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Ant careers
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It turns out that ants are capable of making career moves.Computer tracking of ants shows that colonies have three main occupations: nursing the queen, cleaning, and foraging for food. Younger ants typically stay near the queen, but as they get older, they make the transition to foraging. This transition with regards to age was an exciting discovery, giving more insight into ant behavior. Source: http://www.nature.com/news/tracking-whole-colonies-shows-ants-make-career-moves-1.12833 ...
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3688 |
ehd123 |
11 years ago |
A white-blooded ice fish
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This is a white-blooded ice fish, or "crocodile fish" ( Chaenocephalus aceratus). They lack both red blood cells and hemoglobin, and so have white blood. They have translucent bodies, and absorb oxygen directly from the water around them.
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2687 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Geep!
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A goat-sheep chimera also known as a geep all over the world is normally produced by the fusion of the embryos of both a sheep and a goat. The animal formed by this method thus has cells of not only goat but also of sheep origin. Those parts of the chimera that grow from the embryo of a sheep are woolly. Whereas those that grow from the embryo of a goat turn out to be hairy.
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3959 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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3163 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
A hybrid dolphin whale
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The wolphin is the extraordinary result of breeding a female bottle-nosed dolphin with a male false killer whale. In captivity there are two occurrences, both are in the Sea Life Park in Hawaii. Unlike other hybrids, the wolphin is fertile.
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5716 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
What happens when chemicals build up or don't break down?
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Are humans really at the top? Yes. We are the top of the food chain (unless we are eaten by a shark!), but is it always beneficial to be at the top of the food chain? Usually food chemicals that we eat are used by our bodies and any waste is exhaled, defecated and urinated out of us. However, some chemicals such as heavy metals like lead and mercury can't be expelled from plants and animals so they build up in the plant and animal bodies. This is called biomagnification (biological magnification) because the amounts can accumulate more and more in animals further along the food chain till they reach a toxic level. In human-made environments, radio-active chemicals such as uranium are a problem because the time they take to break down (half-l ...
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2674 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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3270 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Dwarf planets
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Not much of a believer in dwarf planets, but here's a cool schematic of some. In 2006 the organization responsible for classifying celestial bodies, the International Astronomical Union, decided that a new class of objects was needed. The solar system's erratic ninth planet, Pluto, was assigned to the new “dwarf planet” category along with four other bodies, all tinier than Earth’s moon. Some astronomers expect there may be as many as 50 dwarf planets in the solar system. Eris, the largest dwarf planet, is only slightly bigger than Pluto, at 1,445 miles in diameter (2,326 km). Discovered in 2003, Eris orbits at an average distance of 68 AU (that is, 68 times the Earth’s distance from the sun) and takes 561.4 Earth years to circle the sun. E ...
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3372 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
New bat species discovered
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This striped bat is only the fifth of its kind to be collected, and is so unique, it warranted the creation of a new genus.
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2800 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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3970 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Cheat like a pro
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Here's a fun way to cheat on your next biochemistry exam
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2970 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
To kill or not to krill?
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Without krill, most of the marine animals in Antarctica would disappear. So what are they?Krill are crustaceans, each about 5 cm long. In addition to their diet of phytoplankton, they have the ability to scrape ice-algae from the underside of ice formations. In turn, they are on the menu for hungry squid, penguins, seals and whales. In short, krill form an integral part of the Antarctic ecosystem. Together, krill would number in the billions, yet their numbers are decreasing. Why? One reason may be the melting and loss of ice formation due to increased global temperatures. Another reason is humans' greed. Krill oil, high in omega-3 fatty acids, is packaged as health medication to maintain healthy cholesterol. How many krill are worth the lif ...
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3117 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
What happens to plastic waste?
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In 1937, a scientist named Carothers died at the young age of 41, desolated that he had not made his mark in the scientific world. His invention, Nylon, was to become one of the most commonly used plastics in the world. Nylon is used in toothbrushes, ropes and fabric for parachutes and clothing.
In the last century, plastics (synthetic polymers) have been so ubiquitous that it is difficult to imagine life without it. But what happens to it when we longer have use for it? Where does it go when we throw plastic out?
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3044 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Arizona's Antelope Canyon
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Slot canyons are much deeper than they are wide, and are most commonly sandstone or limestone. This is Antelope Canyon, located in Northern Arizona. There is enough room to move around comfortably at the bottom, but the opening on top is only 2-3 feet wide.
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3290 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
A bird with a moustache
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Inca terns are unique and beautiful birds—slender with white-tipped gray feathers, a white curly moustache, yellow lips and a bright orange-red bill. They have a distinctive call that sounds like a high pitched laugh, which is often accompanied by bowing gestures. Inca terns are natives of the western shoreline of South America and the islands located offshore. They are especially abundant in northern Chile and Peru in the summer. They migrate in winter, venturing to Ecuador and central Chile. Inca terns swoop down and pluck fish from near the water’s surface. They also sometimes get scraps left behind by whales, or flock to where sea lions are eating on rocks, to steal stray bits of food. A male who is interested in a female will perform aer ...
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3080 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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