It looks like this frog (Trichobatrachus robustus) has its body wrapped in tufts of hair. These hair-like filaments are very fine, highly vascularized extensions of the skin actually. Their function is to increase the surface area of the skin to increase gas exchange (O2-CO2). Only males possess these extensions and they appear on the hind … Read more
These tiny mammals are endemic to the island of Hispaniola (Solenodon paradoxus), where they are known as solenodonts, and to Cuba (Atopogale cubana), where they are called almiquí. They are considered living fossils. They resemble shrews. In fact, they are one of their closest relatives along with moles. They measure about 30 cm (plus about … Read more
It is one of the most peculiar plants in the world. For example, it has the largest known unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom. Discovered in 1878 by the Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari, it is popularly known as titan arum or “bunga bangkai”. The latter term, meaning “corpse flower”, is Indonesian, which gives us some … Read more
It is popularly known as death cap. Despite its harmless appearance, Amanita phalloides is considered the most poisonous mushroom in the world (or at least one of the most dangerous), and this is no exaggeration. In fact, more than 90% of fatal mushroom poisonings are attributed to it. A small portion of this mushroom can … Read more
DIET AND LIFESTYLE The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), a truly imposing animal, is the largest saurian in existence today. Adult males can exceed 3.5 meters and their weight can exceed 90 kg. At birth they measure 45 cm and are exclusively arboreal. They feed mainly on carrion, but also hunt and ambush their prey, mainly … Read more
When we come across horses or cows, we often see them trying to get rid of the annoying insects that flutter around their eyes. What are they doing there? Are they looking for something? The next time you witness this phenomenon, remember this term: “lachryphagy”, because you are probably witnessing these insects trying to feed … Read more
Who hasn’t ever imagined enjoying the “superpower” of bats? These animals (as well as dolphins, various species of whales and some birds) emit sounds in the form of clicks that bounce off surfaces and bodies in the environment. The returned echo is picked up by specialized organs and processed by the brain. In this way, … Read more
It was the end of August 1859. Those who looked at the sky from certain latitudes saw strange lights, unusual northern and southern auroras that should not be there, while, at the same time, the Sun was progressively filling with “small” moles. The inhabitants of Cuba or Honolulu could see the spectral lights of the … Read more
The neurotic fear during the Cold War against enemy attack led the world powers to develop all sorts of extravagant projects to defend themselves and outdo each other. Hypocritically cloaked under the umbrella of scientific research, these preventive measures actually responded to a military emergency. It was in this context that the West Ford Project … Read more
It is overwhelming to see medieval knights in the movies, loaded with their heavy plate armor and fighting to the death in some crude battle. Canned in kilos of steel, they could at best move around like clumsy robots, right? Well, it’s time to abandon this distressing vision, because these armors were made to provide … Read more
Human beings need to archive information. This may be due to his innate curiosity and his unstoppable desire to know and not to forget. This is why we invented data storage media, designed to replace the oral transmission of knowledge, which is imperfect and subject to alterations. We quickly think of hard disks or USB … Read more
Although space may seem a distressing and empty place, the truth is that it is full of millions of roaming travelers that, from time to time, can be seen from Earth. There are several types of them, and you’ve probably wondered more than once how to distinguish them. Here are some clues: Asteroids: rocky masses … Read more
Because of this peculiarity, they look like creatures out of some disturbed mind, but they are very real, both they and their bloody “weepings”. They do not “weep” blood because they have seen something horrifying, but because it is an extremely curious defense mechanism. This behavior has been recorded mainly in some species of horned … Read more
With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), our conception of intelligence has been slightly disrupted. After all, AI machines meet the requirements of some of the definitions of “intelligence”, such as solving complex problems. So, can machines think? This question was already proposed in the middle of the last century by one of the fathers … Read more
Snakes have often been associated with evil, either for cultural reasons or, directly, because of our survival instinct. We fear and respect them and the venom they use to hunt and defend themselves. However, as it usually happens, fear is diluted when our knowledge about them increases. In fact, they are not all equally poisonous … Read more
Life has devised a multitude of strategies to adapt and survive, such as mimesis. We all quickly think of examples from the animal kingdom, such as syrphids, some caterpillars, various butterflies or spiders that resemble ants. However, plants are not far behind. Orchids of the genus Ophrys sp. are true works of art of nature. … Read more
Nature is the best weapon engineer. Some living beings are equipped with a series of strategies and tools that it’s difficult to imagine they were generated by chance. In fact, devotees of creationism and intelligent design use these examples to vindicate their beliefs. Let’s look at the case of the carabid beetles of the genus … Read more
In the face of the current situation, which will undoubtedly mark humanity forever, a race against time has been generated to try to overcome it as quickly as possible. Not in vain, in less than a year it has shown us how vulnerable we are, but also our resilience. The most promising weapons with which … Read more
Is the end of the pandemic near? Is SARS-CoV-2, the same one that has shown how fragile the egomaniacal Homo sapiens and his civilization are, giving its last breath? Will the longed-for vaccines end with this science-fiction situation? The vaccines are being presented as the definitive solution to our problems, the definitive weapon that will … Read more
Venus is considered the brother planet of the Earth. However, since their births they have followed different trajectories that have led them to very different destinies. The current atmosphere of Venus is composed of 96.5% carbon dioxide. Toxic clouds of sulfur dioxide travel rapidly through it. But Venus has not always been so unwelcoming. It … Read more