Tag: environmental science

Humans do not welcome cockroaches. Their existence is often questionable and creepy especially to women folk. But what if you are told that the milk produced by the cockroaches are going to be the next super food of tomorrow. Bizarre!

Turtle shell, conventionally, is considered an outer covering for protection and lodging for the animal. Till date, turtle is the only living vertebrate with such a sturdy broad ribbed proto shell. However, recent study of fossil turtles, which happen to be around 260- million-year-old, has revealed that the hard and rigid protective structure of the animal is not adapted for protection rather for digging underground. Dr. Lyson, the scientist behind this discovery said that during the early (evolutionary) phase, birds’ feathers too were not employed for flying. Nevertheless, birds starting…

Scientists studying ants have always wondered how ants living in huge colonies, identify other ants belong to same colony or is an intruder or enemy ant. Researchers from The University of California, Riverside have found an answer to this question. They have found that ants communicate via diverse hydrocarbon chemicals present on the their outer shells (or cuticles). 

Pesticides are used across the world to kill pests that cause damage to the food that would be consumed by humans. This implies that the effect of pesticides should repel insects but in some cases, it is not so. Researchers at Newcastle University and Trinity College Dublin have discovered that certain species of bees are fascinated towards nectars that contain pesticides in them. Neonicotinoid-laced food chosen by bees Prior studies have proposed that bees would have to face negative consequences in terms of health in case the specie is exposed…

Taking care of infected individual not only happens in human societies but in animal kingdom as well. The phenomenon is seen in insects and social animals, like ants and meerkats.

Rise in the global temperature is going to promote the outbreak of deadly infectious diseases as Ebola and West Nile virus in new hosts and in new areas. Researchers caution humans to anticipate the breakout of new illnesses, in near future due to rapid changes in the climate that forces habitats to shift and thus bringing pathogens in contact with livestock, crops, humans and wildlife. 

Life of animals, either big or small is not easy. Those with the most advanced skill can only survive in the nature. Our nature is full of such examples where for the survival, some animals resolves to take up sexual cannibalism while other uses virus to control the mind of their host organism. Such animals that derive benefits at the expense of other animals are termed as parasites. 

Much has been discussed about the cruel phenomenon of sexual cannibalism practiced by the famous black widow spider but not many know about another crazy phenomenon practiced by a male coin spider. These male spiders (Herennia multipuncta) are one of the greatest lovers in the nature. These tiny spiders have the courage to propose a female almost four times its size, which, if hungry rejects the proposal and preferably feeds on the male. However, scientists observed that if the male is lucky enough to woo the female, the male after mating…

Why do zebras evolve to sport such black and white, striped coat, has made experts curious. There are many theories that explain the reason behind zebra stripes. One of the theory suggests that these stripes help zebras to camouflage in tall grasses, exceptionally well during dawn or the dusk time. While another one says, the strips assist zebra to escape from the bites of troublesome flies or social cohesion. While the last one advocates that, these stripes create an optical illusion, which dazzles the hunter that eventually misses its target.