< ITT i aware you on cool facts about plants,animals & evolution. GTFIH >

[SlipperyGypsy]

Miniature chameleons smaller than the size of a match tip have been discovered in Madagascar as an example of extreme island dwarfism. This phenomenon occurs when resources are so restricted that they necessitate radical specialisation of organism’s body plan. Island dwarfism has been seen in many species including Dinosaurs and even tiny mammoths that grew only to 4 feet tall.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...ascar-science/
http://www.livescience.com/20178-dwa...-smallest.html

[SlipperyGypsy]

The most colorful tree in the world: The Rainbow Eucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus deglupta).

The Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) or 'MINDANAO GUM' looks almost like it's been spray painted, but the up to 70-m tall tree is colored this way completely naturally. Its bark can take on a yellow, green, orange and even purple shading.

If you want to spot a Rainbow Eucalyptus tree live and in all its glory, you’ll have to travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea or Philippines where the tree grows natively. However, it has been introduced worldwide as an exotic wood in South America, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, China and other countries.

[Ryack]

in for moar

[SlipperyGypsy]

Did you know that hippos sweat red? They have been known to sweat a red fluid that was once thought to be blood! More recently, however, scientists have discovered that their sweat actually protects against sun damage and prevents the growth of bacteria on the skin. This properties probably evolved from the need to protect them from the harsh sunlight they spend their days in. It also helps to heal and prevent infection in wounds, which is useful in a species that fights as much as they do. Basically, they've evolved a colorful antibacterial sunscreen!

[CodRG92]

interesting. tree is pretty awesome looking.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Adventurer Mark Moffett found the world’s biggest insect last year – which is so huge it can eat carrots. He discovered the giant weta up a tree and his real life Bugs Bunny has now been declared the largest ever found. He came across the cricket-like creature, which has a leg span of seven inches, after two days of searching on a tiny island. The creepy crawly is only found on Little Barrier Island, in New Zealand.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Ant mind-controlling fungus

Research into a fungus found growing in carpenter ants has revealed a dramatic insight into its workings. Infected ants are forced to find and die at spots optimal for the fungus to reproduce. Using transmission-electron and light microscopes, researchers were able to see how the fungus grows inside of an infected ant. The fungus fills the ant's body and head causing muscle atrophy and separating muscle fibres. The fungus can also interfere with the ant's nervous system causing convulsions. This can cause the ant to fall from the trees and into the dense, dark and damp leaf litter floor, ideal conditions for the fungus to reproduce.

On top of this it was shown that at solar noon (when the sun is at it's strongest), the fungus affects the infected ant's behaviour, forcing it to bite the main vein in the underside of a leaf. It then detaches the muscles associated with the opening and closing of the jaw leaving the jaw locked in position around the vein. A few days later, a stroma (the fruiting body of the fungus) grows through the ant's head and spreads spores, able to be picked up by any other passing ant.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Some pics:

Dew covered Red Veined Darter



Dolphin in the womb



The Sarcrastic Fringehead (srs name)

[Recovered]

pretty interesting keep em comin

[SlipperyGypsy]

Have the hiccups? Blame your inner fish. Scientists have shown that ancient fish and amphibians moved their gills with certain electrical signals emitting from the brain stem, and it is hypothesized* that these signals are still retained within us. Our breathing pattern is more complex than in fish, so the results could be the "spasms" we feel. The gulping for air effect may come from our amphibian ancestors, due to an ancient signal from the brain that would close off the lungs to use the gills, and vice versa. Just a reminder that although we look and act very different, we're still all derived from simpler life forms, and that evidence lies in our own bodies.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Around 100,000 years ago the population of the human race fell to less than 10,000 individuals. New genetic evidence suggests that one factor contributing to this decimated population was a epidemic of a bacterial disease in which the bacteria were exploiting two immune system genes and using them against us.

Ajit Varki of the University of California, San Diego and colleagues looked at two genes called Siglec-13 and Siglec-17, both genes that code for proteins involved in controlling the immune system in most apes. Varki found that both of these genes (which are active in chimps, our closest extant relatives) were not active in humans. Varki reconstructed the lost proteins and found that two dangerous bacteria could bind to them. Varki believes that humans were confronted by a massive bacterial epidemic and that these two genes made us weak. Their mutation into non coding genes led to increased survival from the disease and quickly spread throughout the remaining human population, leading to our survival from the epidemic.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...l-plagues.html



Scary to think we could of been wiped out so easily.

[DragonSlayer4]

reppedbrah

[ShoryuBrah]

5 star thread.

I've seen the mind controlling fungus one before. That chit is creepy as faurk. Didn't it also cause crickets (might have been ants again) to jump into water and basically commit suicide?

[SlipperyGypsy]

The Komodo Dragon is the worlds largest lizard and can grow up to ten feet in length. Their saliva consists of over fifty types of bacteria that grow at a rapid pace when compared to lab grown samples of the same bacteria.
E. coli, Staphylococcus sp., Providencia sp., Proteus morgani and P. mirabilis are all in symbioses with the Komodo; the bacteria prevents any break in the hosts immune system and the teeth; which the deadly bacteria grow upon often dislocate during feeding and remain embedded in the Komodo's victim where they spread rapidly.

It was thought that the bacteria caused the severe symptoms and eventual death in bite victims, but it has recently been discovered that the the Komodo Dragon does in fact have glands that extrete venom and it rivals the most venomous of snakes. This venom produces the effects of: slowed blood clotting, decreased blood pressure, shock, and eventual death in those unlucky enough to attract the serrated teeth of the Komodo Dragon.

