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Radioactive bacteria
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Listeria bacteria has been enlisted by researchers to selectively infect metastatic pancreatic cancer cells and deliver radioisotopes into them. The experimental treatment dramatically decreased the number of metastases (cancers that have spread to other parts of the body) in a mouse model of highly aggressive pancreatic cancer without harming healthy tissue. Mice livers are shown above. The saline control liver on the left presents a large number of metastases compared to the liver on the right which was subject to the radioactive Listeria treatment. ...
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3156 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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2356 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Ants: Crashing picnics for 158 million years
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There are over 12,000 species of ants in the world, and a new tree of life has been published to better understand how they are all related. Their evolutionary origins have been traced to the tropics in South America, where they play a critical role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem.
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3286 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Intelligent animals
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Dolphins are regarded as the second smartest animal alive, and are only outwitted by humans. Compared to other animals their size, dolphin brains are five times larger. Dolphins have been shown to be self-aware, and are capable of a wide range of emotions.
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3013 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Close up of a llama's eye
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This is a close up of a llama eye. The strange "ruffles" are called 'iridic granules' (corpora nigra) and they are used to to shade the eye from bright sunlight. In bright light these iridic granules can actually interlock to completely cover the centre of the pupil. This leaves just two holes open on either end of the pupil, reducing the amount of light that can enter the eye. These odd looking structures are also found in horses, cattle and sheep.
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6363 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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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3619 |
ehd123 |
11 years ago |
One ugly fish
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The coelacanth is known as a “living fossil” because it looks very much like its ancestors from 300 million years ago. Its genome has been sequenced, and it, in fact, has been found to be evolving at a very slow rate. The genetic sequence also might help give some insight into the transition from fins to limbs.
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2794 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Super batteries
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Imagine a battery the size of the one in your cell phone with enough juice to jump-start a car. It's actually not too far-fetched. Scientists at the University of Illinois have been developing microbatteries. Only a few millimeters long, these batteries may pave the way for electronics to become smaller and thinner, while still providing enough energy to be highly effective. The best part is that it recharges 1000 times faster than current batteries. Good things do come in small packages ...
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2702 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Red-bellied short-necked turtle
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This beautiful animal is Red-bellied short-necked turtle. It is found in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and in Australia it is highly endangered. These stunning colours are highly pronounced as infants and juveniles, but fade as they age. They reach about ten inches (25 cm) in length.
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2829 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
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1 |
2740 |
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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2970 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Stealth bomber
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This is the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (stealth bomber). This machine is capable of pin-point strikes on most any hardened target available such as underground bunkers. Needless to say, it is also capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This stealthy aircraft was designed in a way that enemies could not anticipate its arrival, but its 22,600 Kg bomb load and a multitude of nuclear missiles would ensure they'd know when it had arrived. Named the B-2 Spirit, its advantage in battle is derived from its designation spirit; it operates like a ghost. Engines: Four General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofans of 17,300 lbs. thrust each Wingspan: 172 ft. Length: 69 ft. Height: 17 ft. Speed: High subsonic Takeoff weight: 336,500 lbs. ...
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3835 |
bio_man |
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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3199 |
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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2951 |
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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3022 |
duddy |
11 years ago |