Ecology & Zoology

Overfishing Sharks Wiped Out North Carolina Scallops Also, Say Researchers

Fewer big sharks in the oceans led to the destruction of North Carolina’s bay scallop fishery and inhibits the recovery of depressed scallop, oyster and clam populations along the U.S. ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 29 2007 - 5:34pm

The Eyes Have It! How Box Jellyfish Avoid Banging Into Things

Box jellyfish are much more active swimmers than other jellyfish – they exhibit strong directional swimming, are able to perform rapid 180 degree turns, and can deftly move in between objects. So how do they manage to manoeuvre the obstacle course that is ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 30 2007 - 11:36pm

Bats Get The Munchies Too!

Not from marijuana but from... ethanol. Many will be familiar with cravings for sweet food after having overindulged in alcohol the night before. Some may have cravings for salty foods after using marijuana- in Amsterdam, where it is legal, of course. It ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 31 2007 - 9:10pm

Fishing For Alternatives

Cultured fish cell lines and organs such as gills, heart, liver and intestines are being used to investigate the effects of toxins on fish such as freshwater trout and carp in a move to cut down the number of experiments carried out on live fish. Fish Bio ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 2 2007 - 12:11am

Do All Males Lie And Cheat? Yes. In Crayfish, Anyway

Intimidation and threats are common throughout society, whether it’s in the school playground, sporting arena or boardroom. Threatening behaviour is equally widespread among non-human animals. Individuals signal their superior strength to competitors to o ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 2 2007 - 10:24am

Why So Many Species Of Insects? They've Been Here Longer

J. B. S. Haldane once famously quipped that "God is inordinately fond of beetles." Results of a study by Mark A. McPeek of Dartmouth College and Jonathan M. Brown of Grinnell College suggest that this fondness was expressed not by making so many ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 3 2007 - 11:05am

Strange Behavior- Why Do Female Wasps Kill Their Brothers?

For all that Darwin did, Evolution as yet has no explanation for puzzling animal behavior. Social insects provide some of the most fascinating examples of altruism in the natural world, with sterile workers sacrificing their own reproduction for the great ...

Article - Cash Simpson - Apr 3 2007 - 5:24pm

Want To Monitor Climate Change? P-p-p-pick Up A Penguin!

We are used to hearing about the effects of climate change in terms of unusual animal behaviour, such as altering patterns of fish and bird migration. However, scientists at the University of Birmingham are trying out an alternative bio-indicator – the ki ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 4 2007 - 4:36pm

Alliances,coalitions- It's "Survivor: Bottlenose Dolphins"

Mating strategies are straightforward in bottlenose dolphins, or are they? Much of the work carried on male-female relationships in that species to date show that males tend to coerce females who are left with little choice about with whom to mate. This e ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 4 2007 - 4:46pm

Creature Feature: Attack Of The Nuclear Colossal Squid!

An amazing Colossal squid was caught last month by fishermen in Antarctica's Ross Sea. It is now on ice, awaiting examination and preparation for its permanent display in New Zealand's national museum. Once un-frozen, the creature will be embalm ...

Article - Sarda Sahney - Apr 6 2007 - 9:55am