81

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Pictures of Wildlife...the Birds and the Bees etc etc

« on: 12/11/2007 13:33:47 »

Put your favourite wildlife piccys here !!


Here's one of my favourite birds...the Tundra Swan


 [ Invalid Attachment ]

Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus
Adult tundra swans are often confused
with other swan species. Its cousin,
the trumpeter swan is slightly larger
and doesn't feature a yellow spot on its bill.



PLEASE REMEMBER TO CREDIT THE SOURCE FOR ANY MATERIAL YOU POST HERE.

82

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: The truth is out there, in pictures.

« on: 12/11/2007 02:13:33 »

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field

I think this represents what equates to a portion of the sky the size of a pinhead !!!

Each speck in this picture is a galaxy....each galaxy has about 100-300 BILLION Stars !!..and there's something like 100-300 BILLION Galaxies out there !!

Do you get it ?...can you even imagine such a thing ?...can you even fathom it ?


udf.jpg (41.67 kB . 600x600 - viewed 65583 times)

BEYOND COMPREHENSION !!

83

The Environment / Explain This Abnormal Rainbow Orientated Vertical Type Thing ?

« on: 09/11/2007 22:52:13 »

Dear Rainbow Experts of all creeds and colours !

Whilst I was driving the other evening I perchanced to see this RAINBOW type thing in the sky !..I pulled over and took this piccy!!



 [ Invalid Attachment ]

Why's it like that ?...

I wrote to the Rainbow Fairy who lives opposite the sun when it's raining and I am still awaiting an answer....I also await an answer from Richard Dreyfus and Stephen Spielberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_Encounters_Of_The_Third_Kind  but all my  calls go unanswered !!....can YOU help ?


Oh...the Sun.....was not behind me...it was in fact to the left of the multi-coloured phenomena...a little to the left and it would have been in the same frame but would have over exposed the photo.

84

General Science / Re: Why are Tennis Balls hairy or fluffy?

« on: 01/08/2007 03:00:11 »

Wow !!..Thank You....thank you all for your fantastic speculations, opinions theories and quoted texts. I really do appreciate the time taken to answer and have enjoyed reading the comments and posts. Excellent texts above George...cheers.

You have all handled my hairy balls very well !!









........................(sorry....couldn't help myself) []

85

Guest Book / OY GUESTS !!!,,Yes...!!..YOU !!...Why not sign up and join the family !! ??

« on: 13/12/2006 15:01:34 »

Hello Guest !!

Yes..this means YOU...no..really..it does !!..We know you're out there looking in !!

I can see you now as you're reading this !!...Yep !!..I can see you're smiling !!

Why not just take that one little step further and join up ?!!.It's painless !

after all, we want your posts...and your contribution....even if it's just to step in and say 'Hello',

besides, I bet YOU have an opinion and really want to comment !!...you're probably saying.." hang on' that's not right "

or YOU might have a question too...........and a warm welcome is ready with YOUR name on it...

So c'mon...sign up...we want YOU.. !!

..........Can't run this forum without YOU !!!

86

General Science / Re: Recent Science News Stories and Science Articles - Deleted by Geezer at 2011-11-25 01:12:05

« on: 24/02/2006 14:35:14 »

Birds that make teeth

Gone does not necessarily mean forgotten, especially in biology. A recent finding by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and colleagues from the University of Manchester have found new evidence that the ability to form previously lost organs--in this case, teeth--can be maintained millions of years after the last known ancestor possessed them.
Birds do not have teeth. However, their ancestors did--about 70–80 million years ago. The evolutionary loss of teeth corresponded to the formation of the beak that is present in all living birds. Nonetheless, it has been known that if mouse tooth-forming tissue is in contact with bird jaw tissue, the bird tissue is able to follow the instructions given by the mouse tissue and participate in making teeth, and that these teeth look very much like those of mammals. However, Drs. Matthew Harris and John F. Fallon and colleagues have found that modern birds retain the ability to make teeth even without instruction from their tooth-bearing cousins.

