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Biology Forums Blog |
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4576 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
3856 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
5331 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Culling of sharks for the sake of safety?
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The culling policy aims to reduce shark attacks by killing white, bull and tiger sharks over 3 metres long off the coast of Western Australia. Research on previous culls reveal no scientific evidence that destroying sharks reduces attacks, and the cull has caused outrage from conservation groups. Two experts from the University of Western Australia explain: "Pre-emptively killing sharks is a response based on emotion rather than of scientific data."
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Biology Forums Blog |
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4795 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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4850 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
4960 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Embryonic leopard cub
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This is what an embryonic leopard cub looks like in the womb. It's not a photograph, but a combination of three-dimensional ultrasound scans, tiny cameras and computer graphics used to create realistic representations of animal fetuses for a National Geographic documentary.
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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
4619 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Bird with a bad hair day
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The Resplendent Quetzal ( Pharomachrus mocinno) has a range running from southern Mexico to western Panama. Its sinuous, jade-green tail feathers once adorned the clothing of Mayan rulers and served as currency. Now, bird-watching tourism boosts local economies in quetzal territory.
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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
3045 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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Biology Forums Blog |
7 |
3484 |
bio_man |
10 years ago |
Bloody trees
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The dragon’s blood tree ( Dracaena draco) has a thick red resin that makes the plant appear to be bleeding when it is cut. These subtropical plants form huge umbrella-like canopies and can grow for hundreds of years, but they are currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to the trademark resin being used in traditional medicine, violin staining, and even for embalming the dead.
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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
5511 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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3307 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Incredible cloud formation
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This is an undulatus asperatus cloud formation. The name translates loosely to “roughened or agitated waves” and although they appear ominous, they tend to dissipate without a storm forming. In 2009 the formation was proposed as a separate cloud classification - if successful it will be the first cloud formation added since 1951 to the International Cloud Atlas of the World Meteorological Organisation. ...
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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
3291 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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7685 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Heart-shaped watermelons
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Japanese farmer, Hiroichi Kimura, has perfected growing the heart-shaped watermelon.
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Biology Forums Blog |
3 |
8970 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Blue lava!
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A volcano in Indonesia produces lava that looks BLUE! Though the molten sulfur looks red in daylight, during the night, the blue flames that reach heights of 5 meters (16 feet) are highly visible. The sulfur, which is right around its melting point at 115°C (240 °F), is pumped away from the volcano so it can cool and be collected by miners for 680 rupiahs per kilogram (about 2.5 cents per pound).
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Biology Forums Blog |
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7854 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
7083 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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5218 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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6338 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Ladies, would you ever accept a black rose?
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This is the very rare Turkish Halfeti rose. Although it looks like it's been spray painted, it's such a dark crimson colour that it looks pure black. The roses only grow during the summer in a Turkish village called Halfeti thanks to the unique soil conditions of the region and the pH levels of the groundwater. As they first bloom the flowers look dark red and fade to this black hue during the summer months.
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Biology Forums Blog |
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8539 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
0 |
7371 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
4 |
10610 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
11800 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
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10555 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
House plants could one day power our computers
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Researchers have discovered a novel method to harness photosynthesis to create electricity. By attaching nanotubes to plant cells, the researchers were able to direct the electrons that plants free during photosynthesis down a wire and generate electrical current – and it was twice as powerful as electricity gathered from solar cells.
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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
7674 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
0 |
7568 |
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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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
6627 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Legalize puffer pots!
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Puffer fish release a toxin to protect themselves from predators, but dolphins have figured out how to make the fish release just the right amount and use it to get high and enter in what seems to be a trance-like state. “They [dolphins] began acting most peculiarly, hanging around with their noses at the surface as if fascinated by their own reflection,” said one of the researchers.
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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
5350 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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Biology Forums Blog |
1 |
4412 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Ghost heart
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This is a 'ghost heart' it was soaked in an ingredient found in shampoo to wash away all the cells. This technique leaves a protein scaffold that can be injected with stem cells from a person who needs a transplant, guaranteeing that the transplant won't be rejected.
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Biology Forums Blog |
2 |
4480 |
duddy |
10 years ago |