What do giraffes, angelfish, and seashells all have in common? Their surface patterns, from the patches on giraffe coats to the stripes on the angelfish, are formed through the reaction-diffusion process, a mathematical model describing the interplay between an activator and inhibitor.
Continue ReadingOf all the creatures on earth, octopuses might be the most alien. They could not be more different from us, with powerful tentacles, three hearts, blue blood, and neurons spread…
Continue ReadingEvolution, the process of gradual changes to genetic information in each generation over millions of years, proposed by Charles Darwin in the 19th century is being revolutionized by modern science.…
Continue ReadingYou may have seen the anglerfish sex video floating around the Internet recently, with titles like “The worst sex in the world is anglerfish sex, and now there’s finally video.”…
Continue ReadingCloned primates are here! Over three decades have passed since the birth of Dolly, the sheep, scientists have now tackled cloning mammals that are even closer to us on the evolutionary…
Continue ReadingVegetarian sharks. If you love a cheesy sci-fi movie as much as I do, the word shark probably brings a few images to mind; swimmers rushing to shore, a huge,…
Continue ReadingTardigrades, also known as waterbears or moss piglets, are microscopic invertebrates that “resemble a cross between a caterpillar and a naked mole rat,” according to science writer, Jason Bittel. First…
Continue ReadingThink of a farmer. Chances are, an image of an overall-wearing, pitchfork-wielding man just popped into your head. But humans are only one of a surprisingly large group of animals…
Continue ReadingWhether our favorite characters are trying to train them, ride them, or simply escape from them, there is no denying the prevalence of dragons in popular culture. Dragon myths have existed…
Continue ReadingOver 200 million years ago, a reptile, 11 feet long and 1500 pounds, was prowling about, likely feeling very pleased with himself. Not only did he have four crunchy creatures…
Continue ReadingWhat happens when scientists get their hands on the remains of a dinosaur encased in ancient amber? Fortunately, life doesn’t imitate art to the extent to which we should be…
Continue ReadingHumans do not find plastic bottles tasty. Try as we might, ingestion and digestion of an Auquafina bottle makes for a bad dinner. On the other hand, some bacteria see…
Continue ReadingAs many young academics very well know, science can bum you out. Experiments fail, equipment breaks, and funding opportunities are few and far between. Even when experiments run smoothly, the…
Continue ReadingThe image before you is known as Darwin’s tree of life. Today, most scientists immediately recognize it as a basic idea in evolutionary theory; yet when Darwin drew it in…
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