 |
Journal of scientists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, inventors, nature, biology, technology, animal kingdoms, and science projects.
Home
ANC News
Animals
Biographies
Biology
Chemistry
Free Updates
General Science
Headlines
Inventors
Kids to 12
Physics
Questions&
Answers
Quantum
Resources
Projects &
Experiments
Science@NASA
Submission
Guideline
Tables
Technology
If you have questions concerning this website, contact webmaster@light-science.com
Be sure to add your country and icon to the world guestmap!
| Carl Sagan's COSMOS is one of the most influential science programs ever made.
Q. Does the moon have a dark side?
A. The moon does have a far side which is impossible to see from the earth, but it doesn't mean that it's always dark. Each side of the moon is dark for no longer than 15 days at a time.
Q. Where does sound come from?
A. The air is always filled with sound waves. All things give off vibrations, but some have a low frequency which most cannot hear. The reason: it may take 3 minutes to make a single vibration. They may be caused by earthquakes and storms.
Did You Know?
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
Coke-a-Cola was originally green.
Rubberbands last longer when refrigerated.
|
|
|
Survival in the Jungle
by Jeanette Cain
To survive, wildlife will need to adapt to climate changes, find new food, protect itself from foes, and find more mates. Some species have evolved elaborate, strange, and beautiful disguises to survive.
The male mandrill baboon has a multi-colored face, purple-bluish and red rump to attract females. This attraction has great influence on the survival of a species and its evolution in the race for survival. Charles Darwin discovered on the voyage of the Sea Beagle that the beauty of an animal is often more important that winning a battle. For a male to leave his progeny on the planet, he must first attract a female. This preference of one mate over another is sexual selection. To cope with sexual selection, the mandrill male evolved a colored face, while the male peacock evolved an iridescent tail to attract a harem of 2 to 5 females. Man may see the beauty of the peacock tail, but a respective mate would see it as something that allows her to respond sexually to the male.
Plants have adapted features to attract the attention of insect pollinators. The adaptions are in the form of fragrance, food, and eye-catching colors. An orchid of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, Ophrys, has taken on the appearance of an insect. The orchid sends out a perfume to get the attention of a male wasp, which then becomes excited by the scent. This magnetism makes the male believe he has gained a mate (a real mate). The orchid has tiny hairs that will stimulate the wasp into the position of mating. The wasp's position disrupts the pollen rods, which end up on its head or abdomen. This seduction will result in the wasp flying away with the Ophrys pollen to another plant whose seduction techniques will draw the wasp toward it.
This is apparently a one-sided relationship. The wasp is the sole source of survival for the orchid, but what the wasp receives in return is unknown. The orchid is still adapting itself to the wasp's sexual instinct to assure the wasp will return and contribute to the orchid's survival. This natural selection will cause the orchid to become more wasp-like. The blossoms of 3 varieties of Ophrys have shiny patches in the center, which act as reflectors for attracting male wasps.
Imitation is not necessarily the truest form of respect. Many insects are capable of imitation to attract or detract the attention of another. The birch moth has camouflage to match its background setting. Tree hoppers look like the thorns on a rosebush, which operate to fool any birds. The Caligo butterfly has spots like the eyes of an owl on its wings. This presents more of the startle effect, rather than imitation. When the Caligo shows its spots, it will surprise and frighten away the danger. The bumblebee moth imitates a bee by taking on the bee's form and color, but it does not possess a stinger. Since the birds are unaware of this, they will avoid the path of the bumblebee moth.
Source:
1. Editors. The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book-Childcraft International, Inc: Chicago. 1990
Further Study
Birds of the Galapagos.
Endangered Birds of the Galapagos
|
|
|
|
|
