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You won't see a bird
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An Australian Tawny Frogmouth ( Podargus strigoides) showing off some excellent camouflage against a tree trunk. The birds are nocturnal and stay safe while they're roosting during the day by disguising themselves as a tree branch. They're known to stand perfectly still and upright with their beaks in the air for hours.
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3295 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Would you ever try a black hot dog?
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Believe it or not, this is one of the most popular fast-food delicacies sold in Tokyo. It's known as the Black Terra Hot Dog, and it's over 30 cm long! The black color doesn't come from ink, but it's edible bamboo charcoal powder. Bon Appétit ...
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10600 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
World's smallest penguins
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Rockhopper Penguin gregarious marine birds are among the world's smallest penguins, standing about 20 inches (50 centimeters) tall.
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5323 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
World's newest island
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The world's newest island, Niijima, keeps on growing, and is now eight times the size it was when it first emerged off the coast of Japan on 20 November. Having merged with its neighbouring uninhabited island, Nishino Shima - which sat 500 metres away in November - the pair bears an uncanny resemblance to Snoopy the cartoon dog.
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6332 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
What's the world's most delicious fruit?
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Ever wondered why two of the world's most delicious fruits - the mango and the avocado - have such enormous seeds? Turns out they likely evolved to be swallowed whole by megafauna, like our modern-day rhinos and elephants, that once ruled the Earth, to be deposited far away from their host plant and wrapped in a fresh dollop of fertiliser. That's why these seeds are nicknamed 'ghosts of evolution'.
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6618 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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11794 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
The king of the jungle is disappearing
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Lions are now critically endangered in West Africa. Although they once ranged continuously from Senegal to Nigeria, new research has revealed only around 250 adult lions survive in the region, and only one of the four isolated populations contains more than 50 individuals.
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7078 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
The best camouflage
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The Buff-tip moth ( Phalera bucephala) is a remarkable species that has developed a unique strategy to evade predators. When at rest, this moth cleverly disguises itself as a broken stick, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. The moth's wings are intricately patterned and colored to mimic the texture and appearance of a twig, complete with jagged edges and bark-like markings. This exceptional camouflage allows the Buff-tip moth to remain virtually invisible to predators such as birds and small mammals that may otherwise consider it a potential meal. By adopting this disguise, the moth gains a significant advantage in survival, as it can confidently rely on its remarkable mimicry to go undetected in its natural habitat. This fascinating ...
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5211 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Super strong immune system
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Pandas produce a super powerful antibiotic that kills bacteria and fungi. The substance is released by the panda’s immune system to protect them from catching infections in the wild. Researchers are trying to decode the substance’s makeup as it could be used to develop treatments against drug-resistant superbugs.
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7676 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Solar panels on the moon could one day power Earth
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Architectural and engineering firm Shimizu plans to solve Earth's climate crisis by building a band of solar panels 400 kilometres wide along the entire 11,000-kilometre equator of the Moon. The energy generated will be beamed back to Earth in the form of microwaves and converted into electricity at ground stations. The team hopes to start building the "Luna Ring" from Moon materials in 2035.
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7367 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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4566 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Only species of bird with a bill longer than its body
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The sword-billed hummingbird’s bill is actually longer than its entire body. As the sole species in the Ensifera genus, this hummingbird is found across South America. The bill can grow up to 14 cm, so these birds have to use their feet to groom themselves and typically rest with their bill pointed upward so they can balance.
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3844 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
No fingerprints?
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People born without fingerprints suffer from adermatoglyphia. People with this genetic condition have a mutation in a region of DNA that prevents a protein from forming correctly.
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4951 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
My new favourite animal
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Meet the guineafowl puffer ( Arothron meleagris), all puffed-up and poisonous to deter any would-be predators. Found throughout the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific Oceans, this spotty species loves feeding on tiny marine invertebrates and the tips of coral.
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7558 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Mesolithic man
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The genome of the 7,000-year-old hunter-gatherer has given scientists unprecedented insight into modern humans before the rise of farming, and overturns the popular image of light-skinned European hunter-gatherers. The DNA was taken from the wisdom tooth of the Mesolithic man and revealed he was probably lactose intolerant, had more difficulty digesting starchy foods than today's humans, and carried mutations that boost the immune system against nasty illnesses previously thought to only be introduced to humans by farm animals. ...
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4834 |
duddy |
10 years ago |