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Barbados thread snakes
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At first, it just looks like a worm. But when you peek closer, it slithers like a snake. It sticks its tongue out like a snake. It creeps you out like a snake. Discovered under a rock in 2006 in Barbados, this thread snake is as thin as spaghetti and smaller than any of the 3,100 other known snake species. Researchers believe it is the smallest a snake can evolve to be.
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5985 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Look at this larva that resembles an adult snake
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This is the larva of the Hemeroplanes triptolemus moth. In its larval form it is capable of expanding its anterior body segments to give it the appearance of a snake, complete with simulated eyes. It's mimicry extends even to the point where it will harmlessly strike at potential predators.
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2 |
3516 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
So good at camouflaging!
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The arctic fox population on Mednyi Island in the Bering Sea has declined to just 100 individuals over the past 40 years, and a new study has found out why. It's likely due to mercury pollution in seabirds and fish, not infectious disease, as previously thought. This is important, say the researchers, because we eat marine food too, so we should stop and think about how much pollution is going into our Arctic waters.
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4281 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Breastfeeding guidelines for neanderthals
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Ancient baby's teeth have revealed that Neanderthals followed today's breastfeeding guidelines. Scientists analyzed a fossilized baby tooth from a Neanderthal child, and found the infant was breastfed exclusively for the first seven months of life and given supplementary foods and mother's milk for another seven months before being weaned. This fascinating discovery sheds light on the remarkable similarities between Neanderthal parenting practices and contemporary breastfeeding guidelines. By examining the composition of the fossilized baby tooth, scientists have uncovered valuable insights into the dietary patterns of our ancient relatives. The Neanderthal infant's exclusive breastfeeding for the first seven months of life mirrors the advice ...
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5614 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Dinosaur tail discovered in Mexico
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The tail was discovered in northern Mexico and most likely belonged to a hadrosaur, a duck-billed dinosaur. The tail is 4.9 meters (16 feet) long and is made up of 50 vertebrae. Tails are rare finds, and this is the first discovered in such good condition.
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2051 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Unusual defence mechanism
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While the video may look like a trick an owner could teach their animal to do, some birds actually do play dead to avoid predation. If they feel in danger, they will essentially 'play dead' since predators are more interested in live, healthy prey than dead prey.
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3 |
3411 |
savio |
10 years ago |
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3107 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
New species discovered in the Western Hemisphere
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Meet olinguito, or Bassaricyon neblina, the first species of carnivore discovered in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years. This cute teddy bear-like nocturnal mammal is native to Central and South America, and spends most of its time in the treetops, coming down to the forest floor occasionally to eat fruits such as guava.
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3937 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
Even chimps suffer from hair loss
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This 20-year-old male chimp suffering with alopecia, is a star attraction at an Indian zoo, as he sort of resembles a human. Perhaps being locked up in a zoo makes life a deeply distressing experience
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5163 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
A parrot with a wicked hairstyle
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This is a Palm Cockatoo, also know as the Goliath Cockatoo. Palms are distinguished by their size, huge beak (second only to the Hyacinth Macaw among psittacines and largest proportionate to size), solid black feather coloration, large open crest, bare red cheeks, and red and black tongue. You have to see their tongues to believe the coloration. It's amazing. Palm Cockatoos are severely threatened. They are CITES Appendix I birds and are protected in Australia. As a testament to their rarity, typical prices in the U.S. for Aterrimus Palms are around $8000 and Goliaths around $14,000. Perhaps contributing to their rarity is the fact that, according to both Low and Forshaw, they lay only one egg per clutch. ...
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5917 |
savio |
10 years ago |
How to train a tree
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A bonsai tree is “trained” to grow as a dwarf by pruning and shaping the branches. But seeds from the tree would produce trees that grow to normal size. This shows the there is no inheritance of the characteristics acquired by pruning.
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5565 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
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6005 |
savio |
10 years ago |
Blue eggs
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Scientists have identified the genetic mutation responsible for the first blue chicken eggs in South American Mapuche fowl and their European descendants, Araucana, 200 to 500 years ago. They used the unique genetic resources conserved by heritage or “fancy” poultry breeders to identify the exact location of the mutation in the genome in blue egg laying chickens and an additional genomic study to reveal the genetic cause of the blue colored eggshell is a harmless ancient retrovirus in the domestic chicken. ...
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3427 |
savio |
10 years ago |
One colourful duck
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The Mandarin duck is a sexually dimorphic species, meaning males and females differ in appearance. The male has a rich, colorful appearance, which includes brown cheeks and a long brown and white crown sweeping back from the top of the head. The chest is dark purple, with black and white strips, and the wings are brown with an iridescent blue-green edge. This striking coloration helps the male attract the less-colorful females, which display brownish-black plumage with white markings around the eyes and along the throat. ...
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3715 |
duddy |
10 years ago |
First non-human to use sign language
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This is Washoe, the first non-human to use sign language. When her caretaker Kat suffered a miscarriage, and Washoe was told that her baby had died, she signed "CRY", drawing a path down her cheek with her finger to mimic a tear. Chimpanzees don't shed tears, and Kat said this one sign told her more about Washoe's mental capabilities than all of her longer, grammatically perfect sentences.
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3216 |
savio |
10 years ago |