-
io9Why Does Your Apple Turn Brown, and How Can You Stop It?
Cut an apple in half and you begin a race against time. Every second you waste is a second that your apple uses to turn into a flaccid brown mess. Why do apples try so hard to foil your quest for vitamins? Science has the answer. Photo by nayladen via Shutterstock The Browning Enzyme Certain … Continued
-
ScienceHealth
Why Do We Have Blood Types, Anyway?
More than a century after their discovery, we still don’t really know what blood types are for. Do they really matter? When my parents informed me that my blood type was A+, I felt a strange sense of pride. If A+ was the top grade in school, then surely A+ was also the most excellent … Continued
Carl Zimmer - Mosaic -
io9What Do You Find Out When You Put An Alligator On A Treadmill?
When you come across a paper on “alligator kinematics,” it’s time to pay attention. Somewhere, at some time, a scientist wanted to find out deep secrets of evolution and decided the best way to do it was putting an alligator on a treadmill. Crocodilians have two ways of getting around on land. There’s a sprawling … Continued
-
io9Watch As A Black Bear And Her Two Cubs Are Released Into The Wild
This is simple, charming video, but there’s a lot of things worth noting here. First, there’s the emotional element: The three bears in the clip – a sow and her cubs – were captured after they were spotted rooting through household garbage. When animals become so habituated as to venture unafraid into cities and towns, … Continued
-
io9
6 Animals Shaped By Artificial Selection into Beautiful Monsters
Artificial selection, also known as selective breeding, is a nice way of saying that humans have guided the evolution of other animals until they become mutants. The stories of these six human-created mutants offer a fascinating perspective on how evolution works. The lowly pigeon. Flying Rat. Carrier of disease and dirt. They bob around our … Continued
-
io9The Grisly Truth About Tiny Hamsters And What They Really Eat
As Jason Bittel explains in somewhat distressing detail over at Slate, the truth about hamsters and burritos is that hamsters, contrary to what viral videos would have you believe, do not eat little burritos, tiny cakes, or mini pizzas. They eat each other. Here’s the video in question, on the off chance you’ve been avoiding … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & SpaceflightWatch a Researcher Zip Line Over the Door to Hell For Science
The more biologists look, the stranger the places they find life. Whether it’s in the boiling mud ponds of Yellowstone or in radioactive seams miles beneath the surface of the Earth, microbes seem capable of surviving just about anywhere. That’s why one team is heading to the deep desert of Turkmenistan to see if life … Continued
-
io9
Why The U.S. Government Is Purchasing Water Guns
America is fighting a war against a formidable foe. After years of looking for a weapon to achieve victory, researchers have decided to repel the invaders with powerful water guns. Photo by Chris Reid The enemies in our crosshairs? Invasive species of carp that are consuming algae at an alarming rate. Silver carp and bighead … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Cholesterol Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means
Many new studies are complicating our understanding of the role cholesterol plays in heart disease. And last month, a group of researchers published the results of a study showing that what you thought you knew about “bad” cholesterol is probably wrong — or at least far too simplistic. Over at KQED, Liza Gross has the … Continued
-
io9
You Have a Painkiller Six Times Stronger Than Morphine In Your Saliva
Right now, you are walking around with a mouth full of extremely powerful, untested pharmaceuticals. Your saliva contains opiorphin, a painkiller that’s about six times more powerful than morphine. After so many decades spent prodding lab rats, one would think that there is nothing more to be discovered about the horrid little things, or how … Continued
-
io9
These Maps Predict Where Animals of the Future Will Make Their Homes
As our climate changes, so too do the species that thrive, fail, or migrate in an area. A new modeling tool takes what we know about our changing climate and the habits of animals, and gives us a look at just how much climate change could alter the animals in our midst. Top image: Map: … Continued
By Ria Misra -
io9Man With Giant Claw Rescues Bear With Milk Can On Its Head
While this Wisconsin lumberjack’s decision to assist the bear with the claw of a timber forwarder, rather than a call to the state’s Department of Natural Resources, was probably ill-advised, it appears the procedure went off without a hitch. In other news: I know people always say it, but, good grief, bears are fast. [Vern … Continued
-
io9
‘Vampire’ Squirrel Has World’s Poofiest Tail, Reputed Taste For Blood
Researchers recently determined that tufted ground squirrel, Rheithrosciurus macrotis, a rarely seen inhabitant of the forests of Borneo, has the bushiest tail, relative to its body, of any mammal on Earth. It is also, according to Bornean lore, a bloodthirsty killer. Above, from left to right: Camera trap photos of Rheithrosciurus macrotis in Sarawak, Malaysia … Continued
-
io9
Are Cities Evolving Into Hive Organisms?
Today, more than half of the human population lives in hive-like warrens called cities. Does this mean we are on the tipping point of becoming colony animals the way bees and ants did? It’s not entirely impossible. We talked to scientists to find out whether urban humans are evolving into superorganisms. Illustration of hive world … Continued
-
io9
The Science Of How Eyes Glow In The Dark
When we see animals’ eyes in photos, nature films, flashlight beams, and headlights we see them shining back at us — but human eyes only glow bright red in photos. What causes the shine? What causes the color? The glow of red human eyes is a little like the glow of the moon. It’s the … Continued
-
io9
Did You Know Kangaroos Have 5 Limbs?
Kangaroos are famous for their hopping, but a slow-moving roo relies more on its tail to get around than either of its feet. The result is a what biologists call a five-limbed, i.e. “pentapedal,” gait. Yes, you read that correctly. The kangaroo is a pentaped – perhaps the only one on Earth. Researchers led by … Continued
-
io9
Why Are These Wasps Stockpiling Ant Corpses in Their Nests?
A group of researchers made a macabre discovery when they discovered a new species of wasp in China’s Gutianshan National Nature Reserve. These wasps lay their eggs in nests that are stuffed with the corpses of freshly-killed ants. As if wasps weren’t creepy enough. The new species is a type of spider wasp, described this … Continued