Archive for July 2009
5 truly awesome insects
Goliath Beetle – The largest beetle in the world Goliathus The Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are capable of growing up to 150 millimetres (5.9″) in length, and reaching weights in excess of 100 grams (3.5 oz). Apart from their massive
Jellyfish stir up the ocean as they move
Jellyfish help to stir up the ocean as they move, researchers have found. Using a green dye, scientists showed how the animals’ umbrella-shaped bodies were a key factor in this mixing. The distribution of heat, nutrients and chemicals helps maintain the marine environment and has an important influence on global climate. Reporting in the journal
Why is “unlearning” an incorrect fact so hard?
Why is it that once you learn something incorrectly (say, 7 X 9 = 65), it seems you never can correct your recall? —J. Kruger, Cherry Hill, N.J. Cognitive psychologist Gordon H. Bower of Stanford University answers: Identifying, correcting and averting our memory errors are part of a cognitive process called memory monitoring. Incorrect associations
Cat’s purr manipulates owners
Karen McComb, a researcher from the University of Sussex, was inspired by her own cat, Pepo, who continually woke her up in the mornings with an “insistent and rather annoying” purr that reliably motivated her to get up and feed him. Unlike regular, low frequency purring, further study revealed that this “solicitation purr” contained an
Why is toucan’s bill so incredibly large?
It has always been a mystery as to why the toucan has such an enormous beak. Now researches published their research in the journal Science – they believe that the toucan uses its large beak to stay cool. Using infrared cameras, they showed the bird “dumping the heat from its body into its bill, helping
10 incredible water facts
Up to 60% of the human body is water – the brain is composed of 70% water, blood is 82% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water.
Where is the world’s largest garbage dump?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also described as the Eastern Garbage Patch or the Pacific Trash Vortex, is the world’s largest garbage dump – a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135° to 155°W and 35° to 42°N and estimated to be twice the size of Texas. The
What is the endangered species capital of the world?
Hawaii is the endangered species capital of the world. With 100s of plants and animals listed as Endangered or Threatened, there are more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place on the planet. Occupying just 0.2% of the total land area of the United States, Hawaii is both the endangered
Which bird has the longest tongue?
Like most woodpeckers, wrynecks have long tongues which they use to extract their insect prey. Wryneck’s tongue is measured at two-thirds of its body length excluding the tail. Source: Terres, J K. 1995. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wing Books, New York, NY
