Strange Biology
July 6, 2010Some 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)
June 14, 2010A 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.
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.
April 29, 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.
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.
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 22, 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 12, 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.
July 13, 2009Fish 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.
June 14, 2009Femme Fatales Fireflies
What he perceives as the light of his life might be his fatal attraction!
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.
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.
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?