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Posted on January 16, 2012 via this. with 251 notes
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Coming to a speciation event near you…
Posted on October 7, 2011 via well this is awkward with 236 notes
Source: a-s-h
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Invasion of Genomic Parasites Triggered Modern Mammalian Pregnancy, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2011) — Genetic parasites invaded the mammalian genome more than 100 million years ago and dramatically changed the way mammals reproduce — transforming the uterus in the ancestors of humans and other mammals from the production of eggs to a nurturing home for developing young, a new Yale University study has found.
Genetic parasites? I’ll be honest, that sounds like something out of Star Trek.
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Posted on September 21, 2011 via stills from microecos, the movie with 33 notes
Source: microecos
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Richard Dawkins (in the style of Dokken) t-shirt from Monsters of Grok.
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![fuckyeahevolution:
Creepy Evolution - Cordyceps unilateralis, a parasitoid fungus
Like other fungi pathogenic to insects in the Cordyceps genus, C. unilateralis targets a specific host species; which is ideally the Camponotus leonardi ant, but has been known to parasitize other closely related species of ants with lesser degrees of host manipulation and reproductive success.[1]
The fungus’s spores enter the body of the insect through its respiratory spiracles, where they begin to consume the non-vital soft tissues. When the fungus is ready to spore, its mycelia enter the ant’s brain and change how it perceives pheromones, causing the insect to climb up the stem of a plant and use its mandibles to secure itself to the plant. Infected ants bite the leaf veins with abnormal force, leaving telltale dumbbell-shaped marks. A search through plant fossil databases revealed similar marks on a fossil leaf from the Messel pit which is 48 million years old.[4][5]
The fungus then kills the ant, and continues to grow as its mycelia invade more soft tissues and structurally fortify the ant’s exoskeleton.[1] More mycelia then sprout out of the ant, and securely anchor it to the plant substrate while secreting antimicrobials to ward off competition.[1] When the fungus is ready to reproduce, its fruiting bodies grow from the ant’s head and rupture, releasing the spores. This process takes 4 to 10 days.[1]
The changes in the behavior of the infected ants are very specific, giving rise to the term zombie ants, and tuned for the benefit of the fungus. The ants generally clamp to a leaf’s vein about 25 cm above the ground, on the northern side of the plant, in an environment with 94-95% humidity and temperatures between 20 and 30°C. According to David Hughes, “You can find whole graveyards with 20 or 30 ants in a square metre. Each time, they are on leaves that are a particular height off the ground and they have bitten into the main vein [of a leaf] before dying”.[6] When the dead ants are repositioned in various other situations, further vegetative growth and sporulation either fails to occur or results in undersized and abnormal reproductive structures.[7]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_li3offHZT01qb3ky4o1_500.jpg)
Creepy Evolution - Cordyceps unilateralis, a parasitoid fungus
Like other fungi pathogenic to insects in the Cordyceps genus, C. unilateralis targets a specific host species; which is ideally the Camponotus leonardi ant, but has been known to parasitize other closely related species of ants with lesser degrees of host manipulation and reproductive success.[1]
The fungus’s spores enter the body of the insect through its respiratory spiracles, where they begin to consume the non-vital soft tissues. When the fungus is ready to spore, its mycelia enter the ant’s brain and change how it perceives pheromones, causing the insect to climb up the stem of a plant and use its mandibles to secure itself to the plant. Infected ants bite the leaf veins with abnormal force, leaving telltale dumbbell-shaped marks. A search through plant fossil databases revealed similar marks on a fossil leaf from the Messel pit which is 48 million years old.[4][5]
The fungus then kills the ant, and continues to grow as its mycelia invade more soft tissues and structurally fortify the ant’s exoskeleton.[1] More mycelia then sprout out of the ant, and securely anchor it to the plant substrate while secreting antimicrobials to ward off competition.[1] When the fungus is ready to reproduce, its fruiting bodies grow from the ant’s head and rupture, releasing the spores. This process takes 4 to 10 days.[1]
The changes in the behavior of the infected ants are very specific, giving rise to the term zombie ants, and tuned for the benefit of the fungus. The ants generally clamp to a leaf’s vein about 25 cm above the ground, on the northern side of the plant, in an environment with 94-95% humidity and temperatures between 20 and 30°C. According to David Hughes, “You can find whole graveyards with 20 or 30 ants in a square metre. Each time, they are on leaves that are a particular height off the ground and they have bitten into the main vein [of a leaf] before dying”.[6] When the dead ants are repositioned in various other situations, further vegetative growth and sporulation either fails to occur or results in undersized and abnormal reproductive structures.[7]
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The Jurassic Period: Archopteryx
The late-Jurassic Archaeopteryx lithographica, shown here with legs akimbo and wings outspread, is believed by many to be the world’s first bird. Found in the Solnhofen Limestone Formation in Bavaria, Germany, Archaeopteryx lithographica possessed developed wings that probably allowed it to fly for short distances.
