Strange Biology
January 24, 2012A Killer Snail
The cone snail is one of the slowest-moving carnivorous snails. But what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in potency of venom. In fact, a sting from the geographic cone snail, for which no antivenin exists, has resulted in several human deaths. However, research indicates that these same toxins may have positive implications for human health.
December 15, 2011The Science Behind A Frog's Jump
The acceleration of a frog’s jump requires more energy than its leg muscles are capable of producing. Researchers recently conducted an experiment to understand the biomechanics behind the frog’s incredible ability to jump.
November 15, 2011Warmer Climate, Shrinking Species?
Plants and animals are already beginning to change their behavior due to a warmer climate. Recent research indicates that these modified behaviors are not the only change that species will undergo if the climate continues to warm as expected.
October 19, 2011Cool Your Brain with a Yawn
A yawn is the hallmark of boredom or sleepiness, right? According to recent research, that connection may not be correct. Instead, researchers contend that yawning has less to do with how much sleep you got last night or how bored you are in your third period math class. Instead, research results indicate that yawning is the body’s way of cooling down your brain.
September 19, 2011The Mantis Shrimp: An Unusual Underwater Inhabitant
Daunting body weaponry, lightning-fast punches, and second-to-none color perception make the mantis shrimp an unusual—and amazing—underwater creature.
May 31, 2011A Closer Look at the Venus Flytrap
Like most plants, carnivorous species such as Venus flytraps and pitcher plants, use photosynthesis to make the food that is needed to for survival. However, unlike other types of plants, carnivorous plant species also supplement their diets by catching and digesting small animals such as insects, spiders, and slugs. Why is carnivory necessary for some species of plants and not others?
April 28, 2011Cavefish Don't Need to See to Find Food
The fish species Astyanax mexicanus includes both cave-dwelling and surface-dwelling populations. While populations that live aboveground have large eyes, those that live underground do not. How are the cave populations able to survive in the darkness?
March 28, 2011Sea Squirt "Nanowhiskers" May Help Regrow Human Muscle Tissue
Researchers at the University of Manchester in northwestern England have found that cellulose taken from tunicates can be used to influence the growth of skeletal muscle cells in the laboratory. Tunicates, also called sea squirts, are simple marine mammals. Though they float freely in the water as larvae, once they mature into adults, most tunicates attach themselves to the ocean floor and live the reminder of their lifetime without moving.
February 27, 2011An Unusual Fish that Lives Deep in the Ocean
The female deep sea anglerfish uses a bioluminescent “lure” that dangles over her head to attract prey. However, her lure isn’t just used to capture food to eat. Male anglerfish use the female’s light source to make sure she’s a member of the same species before he latches onto her as a lifelong mate.
January 20, 2011A Whale of a Tale
People typically use Flickr to upload photos to share images of people, places, and events with their friends and family. A recent upload led to an amazing scientific discovery about how far a humpback whale can migrate in just one year.
December 3, 2010A Bacterium That Thrives on Arsenic
Six elements are known to be necessary for life: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. It may be time to add a new one to the list: arsenic. At least, that’s the case for a strain of bacteria called GFAJ-1 isolated from California’s Mono Lake.
November 15, 2010A Primitive Animal with a Modern Function
Though primitive in looks and origin, surprisingly, these animals have a major role in modern medicine.
October 15, 2010A Common Ingredient Could Help in Finding a Cure for Parkinson's Disease
The ingredient that causes bread to rise is playing in important role in research aimed at finding a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Scientists are using baker’s yeast to study how a certain protein, called alpha-synclein, leads to the development of this debilitating disease.
September 2, 2010Immunity Down on the Farm
The incidence of allergies and allergic asthma is higher in children raised in urban and suburban neighborhoods. But children who are raised on a farm or spend a significant portion of their early years in the presence of farm animals have a much lower incidence of these ailments. Why is this? Researchers in Europe may have found the answer.
May 25, 2010Researchers Use DNA Barcodes to Investigate Fern Identify
In the past, scientists used morphological clues to help identify and distinguish between different species. Now, with just a little bit of tissue, researchers can use a new tool called “DNA barcoding” to identify different species and determine the relationships between them.
March 25, 2010Remaining Salamander Limb Cells Remember Identity After Amputation
Certain types of amphibians including axolotls and newts area able to regenerate lost limbs. These animals have been widely studied by scientists interested in learning the mechanics behind limb regeneration.
March 10, 2010Sunk On Purpose
Did you know that the coastlines of the United States have become a dumping ground for old ships, subway cars, and tanks, among other things? Sounds like a major source of ocean pollution, right? Well, think again. All of these items have been placed onto the bottom of the ocean on purpose as a way to build up marine habitat.
February 24, 2010Using Geographic Profiling to Track Great White Shark Predation
Geographic profiling is a method typically used by criminal investigators to track the movements of serial killers by tracing a connection between crime scenes. Researchers from the University of Miami, University of British Columbia, and Texas State University recently used this method to study the hunting habits of the great white shark off the coast of South Africa.
