Exploring the extreme biology of being afraid
Halloween is right around the corner and whilst this spooky holiday brings a welcome chance to tip the fear-o-meter for us humans, not many other species seem to enjoy being afraid like we do—as far as we know. Today’s version of Halloween—the one with costumes and trick-or-treating—is far different than the 2,000-year-old Celtic festival of … Continued
The Game of Thrones intro recreated with slime mold
Using time-lapse footage of slowly growing slime mold from Nick Lariontsev, YouTube user Transcend Rules has pieced together this entertaining take on the Game of Thrones introduction, complete with the theme. What are slime molds? Aptly named due to their gooey appearance, slime molds are single-celled organisms that feed on the microorganisms found in dead … Continued
Freshwater fish and amphibians have an enzyme that acts like night-vision goggles
Researchers uncover an enzyme that allows various marine species to see a much wider range of light than us humans — from the blue-greens of marine environments to more cloudy, infrared inland streams. For nearly a hundred years researchers have known that fish and amphibians have an unreal ability to fine-tune their visual abilities to … Continued