Biology

Physicists find a new ‘state of matter’ in the eyes of chickens

An unusual arrangement of particles has been discovered in the cells of chicken eyes. It’s the first time scientists have seen such a system in a biological system — one that allows materials to behave like both a crystal and a liquid. The unique arrangement is called “disordered hyperuniformity,” and it could help researchers design…

Slobber weed makes for the world’s meanest prank

Pilocarpus pennatifolius is known, along the Amazon river, as jaborandi. In English, we call it by a translation of that word; “slobber weed.” It does exactly what it says. In Brazil, it is occasionally taken to bring on sweat and to cure dry mouth. It certainly does the latter. Someone who chomps down on slobber…

Why don’t you die after you have sex?

Did you or do you or will you enjoy your long stretch of reproductive years? According to Cole’s Paradox, you shouldn’t. Many species need just a tiny increase of fecundity in order to justify one shot at sex, followed by death. Find out why you “should” die after you copulate, and why you don’t. Semelparity…

Meet “No. 1,” the giant isopod that went on a five-year hunger strike

Isopods – the segmented, ancient-looking order of crustaceans to which pill bugs belong – are popular in Japan; and so it was with much fanfare that, in 2007, the country’s Toba Aquarium welcomed a giant, foot-long isopod to its ranks. But one day in 2009, the isopod, for reasons unknown, decided to stage one of…

This is the happiest noise you’ll hear today

Hear that? It’s the sound of 16 itty bitty goat hooves skittering across a hardwood floor. Incidentally, it’s also the sound of sheer, unadulterated joy. Louisiana farmer Nadia Jarreau posted this video of her “quad squad” of four baby goats to Facebook a few days ago. We’ve only known about it for a few hours,…

Your Sperm Are Ticking, Mutating Time Bombs

Everyone knows that as men age so do their sperm, slowing a little and becoming less… potent. But research suggests that sperm actually mutate with age—which in turn could increase the chances of fathering a child with a genetic disorder. New Scientist reports on research by Anne Goriely from the University of Oxford, writing that…

How Does Your Memory Work?

Badly, perhaps. But even if you struggle to recall information on a daily basis, all our brains are wired in much the same way—and it requires quite a few steps to remember anything at all. Each and every memory is registered in the brain, but they’re not all encoded—that’s why you forget names as soon…

Artist makes gorgeous sculptures in collaboration with bees

Winnipeg artist Aganetha Dyck is fascinated by the power of small animals, and over a decade ago she set out to create art with the help of a bee hive. Working with bee keepers, she set up a special apiary where bees could build their honeycombs on top of dolls and other objects. The results…

Ants make their rafts float by putting the buoyant babies at the bottom

If you decided to build a raft, where would you put your young? Would you stick them in the middle of the raft to protect them, or place them around the base of the raft to help it float? That depends on whether you’re an ant. Many species of floodplain-dwelling ants form rafts to surf…

Are any animals truly monogamous?

As Henry Reich explains in this installment of Minute Earth, yes, monogamy does exist in the animal kingdom – though fewer creatures practice it than you probably realize. Monogamy is observed in just over a quarter of primates and only around 3–5% of mammals, overall. How it evolved in humans is still the subject of…

Acne is the first bacteria found to have hopped from humans to plants

Humans aren’t the only living things that play host to the bacteria that causes acne. A team of researchers believe that our ancestors passed the microbe to grapevines thousands of years ago, the first known bacterial transfer from human to crop. In a letter published in the latest issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution, a…

Superpower vision lets cats and dogs see in ultraviolet

A new study suggests dogs and cats can see things that are invisible to humans — from psychedelic stripes on flowers to flashy patterned feathers on birds. Scientists say the secret behind this remarkable “superpower” is ultraviolet light detection. Given their sleek ways, cats have long been a symbol of mysticism, and now the reputation…

What it looks like when an octopus decides to steal your camera.

When an octopus decided that deep sea diver David Malvestuto’s camera would be better off in his own eight arms, the resulting tug-of-war was pretty epic. Things really got good, though, when Malvestuto started taking pictures during the struggle. Here are a couple of the shots he snagged during the scuffle, before the octopus swam…

Earth’s First Animals Barely Needed Any Oxygen

There’s a longstanding theory which says oxygen-rich oceans were a key requirement for complex life to emerge on Earth. But a new study involving sea sponges upsets this notion, showing that primitive animals may have been able to survive with hardly any oxygen at all. The first microbes appeared on Earth about 3.6 billion years…

A potential Nobel-winning stem-cell study is now under investigation for irregularities. Haruko Obokata rocked the science world last month by showing how stem-cells could be reprogrammed by an acid bath. Japan’s RIKEN institute has now launched an inquiry following allegations of duplicate images and numerous failed attempts to replicate the results.

What Causes Aftertaste?

Ever wonder why certain foods seem to hang around after you swallow them? Aftertaste is generally classified as any taste that remains in your mouth after your food or drink has been swallowed or spit out. The exact mechanism that causes these sensations isn’t fully understood. In fact, understanding how our brains perceive specifics tastes…

And now, a pangolin cavorting in the mud

Did you all know yesterday was World Pangolin Day? Somehow we overlooked it, and we’re kind of ashamed about that. Because look at this thing. It’s an armor-plated mammal, for crying out loud. To make up for the oversight, here’s a video of a pangolin wallowing merrily in a pool of mud. These videos come…

What the hell is this eldritch horror from beneath the sea?

It’s got a giant blob foot full of what I can only assume are tapioca balls from a bubble drink, plus some pretty insane tentacles. Even marine biologist David Shiffman was perplexed, which is why he sent out a tweet earlier today asking for somebody to identify it. Luckily, the internet had a ready answer.…

Help find the dirtbag who shot and killed three sea otters

Last September, members of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation team recovered three otters that had been shot and killed near Asilomar Beach, in Pacific Grove, CA. Their killer remains at large. Now, state and federal authorities need your help finding the perpetrator. Via the Monterey Bay Aquarium: We and other sea…

An albino alligator gets a CT scan

Mr. Bones, a rare albino alligator at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, recently needed to get a CT Scan to investigate a problem with his jaw. This made for a pretty unique photo opportunity. https://gizmodo.com/so-ct-scanners-look-pretty-badass-when-theyre-not-cove-1504560462 Via the park’s Facebook page: He is in the excellent hands of University of Florida Zoomed staff. He is…