"I call this a floater."
Whales Took an Evolutionary Leap Forward
Eons ago ancestors of whales made a major leap forward in evolution of their mouths. Whales living today can filter-feed in large amounts because the lower jaw is flexible in movement.
Ancient fossils such as Janjucetus hunderi do not have such a mobile lower jaw. The development of this attribute probably initially evolved to consume large living prey. It began with a wide upper jaw and normal teeth - no comb filters. Erich Fitzgerald from the Museum Victoria in Melbourne has created a family tree showing whale evolution.
The way whales feed is unique. It is believed that sucking when feeding still takes place, a left over from the days of the wide upper jaw.
A big question is why whales went back into the sea in the first place.
Ancient fossils such as Janjucetus hunderi do not have such a mobile lower jaw. The development of this attribute probably initially evolved to consume large living prey. It began with a wide upper jaw and normal teeth - no comb filters. Erich Fitzgerald from the Museum Victoria in Melbourne has created a family tree showing whale evolution.
The way whales feed is unique. It is believed that sucking when feeding still takes place, a left over from the days of the wide upper jaw.
A big question is why whales went back into the sea in the first place.
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Anthropology
University of Queensland Blunders on Data
New research shows excessive watching of television is bad for your health. This is commonsense really. When you are watching TV you aren't doing anything physically. It is claimed that for every hour of TV one's lifespan is reduced by 22 minutes.
Many people watch eight hours of television each day, so the calculation is,
8hrs x 30Years x 365Days
-------------------------------- = 3.7 years lost.
65.5(22 minutes) x 365Days
OR,
8hrs x 365days 30yrs = 87600hrs total
87600hrs x 22mins
------------------- = 32120hrs total
60
32120hrs
--------- = 3.7 years lost
24 x 365
Just how did they reach this specific conclusion? Apparently obesity and diabetes were mentioned; then the figure was just fished out of the air.
They chose a ridiculous figure of two hours of TV every day over a lifetime. No one watches this tiny amount. They even decided that men were affected more than women: 1.8 years lost for men and 1.5 for women. Because women live longer the calculation should show a greater loss for them!
The University of Queensland should be careful about releasing such nonsensical information. The institution will lose all respect.
They chose a ridiculous figure of two hours of TV every day over a lifetime. No one watches this tiny amount. They even decided that men were affected more than women: 1.8 years lost for men and 1.5 for women. Because women live longer the calculation should show a greater loss for them!
The University of Queensland should be careful about releasing such nonsensical information. The institution will lose all respect.
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Society
New Genomes Could Be Dangerous
There is a lot of excitement about synthetic biology. That is the creation of designer organisms. Many people are concerned, however, fearing the making of monsters that cannot be destroyed, but new developments improve health care and reduce the reliance on non-renewable resources.
New body parts are being made from a patient's own stem cells. GM food crops have been accepted after some early resistance. There are clear benefits for society from these scientific achievements. What is not so clear are the possible dangers from creation of completely new genomes to produce fuel, food, polymers and drugs.
Making new life forms that could reproduce is the area which frightens most people. There isn't much doubt that science will progress. At the moment purpose built creations are limited to 10 genes. This barrier will soon be surpassed.
There is always danger that new things will be misused. We will just have to hope that rules and regulations will prevent this. It seems that science will continue to move forward and not much will be done to stop technical advances.
New body parts are being made from a patient's own stem cells. GM food crops have been accepted after some early resistance. There are clear benefits for society from these scientific achievements. What is not so clear are the possible dangers from creation of completely new genomes to produce fuel, food, polymers and drugs.
Making new life forms that could reproduce is the area which frightens most people. There isn't much doubt that science will progress. At the moment purpose built creations are limited to 10 genes. This barrier will soon be surpassed.
There is always danger that new things will be misused. We will just have to hope that rules and regulations will prevent this. It seems that science will continue to move forward and not much will be done to stop technical advances.
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Science
Filefish Blends in Perfectly With Coral
It's well known that fish living near coral are colored the same as Othe background for protection from predators. The Harlequin filefish (orange spotted filefish), Oxymonacanthus longirostris, goes to extremes to blend into the coral it lives in.
The fish has a hook on the back of its head that it uses to hook onto coral so it can sleep in peace. The shape with the polka-dot blue and yellow spots on its body perfectly match the coral it lives in. Its fin is the same color as the coral's growing tip. It blends in so well predators just swim past them.