[fruitypancakes]

in for moar!

[SlipperyGypsy]

Supersititious Pigeons (srs)

We have long believed that humans are unique in mental facilities such as faith and supersitition though our thoughts has changed in the middle of 20th century by the findings of B.F Skinner. Through his experiments he created a mechanism to dispense food when pigeons pressed a button with their beaks and after a while he removed the machanism and started to dispense food at random intervals. Pigeons started to turn supersititious, if they were clasping their wings when they received food, they started to clasp their wings in order to get food and if they were looking at a certain location they started to stare there. And we thought crossing fingers were our exclusive tool of trade!

[Fsharpasharp]

Tell us about dingoes and dropbears

[SlipperyGypsy]

In some kinds of bugs (notably bed bugs) instead of mating conventially the male will leap onto the back of the female and pierce her abdomen with his penis, inserting his sperm directly into her body cavity.
A new study attempts to explain how such a damaging mating system could have evolved through natural selection using sexual conflict theories - what's a fitness advantage for one gender isn't always good for the other. inb4 rapebrah

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0509105304.htm

[xenethor]

moar boar wants moar

[fruitypancakes]

fixed.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Albinism

Albinism is a genetic trait in which there is a partial to complete lack of pigment in the skin, hair and/or eyes. This is due to a lack melanin and can affect all vertebrates. The gene causing albinism is a recessive gene, and there are often other defects associated, especially with vision.

In nature there is the obvious disadvantage of camouflage as well as hampering sexual selection, if colours are used for mating (such as with the peacock). There is also the opposite of albinism called melanism. This is where there is too much pigment and this can result in a darker than "normal" colouring.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Rodent eating plant caught on tape in Philippines
In this video, the rat may appear to have just slipped and fell into the plant but that is not the case. The shrub is actually digesting the rodent.

After investigating reports from missionaries about a giant plant that subsists on whole rats, British botanists have announced the discovery of a species of rodent-eating plant on Mount Victoria in the Philippines. The giant pitcher plant, which is believed to be the world's largest meat-eating shrub, seduces rodents into its slipper-shaped mouth and dissolves them with acid-like enzymes. It can grow a stem more than 4ft long and has been named "Nepenthes attenboroughii" after wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. Stewart McPherson and former Cambridge University botanist Alastair Robinson made their discovery during an expedition in 2007, but have only just described the killer shrub after completing a study of all 120 species of pitcher plant.

[DatSkinnyKid]

**** yeah! My ancestors were mermaids

[DeadLiftBro]

albinism

albinism is a genetic trait in which there is a partial to complete lack of pigment in the skin, hair and/or eyes. This is due to a lack melanin and can affect all vertebrates. The gene causing albinism is a recessive gene, and there are often other defects associated, especially with vision.

In nature there is the obvious disadvantage of camouflage as well as hampering sexual selection, if colours are used for mating (such as with the peacock). There is also the opposite of albinism called melanism. This is where there is too much pigment and this can result in a darker than "normal" colouring.

lol repped

[SlipperyGypsy]

The Glaucus Atlanticus is a species of sea slug which grows to about 35 mm. The species is rarely seen except during periods of on-shore winds which bring them to shallow waters and often end up washed up on beaches. They float partially by means of an air bubble that they have swallowed and stored in their gastric cavity and they store the nematocysts from their prey in their tips for protection against predators; a sting which can be felt by humans.



Reminds me of:



lol

[SlipperyGypsy]

The mantis shrimp is one of the most incredible creatures found in our oceans. Over millions of years, it has equipped itself with an arsenal to rival that of any other organism, besting the limits of human technology on more than one front.

Firstly, it packs the biggest punch of any predator, with a sophisticated muscle mechanism allowing speeds in excess of 50mph to be attained. Couple this with the ability to create extreme low pressure behind it's extended arm, causing the water to spontaneously boil, no prey stands a chance. This action releases intense energy, enough to break sheets of glass.

That is not all. The mantis shrimp has the most sophisticated and extensive eyes of any known creature. With their unique shape and composition, the shrimp can see in most directions simultaneously, as well as observing more of the spectrum than us humans, both at the infra-red and ultra-violet ends.



I for one welcome our new shrimp overlords.

[SlipperyGypsy]

The Cuckoo finch is probably not going to win a parent of the year award. They, like half of the species of cuckoos, are a brood parasite, which means they do not raise their own young, but rather lay their eggs in the nest of another bird. In order to trick their main hosts, the tawny-flanked prinia, natural selection has resulted in the cuckoo eggs mimicking their host’s eggs.

Since it is an arms race, prinias have evolved a wonderful defense- their eggs have evolved a large variety of complex patterns. This means the cuckoo eggs have to mimic the perfect match matching eggs or the prinia will discover the impostor and evict them from their nest! The better the cuckoo gets at mimicry, the more the prinia must fight back- just look- eggs on the left are prina eggs and on the right are cuckoo finch mimics. Can you tell the difference?

[Daniel0]

More

[SlipperyGypsy]

Is the reality of Captain America still far off? Putting it simply, yes. However manipulating genes can unleash the 'Super Soldier' inside ants. The super soldier type of ant is found naturally in a number of species, but introducing simple chemicals to ant species that do not have the super soldier caste can induce a transformation into these bizarre ants with extra-large heads. They then use their giant heads to block the entrance to the colonies from possible predators.

[SlipperyGypsy]

Bioluminescent phytoplankton in the Maldives: