sciencecenter: New study is a further testament to the hardiness of the water bear The water bear is the cockroach of microbes; they nearly always pull through when researchers throw them into Armageddon-like conditions. Now it seems that even their unborn young have unprecedented endurance. The microscopic animals called water bears already have quite a number of accomplishments under their belts. In experiments, they’ve survived the vacuum of space, large doses of radiation, extreme heat, extreme cold, and extreme pressure, giving scientists cause to believe that the little guys could potentially live on other planets and weather long journeys across space… But to pull this off, they’d have to reproduce. Scientists have now exposed water bear eggs to three of these stressors—extreme temperature, vacuum, and a dose of radiation so strong that exposure to even a fraction of it would kill a human in days. They found that provided the eggs are given a chance to dehydrate themselves and go dormant, surprising numbers that survive: more than 70% of eggs for the temperature test, and more than 50% for the radiation test, while vacuum-exposed eggs hatched at similar rates as control eggs. (Image credit) I can’t tell if this is weird or cute. Lol. Water bear??

sciencecenter:

New study is a further testament to the hardiness of the water bear

The water bear is the cockroach of microbes; they nearly always pull through when researchers throw them into Armageddon-like conditions. Now it seems that even their unborn young have unprecedented endurance.

The microscopic animals called water bears already have quite a number of accomplishments under their belts. In experiments, they’ve survived the vacuum of space, large doses of radiation, extreme heat, extreme cold, and extreme pressure, giving scientists cause to believe that the little guys could potentially live on other planets and weather long journeys across space…

But to pull this off, they’d have to reproduce. Scientists have now exposed water bear eggs to three of these stressors—extreme temperature, vacuum, and a dose of radiation so strong that exposure to even a fraction of it would kill a human in days. They found that provided the eggs are given a chance to dehydrate themselves and go dormant, surprising numbers that survive: more than 70% of eggs for the temperature test, and more than 50% for the radiation test, while vacuum-exposed eggs hatched at similar rates as control eggs.

(Image credit)

I can’t tell if this is weird or cute. Lol. Water bear??

1,020 notes

Bacon wrapped tenderloin, asparagus and shittake mushrooms, with a glass of wine. Pretty damn delicious if you ask me!

Bacon wrapped tenderloin, asparagus and shittake mushrooms, with a glass of wine. Pretty damn delicious if you ask me!

theeconomist: KAL’s cartoon: this week, austerity.

theeconomist:

KAL’s cartoon: this week, austerity.

108 notes

Finally! An answer. LOLOLOL. mothernaturenetwork: Why is it so hard to walk and not spill your coffee? Physicists have the answerIt just so happens that the human stride has almost exactly the right frequency to drive the natural oscillations of coffee, when the fluid is in a typically sized coffee mug. New research shows that the properties of mugs, legs and liquid conspire to cause spills, most often at some point between your seventh and tenth step.

Finally! An answer. LOLOLOL.

mothernaturenetwork:

Why is it so hard to walk and not spill your coffee? Physicists have the answer
It just so happens that the human stride has almost exactly the right frequency to drive the natural oscillations of coffee, when the fluid is in a typically sized coffee mug. New research shows that the properties of mugs, legs and liquid conspire to cause spills, most often at some point between your seventh and tenth step.

286 notes

mothernaturenetwork: Houston doctors live-tweet patient’s brain surgeryThe operation removed a tumor from a 21-year-old woman’s head while updates were posted to Twitter and YouTube. Ah, the uses of twitter. ;) lol

mothernaturenetwork:

Houston doctors live-tweet patient’s brain surgery
The operation removed a tumor from a 21-year-old woman’s head while updates were posted to Twitter and YouTube.

Ah, the uses of twitter. ;) lol

30 notes

mothernaturenetwork: Silohome sits atop a mountain overlooking the Saranac River Valley and is surrounded by acres of untouched wilderness, which means it’s ideal for many of your post-apocalyptic duties: farming, hunting and fishing. On the surface it features a hangar, living room and wraparound porch, but the best stuff is below ground. In what was once the launch control center there are now three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a living area and a kitchen. Don’t feel safe enough? There’s always the 20,000-square-foot silo that’s connected to the underground living quarters via a tunnel complete with “Star Wars doors.” It’s the perfect place to stockpile canned goods and ammunition, or you can give it a home makeover so you and the family can kick back and enjoy the nuclear winter in comfort. Buy it now for just $2.3 million — cash only. A silohome would be awesome! So many uses…

mothernaturenetwork:

Silohome sits atop a mountain overlooking the Saranac River Valley and is surrounded by acres of untouched wilderness, which means it’s ideal for many of your post-apocalyptic duties: farming, hunting and fishing. On the surface it features a hangar, living room and wraparound porch, but the best stuff is below ground. In what was once the launch control center there are now three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a living area and a kitchen.
 
Don’t feel safe enough? There’s always the 20,000-square-foot silo that’s connected to the underground living quarters via a tunnel complete with “Star Wars doors.” It’s the perfect place to stockpile canned goods and ammunition, or you can give it a home makeover so you and the family can kick back and enjoy the nuclear winter in comfort. Buy it now for just $2.3 million — cash only.

A silohome would be awesome! So many uses…

272 notes

mothernaturenetwork: Woman with no fear intrigues scientistsResearch on a 44-year-old woman who doesn’t experience fear leads to the location of the fright factor in the human brain, a finding that could improve treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and beyond. Interesting

mothernaturenetwork:

Woman with no fear intrigues scientists
Research on a 44-year-old woman who doesn’t experience fear leads to the location of the fright factor in the human brain, a finding that could improve treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and beyond.

Interesting

196 notes

mothernaturenetwork: It’s estimated that more than 50,000 cans adorn John Milkovisch’s Houston home, in addition to bottle caps, bottles and other beer paraphernalia. The project began in 1968 when Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer, “got sick of mowing the grass” and covered his front and backyard with concrete, inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks and other glittery items to create a unique lawn. Once this project was completed, he turned to the house and began decorating it with flattened beer cans, covering the walls and roof, and even creating beer-can wind chimes. In addition to lowering his energy bills, the beer-can decorations also began attracting visitors from across Texas, and today the Beer Can House is a museum.8 roadside attractions made from salvaged materials Still haven’t seen this, need to though!

mothernaturenetwork:

It’s estimated that more than 50,000 cans adorn John Milkovisch’s Houston home, in addition to bottle caps, bottles and other beer paraphernalia. The project began in 1968 when Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer, “got sick of mowing the grass” and covered his front and backyard with concrete, inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks and other glittery items to create a unique lawn. Once this project was completed, he turned to the house and began decorating it with flattened beer cans, covering the walls and roof, and even creating beer-can wind chimes. In addition to lowering his energy bills, the beer-can decorations also began attracting visitors from across Texas, and today the Beer Can House is a museum.
8 roadside attractions made from salvaged materials

Still haven’t seen this, need to though!

84 notes

mothernaturenetwork: Singer Morrissey urges closure of Indonesian zooThe singer called on the Indonesian government to immediately shut down a notorious zoo in Java where hundreds of animals have died or disappeared. In March, the zoo’s last remaining giraffe was found dead with a 44-pound ball of plastic in its stomach, believed to have formed from years of visitors throwing food wrappers into the pen. Wow! That shit cray!!

mothernaturenetwork:

Singer Morrissey urges closure of Indonesian zoo
The singer called on the Indonesian government to immediately shut down a notorious zoo in Java where hundreds of animals have died or disappeared. In March, the zoo’s last remaining giraffe was found dead with a 44-pound ball of plastic in its stomach, believed to have formed from years of visitors throwing food wrappers into the pen.

Wow! That shit cray!!

