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It's sore throat season, why does my mucus have red spots?
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It's that time of year again when the weather starts to change, and we're more prone to getting sick. One such symptom that accompanies these seasonal illnesses is a sore throat. Sore throats not only feel like you've swallowed sandpaper, but they are also accompanied by coughing, congestion, and the production of mucus, sometimes with spots of blood. Firstly, mucus plays a crucial role in our respiratory system. It's a slippery, gel-like substance produced by the mucous membranes lining various parts of our body, including the respiratory tract. This viscous fluid serves as a protective barrier against invaders such as pathogens and irritants. It also helps keep these surfaces moist, allowing for proper functioning and efficient air exchang ...
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14018 |
bio_man |
10 months ago |
Harvard graduates explain seasons
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Before you watch the video (or read the explanation underneath), try answering the question: What causes the seasons on Earth?. You'll be surprised that even the brightest minds – many of whom have been educated at one of the world's leading universities – can have the same misconceptions as everyone else. Many believe that the Earth's orbit is an exaggerated ellipse, as pointed out by the narrator. Although the Earth’s orbit is elliptical, it is so close to round that Earth’s distance from the Sun does not vary enough to affect the seasons. In fact, its orbit is only 1.7 percentage points from being perfectly round. Indeed, Earth is closest to the Sun each year on January 4, when it is winter and cold in the Northern Hemisphere. The seasons ...
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4550 |
bio_man |
3 years ago |
The year summer was erased
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The eruption of Mount Tambora was so massive, it erased summer that year.The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora was one of the most powerful eruptions in recorded history. The eruption of the volcano, on the island of Sumbawa in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), reached a climax on 10 April 1815 and was followed by between six months and three years of increased steaming and small phreatic eruptions. The ash from the eruption column dispersed around the world and lowered global temperatures, leading to worldwide harvest failures in an event sometimes known as the Year Without a Summer in 1816. The eruption resulted in a brief period of significant climate change that led to various cases of extreme weather. Several climate forcings ...
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4238 |
bio_man |
7 years ago |
This baby fish will grow up to be one of the fastest fish in the sea
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While it may look small now, this baby swordfish ( Xiphias gladius) grows fast and can reach 14 feet in length and weigh up to 1,200 pounds as an adult. They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans and sometimes cold waters, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. They are highly migratory, moving to warmer waters in the winter and cooler waters in the summer. While they are not at the top of the food chain, it is not a fish to be messed with; apparently, even sharks are wary of them! ...
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17662 |
duddy |
8 years ago |
A jellyfish wannabe
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The Portuguese man o' war is not a jellyfish! Despite its outward appearance, they are a colony of specialized minute individuals called zooids. These zooids are attached to one another and physiologically integrated to the extent that they are incapable of independent survival.
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2453 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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33903 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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10756 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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10978 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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5808 |
duddy |
9 years ago |
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3533 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Cookie monster of the sea
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The cookie cutter shark ( Isistius brasiliensis) is as fearless as they come! This small, 20-inch shark can take on giants like whales and larger sharks, and have even been known to mistakenly try to bite submarines. They dwell in the deep warm ocean and come closer to the surface as the sun sets to grab a quick snack off their unsuspecting prey. Cookie cutter sharks approach their victims from below, latch on with their suction cup style lips, bite and then twist (below). A nice, round hole is left as a souvenir. They get this easy meal by tricking other ocean residents with their distinctive brown collar, which may act as a lure that allows the cookie cutter shark to be seen as a smaller, not-so-scary fish. As frightening as they seem, the ...
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5774 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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8203 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Drinking seawater to survive
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A seagull on a glass roof looking really cute. Seagulls are able to drink seawater to survive thanks to salt glands just above their eyes. These glands eliminate excess salt from the seawater and flush it out of the birds' nostrils in liquid form, an action that's often mistaken for a sneeze.
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1975 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Here's what you get when you swallow seawater
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This is a single drop of seawater, magnified 25 times. The amazing image shows bacteria, worms, fish eggs, crab larva, diatoms, and much more. Think about THAT next time you swallow a mouthful of seawater.
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2792 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
This isn't a fancy dessert
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We know they kind of look and sound like a fancy dessert, but you won't find Little Egg Cowries on a dinner plate any time soon. In fact, you'll have a hard time finding them anywhere, because these spotty little sea creatures are masters of disguise. Through a process known as 'alimentary homochromy', they can change the colour, patterns, and shape of their flesh to perfectly mimic that of the coral and sea sponges around them.
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2170 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
A butterfly in the sea
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Bearded fireworms are the caterpillars of the sea. At home in parts of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, their bristles can pierce the skin of an unsuspecting swimmer and deliver a powerful venom that will burn for hours.
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2620 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
A carefree seal
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Meet the ribbon seal, native to the icy waters off the southern coast of Russia. With no confirmed predators (except humans who occasionally hunt them), these seals are known for being super relaxed, and will let you walk right up to them on the ice floes.
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1625 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Colourful candy-striped land snail
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This is the colourful candy-striped land snail ( Liguus virgineus), and it’s only found on Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba. For years its colourful shell made a popular souvenir for travellers visiting these Caribbean islands, but now a law forbids people from harvesting the shells and selling them.
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10584 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Sea otters hold each others paws when they sleep
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Since sea otters sleep at sea, floating around like in the video, holding hands like that keeps the group together, so they don't drift apart in the night. Because of this, the otters feel more comfortable holding hands while asleep than drifting alone. Therefore, it serves both social and practical purpose.
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3860 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
A peculiar lobster has been discovered
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1 out of every 50-100 million lobsters has split coloring. One side is typically a dark brown, while the other side is blue, orange, or red. These individuals usually exhibit traits of both males and females.
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4918 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
This fish looks like it can perform hypnosis
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Stargazer fish have their eyes situated on the tops of their heads and can bury themselves in the sediment with only their faces sticking out. Some species lure prey with a worm-shaped projection that comes out of their mouths. They are toxic and some can deliver a 50 volt shock!
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3969 |
savio |
11 years ago |
Leafy Seadragon
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This is the spectacular Leafy Seadragon. Its dangling skin disguises the vulnerable species as floating seaweed. Like seahorses, the male Leafy Seadragon carries the eggs, which are bright pink when the female first deposits them, but turn purple or orange when they're ready to hatch after nine weeks.
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2270 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Another look at the goblin shark
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Another look at the goblin shark ( Mitsukurina owstoni), a deep sea creature that's been sighted less that fifty times since its discovery. They're the only living representative of the family Mitsukurinidae.
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4531 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
A shrimp is the world's loudest animal?
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Meet the pistol shrimp. It is known to be the loudest animal and can emit a sound up to 200 decibels which it uses to stun its prey using its pincers. Check out the video below:
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3353 |
duddy |
11 years ago |