News
Scientists Say: Spore
1+ hour, 38+ min ago (995+ words) These tough little reproductive cells patiently wait out the hard times When the pestle puffball fungus (Lycoperdon excipuliforme) matures, it releases little poofs of spores. Those spores spread out and grow into new fungi. By Katie Grace Carpenter A spore…...
Experiment: Build your own beach!
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (1169+ words) Investigate how Earth's shorelines form with your own mini beach model Forget sand castles. In this science experiment, use sand to build a whole mini beach. Objective: Build a model beach and see how waves affect the shoreline of the…...
Let's learn how to make a sports ball soar
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (486+ words) A nothing-but-net shot, a wicked curveball and the perfect spiral all depend on physics Understanding the physics of flying balls could help improve athletes" game " and maybe inspire more fuel-efficient vehicles. A basketball player"s smooth, nothing-but-net shot. A softball…...
Woodpeckers grunt like tennis players when they peck
4+ mon, 1+ week ago (1008+ words) Muscle movements and breathing team up to give these birds their iconic hammering motion Downy woodpeckers strike wood really hard and fast. They coordinate their muscle movements and breathing to peck at an incredibly steady rate. NPS | N. Lewis The birds…...
Analyze This: Some bats feast on songbirds midflight
6+ mon, 2+ week ago (1058+ words) High-tech sensors reveal how greater noctule bats snatch birds out of the sky for a grisly midnight meal This greater noctule bat was caught in a mist net with a feather and blood in its mouth. By Alison Pearce Stevens…...
Orange cats get their ginger color from a single gene "cutout
10+ mon, 1+ day ago (1443+ words) Multicolored cats, such as calicos and tortoiseshells, also carry this DNA deletion A DNA deletion on the X chromosome of domestic cats leads to ginger-colored fur, two new studies show. Cats with multicolor coats, like calicos and tortoiseshells, also have…...
A genetic trick leaves these stinky plants reeking of rotting flesh
10+ mon, 2+ week ago (976+ words) This DNA tweak gives several types of flowers the stench of death or dung Some flowers attract pollinators by emanating the smell of death. Examples include plants in the Eurya (left, E. japonica pictured), Asarum (A. simile, middle) and Symplocarpus (S. renifolius, right)…...