222 notes

sciencecenter: Can’t a guy parasitize in peace? Long-time followers of the blog will know that I’m fascinated by parasitism. Here’s a story about insect parasitism that might sound familiar, but has a parasitic twist! Ophiocordyceps is a species of Cordyceps fungi, notorious as zombifying parasites of insects. As per most infections, ants that have inhaled a fungal spore have their brain hijacked by the fungus. The “zombie” ant is driven to leave the nest, climb high up a tree, permanently grip tight with its pincers, and then serve as the deceased launching pad for a fruiting body of fungal spores, which carry on the cycle. The twist is, the fungus itself isn’t immune to parasitism. In fact, it is preyed on by a hyperparasite (a parasite whose host is other parasites) which essentially castrate the fruiting bodies. The situation offers little relief to the ant; Ophiocordyceps is only infected once the ant is long dead. However, one perk may be that, since a surprisingly small number of Ophiocordyceps produce spores due to hyperparasitism, the second parasite prevents ant armageddon. (Side note: I got to see a moth infected by cordyceps in the cloudforest in Costa Rica!) Zombies do exist in nature!!! ;)

sciencecenter:

Can’t a guy parasitize in peace?

Long-time followers of the blog will know that I’m fascinated by parasitism. Here’s a story about insect parasitism that might sound familiar, but has a parasitic twist!

Ophiocordyceps is a species of Cordyceps fungi, notorious as zombifying parasites of insects. As per most infections, ants that have inhaled a fungal spore have their brain hijacked by the fungus. The “zombie” ant is driven to leave the nest, climb high up a tree, permanently grip tight with its pincers, and then serve as the deceased launching pad for a fruiting body of fungal spores, which carry on the cycle. The twist is, the fungus itself isn’t immune to parasitism. In fact, it is preyed on by a hyperparasite (a parasite whose host is other parasites) which essentially castrate the fruiting bodies. The situation offers little relief to the ant; Ophiocordyceps is only infected once the ant is long dead. However, one perk may be that, since a surprisingly small number of Ophiocordyceps produce spores due to hyperparasitism, the second parasite prevents ant armageddon.

(Side note: I got to see a moth infected by cordyceps in the cloudforest in Costa Rica!)

Zombies do exist in nature!!! ;)

158 notes

apsies: A shark gives a diver a high-five. Eli Martinez was interacting with the lemon shark in the balmy waters off the coast of The Bahamas. Eli, who works as the editor of Shark Diving magazine, said: “This particular shark I had encountered before. She is very laid-back so I knew if I held my hand out she would come over. At first she was swimming straight towards me, but I didn’t expect her to turn at the last moment. She tapped my palm with her fin like we were high-five-ing.” Picture: CATERS NEWS A picture with a thousand words? Lol

apsies:

A shark gives a diver a high-five. Eli Martinez was interacting with the lemon shark in the balmy waters off the coast of The Bahamas. Eli, who works as the editor of Shark Diving magazine, said: “This particular shark I had encountered before. She is very laid-back so I knew if I held my hand out she would come over. At first she was swimming straight towards me, but I didn’t expect her to turn at the last moment. She tapped my palm with her fin like we were high-five-ing.” Picture: CATERS NEWS

A picture with a thousand words? Lol

6,073 notes

Nothing says breakfast of champions like sausage and egg biscuits, hummus, pita chips, and chocolate almond milk. Lol

Nothing says breakfast of champions like sausage and egg biscuits, hummus, pita chips, and chocolate almond milk. Lol

Is it this simple? Why yes it could be! Lol

Is it this simple? Why yes it could be! Lol

mothernaturenetwork: Projecting human evolution: 5 traits we might possess in the futureGiven the growing evidence that humans are still evolving, it’s worth asking: What might we be evolving into? Interesting look

mothernaturenetwork:

Projecting human evolution: 5 traits we might possess in the future
Given the growing evidence that humans are still evolving, it’s worth asking: What might we be evolving into?

Interesting look

158 notes

mothernaturenetwork: Monster black hole caught swallowing unlucky starAstronomers estimate the menacing black hole’s mass to be 3 million suns. That’s freaking awesome!

mothernaturenetwork:

Monster black hole caught swallowing unlucky star
Astronomers estimate the menacing black hole’s mass to be 3 million suns.

That’s freaking awesome!

271 notes