share field work across the Galápagos and Amazon. Conservation Tech (Marine life): A global study in Science Advances finds drifting fish aggregating devices affect more than half of the world’s protected marine areas, urging tighter limits, better tracking, and stronger retrieval responsibility. Archaeology + Remote Sensing (Amazon): Using lidar, researchers report nearly 400 previously unknown geoglyphs in the southwestern Amazon, suggesting a far larger pre-Columbian Aquiry civilization than previously estimated. Public Safety (Ecuador): Ecuadorian police and armed forces are increasingly using drones to spot gang activity and monitor routes tied to cocaine trafficking, citing recent arrests enabled by aerial surveillance. Health Research (Asthma): A new study finds switching from gas stoves to electric induction can sharply improve asthma symptoms and cut emergency visits, tied to lower indoor nitrogen dioxide. Local Governance + Rights (Ecuador): Rights groups urge Ecuador to comply with a court order to eliminate gas flares, spotlighting enforcement gaps. Politics (Ecuador): Reporting says President Daniel Noboa’s strategy ahead of the 2026 local elections involves suspending and removing opposition groups from the electoral field rather than winning through votes.