Category: Curiosities of Nature

Don’t stop believing, until you see it

microscopeIf you can’t see something, how do you know it is there? In my research, I rely on my ability to take pictures of neurons making connections with each other and other types of cells. What I know to be the truth about these connections, is based on only what I can see through the microscope. I was reminded just how little we can actually “see” by a recent paper in the journal Science.

This new paper used newer imaging technology called STORM (STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy), which enhances imaging by only exciting and imaging a few individual fluorescent molecules at a time. This prevents groups of fluorescent molecules from distorting fine detail by forming a large bright fuzzy cloud. The Harvard scientists saw that a structural protein, Actin, actually forms rings around the axons of neurons.(!) Up until now, the organization of actin in the axons and dendrites has been a mystery. Continue reading “Don’t stop believing, until you see it”

Meet the Hyrax

These swarthy little mammals hang out in Africa and the Middle East and have been blowing up in the news recently. They are in the family Procaviidae which is the only living family in Hydrocoidea. Interestingly, they have multi-chambered stomach, but they are definitely not ruminants.

Even more remarkable, is their song which is a mammal freestyle like you’ve never seen. Check out the video below from Arik Kershenbaum from the University of Haifa:

“Meet the…” is a collaboration between The Finch & Pea and Nature Afield to bring Nature’s amazing creatures into your home.

The Red Nose Gene

Rudolph's FamilyTis the season…for my 4 year old to ask me to sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer repeatedly during any car trip longer than 30 seconds. My apologies to anyone who gets caught in the crossfire. My singing does not get better with repetition.

My kids also love the Rankin/Bass stop animation classic film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. As you probably have come to expect, I have had a lot of time to wonder about how two seemingly normal reindeer could have a child with a glowing nose. Classic genetics is well-equipped to deal with this problem.

Both Santa and we should be very concerned about the genetics of red reindeer noses. According to Wikipedia, the Rudolph story dates back to 1939. There have probably been quite a few foggy Christmas Eves in the intervening years. According to the Pittsburgh Zoo, reindeer typically live for 10 years in the wild. While we can expect that Santa’s reindeer do a bit their those in the wild, it is clear that Rudolph alone would not be able to “guide Santa’s sleigh” today. Given their success breeding flying reindeer, it is not hard to imagine that Santa’s elves could generate a stable of red-nosed reindeer. How they would go about doing so would depend on how, genetically, Rudolph wound up with that first Red Nose. Continue reading “The Red Nose Gene”

Meet the Solenodon: Another weird, wonderful, venomous mammal!

Solenodon
paradoxus

While totally sounding like a sci-fi planet, Solenodons are actually just insectivores. In the family Solenodontidae, there is only one genus-Solenodon and just two species. Yes, solenodons come in just two flavors the Hispaniolan (Solenodon paradoxus) and the Cuban (Solenodon cubanus). These shrew-like looking creatures have a venomous bite that emanates from a groove in their second incisors. Solenodons are reported to eat plants, insects, small invertebrates, but also reptile, amphibians, and rodents. They kill prey larger than themselves most likely after inflicting a fatal bite. The toxin blarina produces a peptide called bradykinin and this bite then leads to paralysis and convulsions.
Continue reading “Meet the Solenodon: Another weird, wonderful, venomous mammal!”

HIV: Cancer Killer?

Photo by Samantha Celera
Photo by Samantha Celera

Recently, I saw an article referencing a young girl’s leukemia being fought by HIV viral transformation. The headline was surprisingly restrained, but the mere mention of HIV (a pathogen surrounded by fear and misinformation, like AIDS denial) risks leaving many readers thinking an HIV infection cured a young girl’s leukemia (not true!). So, I headed to the scientific literature to see if this flashy headline’s mention of HIV was really warranted. Continue reading “HIV: Cancer Killer?”