When fish use shape and color to match background coral the system is called masquerading. Using color alone is called crypsis. Insects look like plants that they live in, but coral fish have perfected camouflage.
The fish has a hook on the back of its head that it uses to hook onto coral so it can sleep in peace. The shape with the polka-dot blue and yellow spots on its body perfectly match the coral it lives in. Its fin is the same color as the coral's growing tip. It blends in so well predators just swim past them.
When fish use shape and color to match background coral the system is called masquerading. Using color alone is called crypsis. Insects look like plants that they live in, but coral fish have perfected camouflage.
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Science
Surgery the Only Cure for Baldness
Bald men try just about anything to turn back a receding hairline. For some, hair loss is at the back and they don't know it until a "friend" tells them. For others the hairline goes out like the tide.
All manner of things are tried from hair tonics, to laser and LED treatments. Some medications offer some hope but they do take away some of your "maleness". The only real solution is transplanting of hair follicles from the back of the head to to the bald area. This is time consuming surgery and the result is new hair spread very sparsely over the bald spot.
For centuries a search has been on for the Holy Grail of baldness cures. Because it is really a hormone problem a lot of work has been done on this. Unfortunately, there are side affects and the mere stopping of further hair loss is the best that can be expected. Stress also causes baldness. Of course, for this there is no treatment.
All manner of things are tried from hair tonics, to laser and LED treatments. Some medications offer some hope but they do take away some of your "maleness". The only real solution is transplanting of hair follicles from the back of the head to to the bald area. This is time consuming surgery and the result is new hair spread very sparsely over the bald spot.
For centuries a search has been on for the Holy Grail of baldness cures. Because it is really a hormone problem a lot of work has been done on this. Unfortunately, there are side affects and the mere stopping of further hair loss is the best that can be expected. Stress also causes baldness. Of course, for this there is no treatment.
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Society
Woodside Petroleum Will Destroy Dinosaur Footprints
Ancient dinosaur tracks may be destroyed by gas companies moving into the Kimberleys. In the Dampier Peninsula near Broome more than 15 different kinds of dinosaurs foot prints are "embedded" into the landscape. They are in 130-million-year-old sandstone.
Woodside plans to open up the area for natural gas development. Just bringing people there opens up the tracks to damage. Arguments are raging all over Australia at the moment between natural gas companies and farmers who fear damage to their pasture from polluting chemicals used in the search process. Companies can just open a farm gate, drive in and start drilling - no permission is needed.
New dinosaur footprints are being found at the Kimberley site, notably of the very large sauropods nearly a meter in diameter. The varied prints are in different layers. They have been laid down over an extended period of time.
Woodside is saying better quality tracks are found well away from their intended development and losing some footprints is unimportant. The company is obviously ignorant about scientific research. All finds in relation to dinosaurs are important.
Woodside plans to open up the area for natural gas development. Just bringing people there opens up the tracks to damage. Arguments are raging all over Australia at the moment between natural gas companies and farmers who fear damage to their pasture from polluting chemicals used in the search process. Companies can just open a farm gate, drive in and start drilling - no permission is needed.
New dinosaur footprints are being found at the Kimberley site, notably of the very large sauropods nearly a meter in diameter. The varied prints are in different layers. They have been laid down over an extended period of time.
Woodside is saying better quality tracks are found well away from their intended development and losing some footprints is unimportant. The company is obviously ignorant about scientific research. All finds in relation to dinosaurs are important.
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Science
Australian Spotted Jellyfish Invades Spain
Though it is not unusual for alien species to invade Australia, it is unusual for animals native to Australia to become pests in other countries. The Australian spotted jellyfish, phyllorhiza punctata, is stinging bathers on Spanish beaches.
The jellyfish is not dangerous to humans, but it causes a painful sting. Though called the Australian spotted jellyfish it is also found in North Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico.
Seven beaches were closed in Spain to protect people: Cala Cerrada, La Zenia, Cala Capitan, Punta Prima, La Mosca and Playa Flamenca. There are fears that the jellyfish will arrive on British beaches this summer. Climate change, pollution and overfishing are being blamed.
The jellyfish is not dangerous to humans, but it causes a painful sting. Though called the Australian spotted jellyfish it is also found in North Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico.
Seven beaches were closed in Spain to protect people: Cala Cerrada, La Zenia, Cala Capitan, Punta Prima, La Mosca and Playa Flamenca. There are fears that the jellyfish will arrive on British beaches this summer. Climate change, pollution and overfishing are being blamed.
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Climate
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