December 20, 2009Tree With an Ancient Past
Talk about tenacity—not only are bristlecone pines among the oldest organisms alive, but they also survive in rather harsh conditions. These long-lived organisms have a number of interesting adaptations that allow them to survive over long periods of time in what many other organisms would consider to be rather hostile conditions.
November 15, 2009Hummingbird's Flight Speed Beats a Fighter Jet
Male Anna’s hummingbirds (Calypte anna) have quite an impressive courtship display to impress the ladies. When the male spies a female during the breeding season, it proceeds to soar 30 meters up into the sky and then dives down toward the female, reaching speeds up to 27.3 meters per second (61 mph) at the peak of its dive.
October 2, 2009Tracking Tigers By Their Scat
Given a tiger’s large territorial range, solitary behavior, and mainly nocturnal activities, tracking the animals is a difficult endeavor. Wildlife researchers in India have determined that collecting fecal samples (also known as scat) is a reliable method that can be used to determine the population size of tigers in the wild.
September 1, 2009Dragon With A Deadly Bite
The Komodo dragon, like its name suggests, is a ferocious animal. It is the largest lizard in the world—as an adult it may grow to a length of ten feet and weigh over 150 pounds. In addition to its menacing size, the Komodo dragon also features super-sharp teeth and claws. If the teeth and claws don't kill its prey, blood poisoning caused by one of the 50 bacteria species in its saliva will.
August 7, 2009Driven to the Edge by a Parasite
Imagine what it would feel like if you were infected by a parasite that was able to control everything you do. Turns out, this sort of situation isn’t just the product of some Hollywood director’s imagination. Some parasites can and do take over their host’s bodies.
June 14, 2009Femme Fatales Fireflies
What he perceives as the light of his life might be his fatal attraction!
May 1, 2009Some Birds Get Their Groove On, Too
Until recently, the ability to keep time to music was considered to be a characteristic unique to humans. However, research now indicates that several species of parrots, such as the cockatoo shown above, are also able to move rhythmically to a musical beat. Perhaps the next season of Dancing with the Stars should consider adding a few avian contestants? (Photo credit: GlobalP/ istockphoto.com)
April 22, 2009Fuel from Algae
Could pond scum be the next miracle fuel? If research scientists are successful, you may one day fuel your car with biofuel made from algae. In fact, commercial airlines have already started flight testing the new fuel using blends of standard fuel and algae-based biofuel.
March 31, 2009The Curious Case of the Platypus
The platypus is a curious animal. It has a bill like a duck, it produces milk and has fur like a mammal, and it lays eggs like a reptile. Scientists recently sequenced the entire genome of a platypus and discovered that its odd appearance is in fact a testament to its bird, reptile, and mammal ancestors.
February 25, 2009A Shark That Lives Among the Ice
The word "shark" probably conjures up images of the iconic grey dorsal fin wending its way toward a populated beach à la the movie Jaws. However, not all sharks inhabit coastal or tropical waters. In fact, one shark lives quite far from the nearest beach. This shark is the Greenland shark—and it lives in the polar latitudes of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
January 27, 2009Deep-Sea Fish Uses Unusual Method to See
The brownsnout spookfish (Dolichopteryx longipes) is a fish like no other. It is the first vertebrate discovered to use mirrors, and not lenses, to focus its eyes. Why would such an unusual trait arise? One answer lies in the habitat where the spookfish lives.
December 1, 2008A Sea Slug Powered by the Sun
Imagine that after eating a big salad, you were able to use the photosynthetic pigments in the lettuce to your advantage. Such is the case with Elysia chlorotica, and a few other unusual species of sea slugs.
October 29, 2008Chameleon Spends Most of Its Life in Its Egg
"Life is short" isn't just a witty saying for a certain species of chameleons that live in southwestern Madagascar. For the Labord's chameleon, life really is short. And, to make it even more interesting, the majority of its shortened life is spent within the confines of an egg.
September 24, 2008African Frogs Hide A Secret Weapon
Claws that break through the skin—that’s something that only occurs in the comic books, right? Well, move over, Wolverine, as you've got some real world competition. Scientists recently found a frog in Cameroon that breaks its own bones in order to produce claws.
May 1, 2008Fish Flatulence — How Certain Fish Communicate in School
Most animals do not pass gas for any purpose other than necessity. In the oceans, however, there is an animal that may use flatulence as a means of communication.
November 28, 2007An Alien Among Us!
Truth is often at least as strange as fiction. The moray eel uses a secret weapon to eat its prey, one that seems straight out of the movie Alien.
September 17, 2007The Male Praying Mantis — Dying to Mate?
If you're a female mantis, especially a hungry one, why choose a mate who's going to put up a fuss when you try to bite his head off?