Blog Archives - THE BIOLOGIST APPRENTICE

THE BIOLOGIST APPRENTICE

solar salamander

2/28/2015

Photos: TED LEVIN/photolibrary.com & John Cancalosi/naturepl.com

Photosynthetic algae have been found inside the cells of a vertebrate for the first time.

Ryan Kerney of Dalhousie University in Halifax, noticed a bright green color coming from within the embryos of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), as well as from the jelly capsule that encases them. This viridescence is caused by the single-celled alga Oophila amblystomatis. This has long been understood to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the spotted salamander, which lays its eggs in bodies of water. However, the symbiosis was thought to occur between the salamander embryo and algae living outside it, with the embryo producing nitrogen-rich waste that is useful to algae, and the algae increasing the oxygen content of the water in the immediate vicinity of the respiring embryos.

At the Congress of Vertebrate Morphology in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Kerney reported that these algae are, in fact, commonly located inside cells all over the spotted salamander's body. Moreover, there are signs that intracellular algae may be directly providing the products of photosynthesis (oxygen and carbohydrate) to the salamander cells that encapsulate them.

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Algas fotosintéticas encontradas dentro de células de un vertebrado por primera vez.

Ryan Kerney, de la Universidad de Dalhousie en Halifax, se dio cuenta de el color verde brillante que provenia de adentro de los embriones de la salamandra común (Ambystoma maculatum), así como de la cápsula gelatinosa que les envuelve. Este iridiscencia es causada por la alga unicelular Oophila amblystomatis. Esto ha sido entendido com una relación simbiótica con la salamandra común, que pone sus huevos en los cuerpos de agua. Sin embargo, se pensaba que la simbiosis que se producía entre el embrión de salamandra y las algas que viven fuera de ella, es útil para las algas embrión por la producción rica en nitrógeno, y las algas aumentan el contenido de oxígeno en el agua en el espacio inmediato en donde los embriones respiran .

En el Congreso de Vertebrados Morfología en Punta del Este, Uruguay, Kerney informó que estas algas, de hecho, son comúnmente encuentradas dentro de las células de todo el cuerpo de la salamandra común. Por otra parte, hay indicios de que las algas intracelulares puede proporcionar de manera directa los productos de la fotosíntesis (oxígeno y carbohidratos) a las células de salamandra que los encapsulan.

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LifeStraw, Water Purification Project

2/25/2015

LifeStraw purifies water instantly and inexpensively: it is a solution that can provide millions of under-privileged people with safe drinking water, 900 million people in the world are without access to safe drinking water. That’s a serious problem. Announced to the world in 2005, the LifeStraw invention is a huge step in the right direction towards tackling this problem. Swiss-based Vestergaard Frandsen designed two LifeStraw products: the LifeStraw and LifeStraw Family.

LifeStraw technology effectively purifies water without any use of chemicals. There is no need for batteries, and there are no moving parts. The patented filtration system relies only on suction (LifeStraw) or gravity (LifeStraw Family) to purify the water.

LifeStraw can provide 1000 litres of safe drinking water, which is enough for one person per year. LifeStraw is easy to use as it functions like a regular straw, you simply suck on it and the water will start flowing. It is also compact and easy to carry. LifeStraw removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of parasites. It costs around $20 in the USA, and is cheaper or subsidized for places in need. That makes it a relatively inexpensive solution that could serve a lot of people.

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3D geometric animals, complex paper folding

2/21/2015

Estudio Guardabosques is the creative partnership of artists Juan and Carolina from Buenos Aires, Argentina. They craft scenes entirely out of paper, taking origami to the next level, by using complex sculpting to fold and build interesting forms.

Folding the paper at just the right angles to convincingly express form, Guardabosques miraculously manage to magic even the more difficult shapes and structures, such as the intricate snout or arched back, out of the complex art of origami.

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Estudio Guardabosques es la asociación creativa de los artistas Juan y Carolina de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ellos hacen figuras totalmente hechas de papel, llevando la papiroflexia al siguiente nivel, mediante el doblado de papel de manera compleja y construyendo formas interesantes.

Doblar el papel con sólo los ángulos rectos de manera convincente expresa forma, Guardabosques maneja la magia del doblado milagrosamente incluso las formas y estructuras más difíciles, como el hocico intrincada o arqueada, fuera del complejo arte de la papiroflexia.

