Category Archives: Nature

May
14
2013

by James
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Agricultural Apocalypse: Insecticides to blame for the massive decline in global bee population?

Beginning in late 2006 — early 2007, abnormally high die-offs, about 30–90% of all hives of European honey bee colonies began in North America. There are fears that neonicotinoids, a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically related to nicotine, are linked to the rapid decline of honeybees. Biotech conglomerates assert that no link has been proven between the use of neonicotinoids and the declining number of bees. The exact cause has been debated at length and numerous studies conducted, but no conclusive evidence has been found. Continue reading →

Jan
07
2013

by James
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Species of spider spins decoys to avoid predators.

Deep in the Peruvian Amazon, biologists think they have discovered a new species of spider with a remarkable survival strategy: it builds elaborate, fake spiders from leaves, debris and dead insects and hangs them in its web. The decoys serve as a defense mechanism meant to confuse and/or distract its predators. Biologist and science teacher Phil Torres discovered the spider in September as he led tourists in a floodplain surrounding Peru’s Tambopata Research Centre.

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Dec
21
2012

by James
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2 billion pixel panorama image of Mount Everest

This interactive panorama image is a ridiculously large image. It’s also ridiculously captivating. I can’t believe how monumentally large that mountain is. Zooming in on the base camp tents at the center bottom of the image should give you a profound sense of scale. Mount Everest is the Earth’s highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point.

Nov
30
2012

by James
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Evolution is Awesome (Part 2): 50 More Incredible Nature Photographs

With every passing day we discover that life is more complex that we thought just the day before. Earth is a haven for diverse life and the creatures with which we share our existence are fascinating. From them we can learn much about the natural order, life and about ourselves… Coding for the photo collage from the CSS-Tricks tutorial Seamless Responsive Photo Grid. CSS compatible with Firefox 3.6+, Opera 11.1+, Safari 4+, Chrome 10+, Internet Explorer 10+

Nov
20
2012

by James
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Evolution is Awesome (Part 1): 50 Amazing Nature Photographs

Earth is full of exotic and wonderful creatures. Each species is completely unique in appearance and behavior, yet all can be traced back through their genetic lineage. Coding for the photo collage from the CSS-Tricks tutorial Seamless Responsive Photo Grid. CSS compatible with Firefox 3.6+, Opera 11.1+, Safari 4+, Chrome 10+, Internet Explorer 10+

Nov
16
2012

by James
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Consumerism and Debt: An unsustainable paradigm of poisoned products

The ramifications of wanton consumerism on our species, our planet and our future are dire if humanity continues to expand and consume like some uncontrollable virus. The system must collapse; it is an unsustainable paradigm that we are programmed to accept as the only form of existence in order to ensure a minority of individuals might benefit at the expense of others. Continue reading →

Sep
20
2012

by James
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Tardigrades: microscopic lifeforms from this world or another?

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are a little studied phylum of animals. First discovered 230 years ago, there are at least 700 different species living on land, in fresh water and in the sea. The tardigrades represent a successful group of animals – in flourishing existence after about 600 million years of evolution – that could hold the keys to patterns and mechanisms by which animal body plans evolve. Continue reading →