Lots of Dicso-worrys
Discovery News never fails to amuse me! Take the
Animals Section for instance. Today I read:
There might be a lesson in this for my colleagues, but first I need to prove to them that I am the processing ant! And then I will work my way up to becoming queen and hire someone to be in charge of ant colony optimization. ;-)
My neighbors seem to be getting the sinister messages in my songs and not the sweet sounds! Hello birds, how about some tutoring on twittering this weekend!
And thus began US imperialism. :O
Spacing out, we can do too. (With no Spacesuit)
Ants Slack Off for Colony's Greater Good
Leaf cutter ants carry much less than they're capable of, research finds, but their small burdens turn out to be the perfect size for ants processing the leaves.
There might be a lesson in this for my colleagues, but first I need to prove to them that I am the processing ant! And then I will work my way up to becoming queen and hire someone to be in charge of ant colony optimization. ;-)
Zoo Animals Try Online DatingFeeling threatened by this animal invasion into social networks, facebook decided to become friends with the enemy. They let you create profiles for pets using the dogbook and catbook applications. They even let animals tittletattle about long walks and favorite comfort foods, but it seems more and more like their human parents are doing all the tittling and tattling for them these days. Here's where I read about it: Facebook with whiskers
Just like the digital dating services that pair up people, so-called studbooks are used to match most animals held in captivity. The databases containing information on sex, age and weight -- not so much about favorite comfort foods or long walks on the beach -- are used by more than 200 zoos nationally and some internationally. They're practically taking the place of Mother Nature in the not-so wild world of captive animal breeding.
Jamaican Lizards Work Out at Dusk and DawnThe head-bobbing sounds doable. Tapi? :-D
In a demonstration of reptilian strength, Jamaican anole lizards begin and end each day with a visual display that includes push-ups, head bobs and flashy showings of their colorful neck flaps, according to a new study.
Songbirds Duel With Duets
Some sweet-sounding bird songs may carry a sinister message.
My neighbors seem to be getting the sinister messages in my songs and not the sweet sounds! Hello birds, how about some tutoring on twittering this weekend!
American Woolly Mammoths Pushed Out Siberian Kin
DNA shows the world's last surviving woolly mammoths were born in the United States and the Arctic. Woolly mammoths from those regions displaced Siberian mammoths, causing the latter group to mysteriously disappear off the face of the Earth.
And thus began US imperialism. :O
Tiny Critters Survive Space (With No Spacesuit)
When it comes to surviving open exposure in space, a tiny invertebrate now stands out: tardigrades, also known as "water-bears."
Spacing out, we can do too. (With no Spacesuit)