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TOUCAN WILL GET ITS BEAK BACK, THANKS TO 3D PRINTING

2/20/2015

Photo credits: Zoo Ave Animal Rescue Center

A male toucan nicknamed Grecia was horribly beak mutilated by a group of teenagers in Costa Rica. Grecia's story inspired people all across South America to turn their anger into action and thanks to a social media campaign and thousands of dollars in crowdfunding the wounded bird will soon become the recipient of a 3D-printed replacement beak. The toucan was taken to Costa Rica's Zoo Ave Animal Rescue Center, where he's been making a steady recovery.

The designers plan to first print a few beak prototypes and practice fitting them onto a 3D-printed stump. They hope Grecia will be well enough for some initial fittings by the end of the month. But even with the best possible design, there is a chance that the toucan will not accept his new beak.
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Un tucán macho apodado Grecia fue horriblemente mutilado del pico por un grupo de adolescentes en Costa Rica. Su historia inspiró a toda América del Sur, convirtió su vez su ira en acción y gracias a una campaña a través de redes sociales y "crowdfunding" el pájaro herido pronto se convertirá en el receptor de una prótesis de pico impresa en 3D . El tucán fue llevado al Zoo Ave Animal Rescue Center de Costa Rica, donde ha tenido una recuperación constante.

Los diseñadores planean imprimir primero unos pocos prototipos y ajustándolas el pico impreso en 3D. Tienen la esperanza de que Grecia será lo tendra algunos picos provisionales para finales del mes. Pero incluso con el mejor diseño posible, existe la posibilidad de que el tucán no aceptará su nuevo pico.
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Terrifying Mouths in Nature

2/20/2015

1. Hagfish
2. Leatherback Sea Turtle
3. Vampire Fish
4. Penguins
5. Pacu
6. Lamprey

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Photo Credits

Extinct Species Graveyard

2/18/2015

Extinct Species Graveyard at the Bronx Zoo in New York
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unlikely friendship

2/17/2015

The unlikely friendship: Ingo the shepherd dog and Poldi the little owl by Tanja Brandt .

purple shell

2/15/2015

Imagen

Photo: ©Verena and Georg Popp-Hackner

Janthina janthina is a species of sea snail, stunning by its beautiful purple shell. These snails are holopelagic, which means they spend their entire life drifting on the ocean surface in warm seas.

Janthina janthina es una especie de caracol de mar, impresionante por su hermosa concha púrpura. Estos caracoles son holopelagicos, lo que significa que pasan toda su vida a la deriva en la superficie del océano en los mares cálidos

Source { https://500px.com/…/violet-snails-by-verena-and-georg-popp-…}

customizable LEGO® Pinned Insect Manipulator

2/14/2015

Pinned insect manipulator (IMp) constructed of LEGO® building bricks with two axes of movement and two axes of rotation which facilitates resizing to meet the full range of pinned insect specimens, is fully customizable, collapsible, affordable and does not require specialist tools or knowledge to assemble.

"A good insect specimen manipulator requires the following properties: (i) Foremost the manipulator should allow for easy positioning and repositioning of specimens especially if used for imaging at multiple views or comparing structures at different angles; (ii) Stability to prevent the specimen moving once in the correct position; (iii) Capability of fine scale adjustment to enable positioning the specimen under magnification and (iv) Open design to allow for both specimen placement/removal and adequate illumination of the specimen to be examined".

bioluminescent snail

2/12/2015

Photos via wired

This is a peculiar terrestrial snail, its bioluminescence is powered by an organ inside it called "organ of Haneda", rather than through a symbiotic relationship with bacteria. Quantula striata sometimes known as Dyakia striata lives in forest and garden habitats in Southeast Asia, feeding on plants, detritus and even carrion, and it is the only land snail that glows this way. Still, the exact purpose of the unusual snail’s light show remains unknown. Scientists studying certain marine snails believe this snail glows as a form of self-defense, perhaps aiming to attract the predator of its predator. Another possible theory is that it uses its strange luminous abilities to communicate.

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Se trata de un caracol terrestre peculiar, su bioluminiscencia se da gracias a un órgano dentro de él, y no a través de una relación simbiótica con bacterias. Quantula striata a veces conocida como Dyakia striata vive en hábitats de bosque y jardín en el sudeste asiático, se alimentan de plantas, detritus y hasta carroña, y es el único caracol de tierra que brilla de esta manera. Aún así, el fin exacto de la luz de este inusual de caracol sigue siendo desconocido. Los científicos que estudian ciertos caracoles marinos creen que este caracol brilla como una forma de defensa propia, tal vez con el objetivo de atraer a los depredadores de su depredador. Otra teoría posible es que utiliza sus extrañas habilidades luminosas para comunicarse.

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