Along Came a Spider Part II

A spider has been found to use discarded insect parts to create body doubles for itself.  Predators are more likely to attack these decoys than the real spider, and the spider is 60% less likely to be eaten.  This is the first animal to be observed using this strategy.

A possible disadvantage: Prey is more likely to notice the web.

http://www.livescience.com/animals/091130-orb-spider.html

-Brown Rhino

Along Came a Spider Part I

A new species of spider has recently been discovered.  Dubbed the "peacock spider", its male is notable for showing off to females by creating a fan of multicolored flaps, just like the peacock.

http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=sparklers&item=7598

-Brown Rhino

Indian Giant Bat Sanctuary

    The Indian city of Jamshedpur houses the Jubilee Lake Mega Bat Sanctuary- the only bat reserve located in a city in India.  The bat population there has boomed, growing 40% in the past year.  The reserve houses the sphinx bat and the herbivorous flying fox, which can grow to 2 meters (over 6 feet) in wingspan- one of the largest bats in the world.  The flying fox is also notable in that it pollinates over 50 types of plants.

     So they're like 2-meter bees that don't sting.  I like.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home

/environment/flora-fauna/Flying-foxes-

get-sanctuary-in-Jharkhand/articleshow

/5251883.cms

-Brown Rhino 

Rhino Bodyguards

Elephant-riding bodyguards for the Indian Rhinoceros population in Nepal seem to have been successful.  In the 1.5 years since the bodyguards were instituted, not a single rhino has been killed.  The bodyguard project has been funded by the Zoological Society of London.  18 months ago, the population numbered only 22 individuals; now, the rhinos have recovered from the intense poaching they faced before.

http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-2586-

One-horned_Rhino_Bodyguards_Deployed_in

_Nepal_Assisted_by_Zoological_Society_of_London

-Brown Rhino

Plastic causes ADHD???

    Research in South Krea has shown that phthalate, a common chemical found in plastic, is linked to ADHD.  The research may be tentative, but it has far-reaching implications.  It certainly helps explain the high rate of ADHD (obviously).  Personally, I think this research will eventually become a key moment in plastic safety.  Time will tell, however.  This claim might be debunked like an earlier one that claimed that phthalates cause feminine behavior in boys (although no one knows what feminine behavior is anyway, which is one reason the study was debunked.).

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017052915

-Brown Rhino

Eat Less, Live More

A study at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine showed that eating 30% less than the average American can lead to a 50% increase of lifespan.  It does not matter if this is caused by a decrease in fat, protein, or carbs.  Of course, all of this is very tentative.

http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com

/news/2009/11/dietary-restriction-and-longevity.aspx

-Brown Rhino 

To Save a Mockingbird

    Charles Darwin is famous for his work on natural selection with finches, but he also worked with the Floreana mockingbird, collecting several specimens.  Now, unfortunately, the Floreana mockingbird is endangered and extinct on the island of Floreana, surviving only on two tiny islands nearby.

   A study of this mockingbird, however, reveals hope for the future.  It seems that the populations on the two small islands retain much genetic diversity.  Moreover, it seems that the two populations on the small islands have only been separated since the main island's population went extinct, using Darwin's samples.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8364778.stm

-Brown Rhino 

Problems in the Plans

    A new UN treaty proposes bonuses to developing countries that don't cut down forests rich in carbon.  This is helpful against climate change, and as the forests richest in carbon are tropical rainforests, it would seem to help biodiversity as well.

    Actually, scientists say, it will hurt biodiversity.  This is because before, with no financial incentives, countries automatically protected the areas with the highest biodiversity, which are not necessarily the same places as the places with the highest carbon content (although both are rainforests).  Now, the protection will be shifted to the places with the highest global warming potential.  The biodiversity hotspots will thus get the tree trunk.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131714.htm

-Brown Rhino

No feeding the fish

Goliath groupers: Serranus itajara is in the Order: Perciforme Family: Serranidae Genus: Epinephelus Species: itajara. This fish can be found in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. They are usauly bottom fish who like to hang out near reefs and sunken ships. They are called Goliath groupers because, they are huge. they can grow to 8.5 feet long and can weigh as much as 800 pounds. You think this would be a great catch, but it isn't. Most old time fishermen say that goliath groupers are unsatisfying and would prefer a sea bass over it. Also they are illegal to bring on board because of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Ever since 1990 goliath groupers are on the list of endangerd spieces. Though they are endangerd they are making a major recovery and my soon be alowed to be fished in set quantaties.

Robots and Fly Eyes

The fly eye is a complex system.  But the neurons that actually process what the fly sees are not very complicated, and there are only a few of them.  Now, scientists are copying the mechanism to use in flying robots for vision.

The minor problem: They don't know how the fly eye works.  The simple components create a complex feedback system, and therefore no one knows how to improve the eye of the fly.  But that may not even be possible.

By Www.noodlesnacks.com

GNU license 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/11/fly-eyes/

-Brown Rhino

Rodents may be helping trees

Scientists in California have found that rodents that eat the seeds of the Manzanita shrub may help it survive fires.

Yes, you may read this again.

Rodents such as mice and kangaroo rats like to eat the seeds of the Manzanita shrub.  They're tasty.  But since they can't eat them all at once, they bury them deep underground.  Unfortunately for them and fortunately for the Manzanita, the rodents often forget where they buried the seeds.  As such, the seeds are left deep underground.  If a forest fire comes, the seedlings are deep enough that they survive the fire.

http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/2009/fall/24.html

-Brown Rhino 

Hey Jellyfishie, Part XI

For the first time, scientists have observed a coral eating a jellyfish.  The mushroom coral was found, well, eating a moon jellyfish that was about its size- up to 30 cm (1 foot) across.

The mushroom coral was already known to be an outlier among coral species.  It lives by itself, and it's one of the largest coral species.  But actually eating jellyfish is another matter.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/
earth_news/newsid_8350000/8350972.stm

-Brown Rhino

Hey Jellyfishie, Part X

The Echizen jellyfish (the same ones that capsized the trawler a few weeks ago) continues its infestation of Japanese waters.  In fact, the Japanese government is advising fishermen not to fish in the open water for fear of the giant jellyfish's sting.  Studies have found that this influx of jellyfish is caused by global warming.

http://www.thisisbrandx.com/2009/11/
invasion-of-the-giant-jellyfish.html

-Brown Rhino 

Hey Jellyfishie, Part IX

John Dabiri is a scientist who focuses on studying jellyfish propulsion.  Now his findings have shown that our heart pumps somewhat like a jellyfish.

Fortunately, it doesn't sting.

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/11/09/24348/

-Brown Rhino 

Hey Jellyfishie, Part VIII

Update on the trawler sunk by the giant jellyfish: The trawler weighed 10 tons.  The trawler sunk because it capsized due to the weight of the jellyfish.

It seems those fishermen were really hungry.

Scientists say that the number of jellyfish in that region fluctuates wildly from year to year.  No one knows why, however.

http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=81548

-Brown Rhino 

Hey Jellyfishie, Part VII

A Japanese fishing boat was sunk when it caught a bunch of giant jellyfish- too many of them.  The net was loaded with Nomura's jellyfish, each of which can weigh 200 kilograms.  When the crew tried to pick up their catch, the boat capsized.  The 3 crewmen were rescued, but the catch got away.

Remember: Greed may possibly be good, but jellyfish are certainly heavy.

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/

etc/091102-fishing-boat-sunk-giant-jellyfish.html

 - Brown Rhino