Next post in topic We’re fast approaching topics like evolutionary computation and artificial neural networks on the show. Unless something crops up that is just too interesting not to make an episode over, we should get started with that by episode 89. It has been a long time since I last considered these topics, and …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:31 — 4.6MB) | Embed
Just not complete without you Symbiosis between animals and bacteria is very common. In some cases, animals will not develop fully without their microscopic partners—sometimes, they can’t even reproduce. Here’s a paper on the bobtail squid, and the light producing organ that doesn’t develop fully without the correct strain of bioluminescent bacteria. Bacterial symbionts induce …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:58 — 5.6MB) | Embed
When your partner moves in Many life forms live in partnership with other organisms. The cooperative relationship is called symbiosis. Sometimes, one of the cooperating creatures lives inside of the other, even inside the cells. When one creature lives inside of another one that it cooperates with, it is called endosymbiosis. Today, we take a …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:14 — 3.6MB) | Embed
The tickle me plant Today, we talk about another fast moving plant, called mimosa pudica, AKA. Shame plant, shy plant, touch me not, or the tickle me plant. This little plant will curl up its leaves when they are touched. Here’s a video that shows the tickle me plant in action. Mimosa Pudica – The …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:18 — 5.9MB) | Embed
By request, the Venus flytrap We move and eat via our nerves and muscles, but there are some plants that have no nerves and no muscles, and yet they still move and eat. Today, we talk about the Venus flytrap, and how it why it does what it does. Special thanks to @StoneyJehker34, for the …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:35 — 5.3MB) | Embed
DNA that does nothing? It seems that most of our DNA is dormant. It doesn’t encode for protein production. Some of this supposedly dormant DNA has recently been shown to have important functionality, but there still seems to be much more information present than is used. Here’s an article on the debate over how much …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:25 — 6.5MB) | Embed
When eyes are a problem Sometimes, evolution can take it back. Many cave dwelling animals have lost their eyes. Theories as to why this happen range from genetic drift, to mutations that improve other senses interfering with the proper development of eyes, to the energy cost of growing and maintaining vision. I suspect that it …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:10 — 8.4MB) | Embed
Be afraid Sometimes, you feel like something is wrong. Most of the time, it’s just a feeling; it doesn’t mean anything. But, every now and then, something is wrong, you really are in danger, you really should be afraid. Here are some articles on how humans can react to the unconsciously sensed smell of fear …
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:43 — 5.9MB) | Embed
Eyes “ To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances… could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree… Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its …