(via: National Geo)
Posted on March 11, 2011 via fauna with 4 notes
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(via sacredsquid)
Posted on January 25, 2011 via Film instant with 807 notes
Source: brain-magazine.com
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Posted on January 20, 2011 via certified bullshit technician. with 543 notes
Source: theduty
Hello! I'm Jason, a geek dad from Durham, NC. This blog was conceived as the mutant offshoot of the Random Signal podcast, and it is the exclusive home of the RS Droidcast. I like weird movies, interesting animals, comic books, science fiction, paleontology, and lots of other awesome stuff. I also like cephalopods, so much so that I have a whole other blog just for them! Visit Indie Squid Kid for a Kraken-sized dose of tentacly goodness.
If I made you a mix tape, you could expect to hear the likes of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, The Flaming Lips, The Mountain Goats, Talking Heads, Pixies, The Pogues, The Clash, T.Rex, David Bowie, Jonathan Coulton, They Might Be Giants, Guided By Voices, The Magnetic Fields, Guitar Wolf, and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
![fuckyeahevolution:
Creepy Evolution - Cordyceps unilateralis, a parasitoid fungus
Like other fungi pathogenic to insects in the Cordyceps genus, C. unilateralis targets a specific host species; which is ideally the Camponotus leonardi ant, but has been known to parasitize other closely related species of ants with lesser degrees of host manipulation and reproductive success.[1]
The fungus’s spores enter the body of the insect through its respiratory spiracles, where they begin to consume the non-vital soft tissues. When the fungus is ready to spore, its mycelia enter the ant’s brain and change how it perceives pheromones, causing the insect to climb up the stem of a plant and use its mandibles to secure itself to the plant. Infected ants bite the leaf veins with abnormal force, leaving telltale dumbbell-shaped marks. A search through plant fossil databases revealed similar marks on a fossil leaf from the Messel pit which is 48 million years old.[4][5]
The fungus then kills the ant, and continues to grow as its mycelia invade more soft tissues and structurally fortify the ant’s exoskeleton.[1] More mycelia then sprout out of the ant, and securely anchor it to the plant substrate while secreting antimicrobials to ward off competition.[1] When the fungus is ready to reproduce, its fruiting bodies grow from the ant’s head and rupture, releasing the spores. This process takes 4 to 10 days.[1]
The changes in the behavior of the infected ants are very specific, giving rise to the term zombie ants, and tuned for the benefit of the fungus. The ants generally clamp to a leaf’s vein about 25 cm above the ground, on the northern side of the plant, in an environment with 94-95% humidity and temperatures between 20 and 30°C. According to David Hughes, “You can find whole graveyards with 20 or 30 ants in a square metre. Each time, they are on leaves that are a particular height off the ground and they have bitten into the main vein [of a leaf] before dying”.[6] When the dead ants are repositioned in various other situations, further vegetative growth and sporulation either fails to occur or results in undersized and abnormal reproductive structures.[7]](http://www.earthyreport.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Cordyceps-unilateralis.jpg)
