Photography

Snowflakes— Always Different, But Always Hexagonal 0
- Earth & Environment, Photography
- December 24, 2012
Snowflakes or a single ‘snow crystal’ can take on a variety of sizes and structures, based upon several key factors, but they always have six sides. Water molecules form with one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. When they connect, water molecules form a hexagonal lattice, resulting in the six-sided symmetrical object. Temperature and moisture
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Horrifying New Species of Spider Builds Moving Spider-Decoy to Confuse Predators 0
- Earth & Environment, Photography
- December 19, 2012
Constructed out of leaf bits, forest debris, and partially eaten insects, a newly discovered species of spider, builds elaborate and much larger decoys of itself in a behavior that is likely aimed at confusing predators. The genus of Cyclosa spiders is known for placing debris in their web to attract or confuse prey, but this new species
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A World of Contrasts 0
- Earth & Environment, Photography
- December 14, 2012
The world is full of contrasts. It’s what makes most of the pictures in the ‘Top 50 pictures of the day’ for 2012 so fascinating. The photos are put together by Twistedsifter, and this is just number 50. Photo: Don McLeish Source: Twistedsifter
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Ouch! A Closer Look at Porcupine Quills 0
- Earth & Environment, Photography
- December 13, 2012
In North America, meeting up with a porcupine can have painful consequences. It’s barbed quills are known to easily penetrate skin, and are very difficult to pull out. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found just how easily they penetrate; a quill needs just half the force of a standard hypodermic needle. Why? Looking at
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How Did Fins Evolve into Legs?0
- Earth & Environment, Photography
- December 11, 2012
How did fins evolve into legs? Researchers at CSIC-Universidad Pablo de Olavide-Junta de Andalucía, in Seville, Spain, introduced extra Hoxd13, a gene known to aid in limb growth, to the edge of an embryonic zebrafish’s fin. Presto, a leg was formed. The researchers are now investigating how changes in gene expression may have resulted in
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Resisting Chinese Construction Boom 0
- Photography, Society
- December 7, 2012
Chinese duckfarmer Luo Baogen just finished building his house when the government knocked on the door. They wanted to build a road, they said, so he had to find another home. Mr Baogen refused because he would only be compensated with around a third of the money he just spent on his house. The government
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