In the new work, the researchers show that the talpid2 strain of chicken harbors a genetic change that permits tooth formation in both the upper and lower jaw of embryonic birds. These teeth show similar developmental position as mammalian teeth and are associated with similar molecular instructions. Furthermore, when comparing the initial development of the structures, the researchers realized that the teeth forming in the chicken did not look like mammalian teeth, but resembled those of the alligator, the closest living relative of modern birds.

The findings strongly suggest that the birds were initiating developmental programs similar to those of their reptilian ancestors. In addition, the authors found that the capacity to form teeth still resides in normal chickens and can be triggered experimentally by molecular signals. Taken together, the new findings indicate that even though modern birds lost teeth millions of years ago, the potential to form them persists.


SOURCE: EUREKAALERT.ORG


Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

87

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Could there be life on other planets?

« on: 16/10/2005 20:24:05 »

While you debate about the definition of life, I still maintain that out there, amongst the cosmos is someone  probably unlike myself..and unlike yourself (or even very much like ourselves) who is also debating about life elsewhere in the cosmos.

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

88

Physiology & Medicine / Have you ever had a Thunderclap Headache During Orgasm?

« on: 05/10/2005 18:03:33 »

This is fascinating..really !...I do hope we get some good explanations....I wonder if it's a blood pressure thing with regard to the headaches.

The emotional side of things I can relate to, with such a release that an orgasm is I can understand the emotional release...perhaps down to endorphins and hormones being increased in production.

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

89

General Science / Re: Science Photo of the Week

« on: 18/06/2004 19:23:41 »

Insect enjoys warmer UK climate

Experts say its arrival in the UK is a clear sign of climate change




An insect that normally inhabits warm countries has been found living and breeding in the UK, entomologists say.
The green "shield" bug, which attacks a broad range of crops, is usually seen in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Australia, North America and Africa.

Its arrival in Britain is a clear sign of climate change, claim experts from the Natural History Museum, London.

"I'm always reluctant to invoke global warming but it's the only explanation," said curator of beetles, Max Barclay.

Stink bugs

The green vegetable bug (Nezara viridula) is similar to the UK's native green shield bug (Palomena prasina), but is paler in colour and has a longer, narrower shape. Also, unlike its British cousin, the green vegetable bug has no brown markings.

The insects - sometimes known as "stink" bugs, because of the foul odour they emit when threatened - are regular stowaways to the UK.

They often get shipped in with imported vegetables but, until recently, they have not been able to stand Britain's cold climate.

Now three healthy colonies have been found in London - two in the Queen's Park area and one in Kings Cross.


SOURCE BBC NEWS

I've seen these little critters the last couple of years...I just figured they were an insect I hadn't seen before......well...in a way I was right. I've never smelt the pong but that's probably because I'm an angel, and I've never threatened one !![}:)]

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'  

90

General Science / Re: Science Photo of the Week

« on: 29/05/2004 17:55:52 »

NASA has announced new findings from the Spitzer Space Telescope, including the discovery of significant amounts of icy organic materials sprinkled throughout several "planetary construction zones," or dusty planet-forming discs, which circle infant stars.
These materials, icy dust particles coated with water, methanol and carbon dioxide, may help explain the origin of icy planetoids like comets. Scientists believe these comets may have endowed Earth with some of its water and many of its biogenic, life-enabling materials.

Out of the dust, a planet is born as depicted in this artist's illustration. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech)


SOURCE NASA

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'  

91

General Science / Re: Science Photo of the Week

« on: 16/05/2004 14:30:58 »

  Dying Star Sculpts Rungs of Gas and Dust




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171910main_image_feature_783_ys_full.jpg (108.54 kB . 1041x781 - viewed 41431 times)

Astronomers may not have observed the fabled "Stairway to Heaven," but
 they have photographed something almost as intriguing: ladder-like
structures surrounding a dying star. A new image, taken with NASA's
Hubble Space Telescope, reveals startling new details of one of the
most unusual nebulae known in our Milky Way. Cataloged as HD 44179,
this nebula is more commonly called the "Red Rectangle" because of its
 unique shape and color as seen with ground-based telescopes.

I acknowldege that I 'borrowed' this info from the hubble website and
that I did not take this picture myself....my ladder is just not long
enough !!