The Frog of War Annie Tritt photo. The frog depicted here isn't Xenopus laevis, but another species studied in Hayes' lab. *Correction: The original version of this article, which also appeared in our January/February 2012 print edition, misidentified the consulting company that hired Hayes as Pacific EcoRisk, and mistakenly linked to the homepage of that company. Darnell lives deep in the basement of a life sciences building at the University of California-Berkeley, in a plastic tub on a row of stainless steel shelves. He's female. Genetically, Darnell is male. Hayes is a 5-foot-3 fireplug of a man with a gentle voice and an easy grin who favors black suits when he's on the lecture circuit and sweatshirts and running shorts the rest of the time. But Hayes is not like other scientists. "Atrazine isn't killing the frogs," Hayes explains. All of this has earned Hayes something approaching rock-star status. tyrone b hayes is hard as hell battle anybody, i don't care who you tell you object!
Drive-Thru Funeral Home Lets You Pay Your Respects on the Go You’re busy – you got plenty of things on the go. The last thing you have time for is to pay your respects when someone passes. But what is a busy mourner to do? In business since 1974, Adams funeral parlor brings the dead to the drive-thru and convenience to the living. If you decide to get out of your car, you’ll be treated to a reception lounge that’s outfitted with low-hanging gold chandeliers and pink upholstered seats. The idea for a drive-thru funeral parlor came about in the 1980s. What do you think? [Source: LA Times] Click here for the latest Auto Industry News Read the Latest Car Reviews at AutoGuide.com
The Barn Owl Trust Global Warming Uncovers Corpses Frozen in Time Photo via Last Days of the Incas Five hundred years ago, three Inca children were left to freeze high in the cold Argentinian Andes as a religious sacrifice. In time, their bodies mummified, having been swallowed in snow and entombed within the glacier, lost to time. But centuries later, in a warmer world, their perfectly-preserved corpses were discovered beneath the melting snow -- an increasingly common sight. Experts say that as glaciers continue to recede throughout the world, more of their long-guarded secrets will be revealed in the warm grip of a changing climate. When the three Inca children were discovered thanks to melting in the Andes, their well-preserved, mummified remains helped advance archeological knowledge of their rather mysterious civilization. For example, the frozen body of 24-year-old pilot, Benjamin Rafael Pabón, was discovered by hikers in Peru -- over 20 years after his plane crashed in the Andes. Photo: Noah Friedman-Rudovsky for The New York Times
Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium George Carlin – comedian – could write something so very eloquent. | Smile O Smile This is a masterpiece. If you have not read it, take the time to read it now. GEORGE CARLIN (His wife died a short time ago …..and George followed her, dying July 2008) George Carlin - comedian Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin – comedian of the 70′s and 80′s – could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate. A Message by George Carlin: The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. George Carlin Like this: Related
Manul – the Cat that Time Forgot Have you ever wanted to take a trip through time to see what animals looked like millions of years ago? When it comes to cats there is little or no need. This beautiful specimen is a Manul, otherwise known as Pallas’s Cat. About twelve million years ago it was one of the first two modern cats to evolve and it hasn’t changed since. The other species, Martelli’s Cat, is extinct so what you are looking at here is a unique window in to the past of modern cats. Although the Manul is only the size of the domestic cat, reaching about 26 inches in length its appearance makes it appear somewhat larger. The main reason for its survival throughout the ages has been its isolation. Take a close look at the eyes of the Manul. It also has a much shorter face than other cats, which makes its face look flattened. The Manus has not been studied a great deal in the wild, where it is classified as near threatened. Don’t rush to your local pet store, however.
MSNBC - How to Think About the Mind How to Think About the MindNeuroscience shows that the 'soul' is the activity of the brain Sept. 27 issue - Every evening our eyes tell us that the sun sets, while we know that, in fact, the Earth is turning us away from it. Astronomy taught us centuries ago that common sense is not a reliable guide to reality. Modern neuroscience has shown that there is no user. This resistance is not surprising. The disconnect between our common sense and our best science is not an academic curiosity. Prozac shouldn't be dispensed like mints, of course, but the reason is not that it undermines the will. To many, the scariest prospect is medication that can make us better than well by enhancing mood, memory and attention. In Galileo's time, the counter-intuitive discovery that the Earth moved around the sun was laden with moral danger. Pinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the psychology department at Harvard. © 2004 Newsweek, Inc.
The Dandelion - Whimsical World-Wide Weed The humble dandelion. From your garden to almost the ends of the earth this small but conspicuous plant flourishes. Gardeners do not appreciate its presence, considering it a weed, even though its flowering usually indicates the beginning of the honey bee season and could be seen as a welcome sign. Its simplistic looking structure hides a few surprising secrets and its cultural resonance, especially in Europe is strong. Here is a short but sincere homage to one of the small wonders of our botanical world. Let’s start with the names, both common and scientific. In fact it is so called because of its leaves, which have a coarse-toothed edge and as such reminded the medieval mind of the teeth of lions. Slightly less flattering is alternative name, again French. It is somewhat indicative of our somewhat schizophrenic attitude towards the plant that the North-Eastern Italians refer to is as ‘pisacan’ – which refers to dogs, pavements and urine! Its genus is Taraxacum and it is a large one!
Strange and Bizarre Creatures Featured, Science — By BB Admin on January 12, 2011 4:53 pm Human beings seek out the strange and unusual in books, movies, television, video games, and comic books. We dive headfirst into the worlds of C.S. Lewis, of Lewis Carrol, of Tolkien, of World of Warcraft, of superheroes, delighting in the magical things those skilled authors managed to think up. Sometimes we forget that the world we live in is just as weird, magical, and bizarre as the worlds we escape to. Take, for instance, some of the amazing creatures that exist in our world. Naked Mole Rat This is the Naked Mole Rat. “Horror” Frog OK, it’s weird enough that this frog looks hairy. Angora Rabbit These furry creatures are mainly bred for their fabulous coats, which I think it super wrong. Pangolin The Pangolin is the only mammal that has scales. These guys also have very long tongues that extend internally all the way into their tummies. Chinese Giant Salamander Ew, right? Star Nosed Mole Komondor Dog Hungarian. Glass Frog Axolotl
BBC Nature - Superb bird of paradise videos, news and facts