Hearing loss detected in Clown Fish
Clownfish, the spectacular tropical species feted in the movie Finding Nemo, appear to lose their hearing in water slightly more acidic than normal.
At levels of acidity that may be common by the end of the century, the fish did not respond to the sounds of predators.
The oceans are becoming more acidic because they absorb much of the CO2 that humanity puts into the atmosphere…
Continue reading… “Acid Oceans Turn ‘Finding Nemo’ Fish Deaf”
Every piece of food has its own personality, so its best
not to select the high maintenance fruits and vegetables
“Marriage is like putting your hand into a bag of snakes in the hope of pulling out an eel.” – – Leonardo da Vinci
Continue reading… “Top 10 Photos of the Week”
Study shows drinking donkey’s milk is good for you.
Cleopatra would bathe in it as part of her beauty regime. Milk from donkeys, which was still being drunk in Victorian times, contains less fat and is more nutritious than cow’s milk. Researchers have found that drinking donkey’s milk could be a good way to lose weight and protect your heart.
Futurist Thomas Frey: On Tuesday evening we had a packed audience at the DaVinci Institute to discuss the future of micro farming. Admittedly, we weren’t terribly well organized and the range of topics we touched on were far more than most of us could reasonably consider in a single setting. But for those who took part in the discussion groups, some amazing ideas came to light.
Continue reading… “Inventing the Rocking Chair Tree”
Seed beetle. Aggressive male mating behavior might well be a successful reproductive
strategy for the individual but it can drive the species to extinction, researchers say.
Aggressive male mating behavior might well be a successful reproductive strategy for the individual but it can drive the species to extinction, an international research team headed by evolutionary biologist Daniel Rankin from the University of Zurich has demonstrated in a mathematical model…
Continue reading… “Aggressive Male Mating Behavior Can Endanger Species”
To me its far less about the photo and far more about where the photographer was sitting
“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” – – Sir Winston Churchill
Continue reading… “Top 10 Photos of the Week”
Asexual fission from one cell?
Planarians, a type of flatworm, reproduce by asexual fission. Cut one in half, and the missing parts will regrow until you have two planarians. Scientists have known for a while that the regeneration took place among a cluster of cells called cNeoblasts. Some wondered if was possible to grow an entire worm from a single such cell, and so performed an experiment…
Continue reading… “Worm Regenerates Entire Body from a Single Cell”
Exactly how long do you want your pet to stay around?
Grieving pet owners are turning to a US woman to give their lost loved ones eternal life by making them into mummies. PD Cagliastro is one of few in the US offering animal mummification services based on the ancient Egyptian art It took her 20 years to perfect her formula by studying embalming, consulting with chemistry students and reading the few scraps of ancient Egyptian texts available on the subject.
“It was a sick fascination,” said Ms Cagliastro, who works and lives in her “house of death” with her teenage daughter and her husband, an exterminator…
Continue reading… “Woman Makes Mummies for Bereaved Pet Owners”
Like a drop on a wine glass, a snake venom “tear” runs down the groove of the fang.
The surface tension acting on the venom is the dominant physical force underlying envenomation.
Most snakes do not inject venom into their victims bodies using hollow fangs, contrary to common misconceptions. The fact is that most snakes and many other venomous reptiles have no hollow fangs. Physicists have now uncovered the tricks these animals use to force their venom under the skin of their victims.
For years Professor Leo von Hemmen, a biophysicist at the TU Muenchen, and Professor Bruce Young, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, have been researching the sense of hearing in snakes. While discussing the toxicity of their snakes, it dawned on them that only few snakes inject their venom into their victims’ bodies using hollow fangs. Yet, even though the vast majority of venomous reptiles lack hollow fangs, they are effective predators.
Only around one seventh of all venomous snakes, like the rattlesnake, rely on the trick with the hollow fang. The vast majority has developed another system…
We know that a piece of toast, if dropped, will fall butter-side down. We also know that a cat, if dropped, will land on its feet. What happens when you strap a piece of buttered toast to a cat’s back and drop them both is called the Buttered Cat Paradox, and there’s an extensive amount of research on the internet devoted to just this conundrum…
Continue reading… “The Buttered Cat Paradox”
Every bucket list should contain at least a few hours with an “attack puppy”
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.” – Yogi Berra
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It’s easy to say you’ll never use DEET, that is until you come down to South Carolina. My home state boasts mosquitoes that rival your house pet in size and stature. But even still, many fear the toxicity of DEET and try to avoid it even with those mini-monsters landing on you noon and night. According to the CDC, lemon eucalyptus oil could be a much safer and more natural weapon.
Continue reading… “CDC Confirms Lemon Eucalyptus Oil as Effective as DEET”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.