Everest Expedition Uncovers Exotic Species
Scientists see amazing wildlife and new species in a remote corner of the planet. Anne Savage, a wildlife biologist with Disney's Animal Kingdom and Professor Liu Shaoying, Sichuan Academy of Forestry prepare a small mammal tracking tube. Wet ink ... [... more]
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Cybugs: Military Mulls Army of Cyborg Insects
Researchers say it should be possible to integrate microsystems within insects during the early stages of metamorphoses. Cyborg bug armies? Our friends at DARPA seem to have cyborgs on the brain. Hot on the heels of last week's presentation of ... [... more]
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Dragonflies Migrate Like Birds
A new study suggests migration methods used by birds might have existed before birds were around. Small animals have been migrating since ancient times, but scientists still don't know very much about where most of the wandering critters come ... [... more]
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How Bats Track Bugs
A new study reveals bats zero in on a target using techniques employed by guided missiles. The bats were imaged while catching tethered insects as well as free-flying bugs in the lab of Cynthia Moss at the University of Maryland. Credit: Steven ... [... more]
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Global Warming Could Trigger Insect Population Boom
A rise in Earth's temperature could prove to be a boon to insects worldwide, scientists say. A rise in the Earth's temperature could lead to an increase in the number of insects worldwide, with potentially dire consequences for humans, a new ... [... more]
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New Software Tracks Swarms of Insects or Robots
Open-source SwisTrak system lets researchers track multiple, mobile, marker-less miniature objects. SwisTrack, a tracking tool for multi-unit robotic and biological systems, is a great way to learn more about swarm behavior-and then mimic it. ... [... more]
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Live Insects Challenge Humans in Bizarre Computer Game
In Wim van Eck's project, humans square off against real crickets in a modified version of Pac-Man. Animal Controlled Computer Games, a graduation project by Wim van Eck, is a Pac-Man-style game in which humans can play against real insects. The ... [... more]
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Ancient Insects Used Advanced Camouflage
A fossil of a leaf-imitating insect from 47 million years ago has a striking resemblance to modern mimickers. Leaf insect fossil from 47-million-year-old deposits at Messel, Germany. Credit: PNAS A fossil of a leaf-imitating insect from 47 ... [... more]
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How Global Warming is Changing the Wild Kingdom
Plants and animals change their habits, providing more evidence for human-induced change, scientists say. The red fox is spreading northward in response to a warmer climate, scientists say. Credit: USFWS The planet is warming, humans are mostly ... [... more]
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Nature Inspires Design of New Eyes
Researchers are drawing inspiration from all corners of the animal kingdom to design synthetic lenses. They're also building them using flexible polymers that mimic materials used in nature. Among all the senses that organisms possess, vision is ... [... more]
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More Oxygen Could Make Giant Bugs
Giant insects might crawl on Earth or fly above it if there was just more oxygen in the air, scientists report. In fact, it used to be so. An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor. Note the system of white tubes or tracheae running ... [... more]
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How Flies Walk on Ceilings
Walking upside-down requires a careful balance of adhesion and weight, and specialized trekking tools to combat the constant tug of gravity. Close-up of the tacky hairs and claws on a fly foot taken with an Electron microscope. Credit: Stanislav Gorb [... more]
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