Author Archive
Ida “The Missing Link” Creates Buzz and Controversy
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries on May 24th, 2009
Darwinius masillae - History/Atlantic Productions
It is hard for those who love science to go onto the web or read a paper and not see something about Ida “The Missing Link”. Ida is indeed remarkable as one of the best preserved and earliest primate fossils we have. But some in the scientific community are weary of the hype. Although Ida is indeed a transitional form between Lemur-like creatures and more modern primates it is not entirely certain that we humans are a direct descendant.
A copy of the fossil is on display as part of the American Museum of Natural History’s “Extreme Mammals” exhibit.
The New York Times has a good general article about the discovery here.
Brian Switek, a scienceblogs blogger who covers paleontology has a really good write up of some of the science and controversy here.
Amazing deep-sea fish with tubular eyes and transparent head
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries, Videos on May 24th, 2009
At Evolvems we are always looking for the strangest of the strange creatures on Earth. The types of adaptations that natural selection has produced are remarkable. The barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) is possibly one of the weirdest we have run across.
This fish has super sensitive tubular eyes that are embedded inside a clear fluid filled shell that resembles a jet fighter’s cockpit cover. The barreleye lives deep in the ocean and points it’s eyes upward looking for small fish and jellyfish passing above. When prey is spotted, the barreleye is able to swivel it eyes forward to track food, helping guide food towards its small mouth.
Read more about the barreleye and the Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers who are studying it here.
BBC In Our Time Covers the Evolution of Whales
One of my favorite podcasts is BBC4′s In Our Time. The host Melvyn Bragg covers all sorts of interesting topics from science to history and philosophy with a panel of experts. This week he discusses the evolution of whales with three scientists working in the area of genetics and mamalian paleonotlogy. They describe the newest fossil evidence and also go into how scientists are using the DNA of modern animals to learn how we are all related. This fascinating piece also happens to mention on of our favorite creatures – Pakicetus!
Right click link and select “Save target as…” to download and listen to The Whale: A History.
Subscribe to the In Our Time podcast here.
Rare animals to feature on Google Earth
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries on March 31st, 2009
A Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), in the Andes, Ecuador (Image: Peter Oxford / Nature Picture Library / Rex)
Earthwatch researchers have found a really cool way to raise awareness of endangered species, encourage donations and attract tourists to the regions where these animals live to support conservation efforts. They are posting the latest sightings of rare animals on Google Earth, that have been taken with cameras equipped with infrared triggers. These cameras, called camera traps, sit in wait it forests and jungles and automatically take pictures of animals as they wander by. Posting them on Google Earth helps researchers to share information and allows the rest of us a peek into the lives of some rare species, such as the spectacled bear, or “Paddington Bear”, of South America.
Bibliography of Children’s Book about Evolution
Posted by: Avi in Parents and Educators on March 25th, 2009
Visit Charlie's Playhouse for Evolution Stuff for Kids
The folks at Charlie’s Playhouse have done an amazing thing and produced an in depth list of 89 books about Evolution for kids. It has reviews and descriptions and most importantly lists what ages the books are appropriate for. They also share their 12 favorites.
New Bird Evolves Faster than Any Other
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries on March 23rd, 2009
A bird recently discovered in the Solomon Islands is a member of the White Eyes (Zosteropidae) family that evolves more rapidly than any other bird. - Dr. Chris Filardi, American Musuem of Natural History
The Vanikoro White Eye is a newly discovered species of bird, found on the tiny island of Ranongga. Genetic analysis of the White Eye birds of the Solomon Islands shows that there are 13 different species, some on islands as close as 2km apart. There are over 100 species of White Eyes around the world.
Tri-species illustration - BirdLife International
Rob Moyle from the University of Kansas said, “As we started to compile the data, we were shocked…White-eye species from across the family’s range had strikingly similar gene sequences, indicating a recent origin and incredibly rapid diversification.” Due to the its rapid capacity for diversification, some call White Eyes the Great Speciator. DNA analysis of many White Eyes species showed that they can generate about 2-3 new species every million years.
The Seed
A two-minute animated voyage through nature’s life cycle, following the trials and tribulations of a humble apple seed.
The Seed from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.
Predator X – Giant Jurassic Sea Reptile Fossils Found in Arctic
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries on March 20th, 2009
An illustration of a pliosaur, with its crushing bite force, on attack. -Atlantic Productions
Scientists digging in the arctic island regions of Norway have found the enormous remains of a new member in a family of ancient ocean reptiles, called pliosaurs, that lived during the reign of the dinosaurs. This sea hunter was at least 50 feet long and weighed 45 tons. The skull alone measures 10 feet long as well as the front two flippers. The average length of previously studied pliosaurs is about 16-20 feet. It is estimated that Predator X had a bite 2-3 times as powerful as T-Rex and 100 times more powerful than any animal alive today, at 33,000 pounds. As the top predator in it’s habitat, Predator X probably fed on fish, squid and other marine reptiles, such as the long necked plesiosaur and the dolphin like ichthyosaurs.
Excavating the Skull of Predator X - Kelly Nobay
The story of the discovery and excavation of Predator X will be shown in a documentary on the History Channel on March 29th at 8pm.
Giant Stingrays Found Near Thai City
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries, Videos on March 12th, 2009
Zeb Hogan, of the University of Nevada in Reno, is documenting the rays as part of the Megafishes Project, an effort to document Earth’s 20 or so freshwater giants. watch as he searches for a Giant Stingray in Thailand and gets more than he could even imagine.
Crazy Transforming Owl
Posted by: Avi in New Discoveries on March 1st, 2009
Although this video is in Japanese, it is pretty easy to tell what is going on. Watch and be amazed & amused as this owl reacts when it is confronted by two different competing species of predatory bird.
