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Toxoplasma Infection Makes Mice More Brave

February 24, 2020February 20, 2020 Science Connectedanimal behavior, behavior, inflammation, mice, neurodegenerative disease, parasites

By Mackenzie Myers, @kenzwrites Quiet as a mouse. Timid as a mouse. When’s the last time you heard a mouse described as brave? The scientific community has already established that a parasite carried by cats and their feces, Toxoplasma gondii, causes infected mice to lose their fear of feline predators. But a new study from researchers at the University of Geneva and the University of Toronto points to a decrease in anxiety that may be less specific than previously thought, giving mice a one-size-fits-all fearlessness. What is Toxoplasmosis? T. gondii,…

The water bear or moss piglet is a tiny invertebrate that's been around on Earth for more than half a billion years. This is a giant model at the AMNH's "Life at the Limits" exhibit. Photo courtesy of Eden, Janine, and Jim(CC BY 2.0)

Animals Biology Climate Change Environment

Even the Resilient Tardigrade Has an Achilles Heel

February 10, 2020January 30, 2020 Science Connectedclimate change, extreme temperature, resilience, rising temperature, tardigrade

By Shelby Nilsen (@shellbeegrace) Climate change is already affecting many habitats and ecosystems. As a result, scientists are working to understand how the rising temperatures we face might affect extant animals—that is, those species that are still surviving—including tardigrades, some of the toughest organisms around, which are well known for their ability to adapt to extreme environments. In the face of certain environmental cues, tardigrades enter cryptobiosis, a state in which all metabolic processes stop until the organism’s surroundings become favorable again. This remarkable survival tactic allows tardigrades to withstand…

SuperbOwl: Image credit: Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay

Animals Citizen Science SciStarter Blog

Five Ways to Prepare for SuperbOwl Sunday

January 31, 2020January 28, 2020 Science Connectedbirds, citizen science, ornithology, owls

By Bob Hirshon @BobHirshon Sunday, February 2 is the most exciting day of the year for owl-lovers all over the world: SuperbOwl Sunday! This is the day when the ornithologically-inclined brave the elements to admire owls near them, photograph owls and/or, for some reason, stay indoors and watch football. No matter who you’re hooting for this Super Bowl Sunday, you can celebrate SuperbOwls and citizen science. Get started with the projects we’ve spotlighted, below. Cheer for science…like 49ers cheerleader Kelly! Cognitive neuroscientist and San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleader Kelly…

Animals Biodiversity Ecology Education Science and Art Science Videos

Urban Animal Adaptations, the Musical

January 20, 2020January 8, 2020 Science Connectedanimals, ants, cities, cockroaches, pigeons, Science with Sophie, urban wildlife

Adaptations! How do animals adapt to live in human cities? Which animal sings the best? Watch them audition for survival and try an experiment with ping pong balls and tongs! This video is brought to you by our very good friend Sophia Shrand, creator and star of the educational science comedy series Science with Sophie. In this episode, we learn how different animal adaptations help them survive and thrive in city environments. We also learn how many different animals Sophie can portray (a lot). Finally, the experiment is fun for…

Animals Citizen Science SciStarter Blog

Caterpillars Count

November 22, 2019November 20, 2019 Science Connectedarthropods, caterpillars, citizen science projects, data collection, insects

From big to small, we all count. Even caterpillars. Caterpillars are important Caterpillars are familiar to us. When a butterfly flutters past you, you know that it was once a caterpillar. Now it’s time to count the caterpillars and arthropods (creatures, like insects, with segmented bodies) that you see to help scientists understand how their populations are changing. You can get started today with the Caterpillars Count! project. Even though this project doesn’t just focus on caterpillars, who can resist a good alliteration? In 2015, Dr. Allen Hurlbert of North…

Animals SciStarter Blog

Manatee Chat: Uncovering Manatee Secrets

July 26, 2019July 26, 2019 Science Connectedanimal communication, citizen science, manatee, manatee chat, marine mammals

It has long been believed that the manatee is a solitary animal with a very simple communication system that primarily serves one purpose: to keep mom and a calf in contact. However, in recent years, these assumptions have been questioned, based on new research indicating that manatees may not be that solitary after all and that their communication system might be more complex than we previously realized. Manatees clearly cannot compete with other marine mammals in terms of vocal complexity—such as dolphins, for example—yet we still know surprisingly little about…

Animals Citizen Science Ecology SciStarter Blog

Citizen Science in Nebraska is Bigger Than You Think

April 29, 2019April 26, 2019 Science Connectedbutterflies, citizen science, nebraska, salamanders, spotted skunks

by Megan Ray Nichols (@nicholsrmegan) In Nebraska, scientists working for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are increasingly relying on casual researchers and citizen scientists to better understand three creatures in particular: spotted skunks, salamanders, and regal fritillary butterflies. Why? The populations of these species have either declined or are in jeopardy, and scientists want to get a current population count. Let’s take a closer look at these three Nebraskan citizen science projects and what researchers hope to learn from data collected by citizen scientists. Nebraska is a big state.…

Animals Biology

Seahorses Give a Whole New Meaning to “Dad Bod”

November 13, 2018November 14, 2018 Science Connectedevolution, evolve, male pregnancy, mating, seahorses

By Ive Velikova (@ScienceWithIve) Seahorses give a whole new meaning to the term “dad bod.” You see, they are one of the only animals species in which the males get pregnant and give birth. [tweetthis]Mr. Mom of the sea—how seahorse dads’ pregnancy gives “dad bods” a whole new meaning.[/tweetthis] Let’s start with the basics. In biology, members of the species that produce sperm are generally classified as “male,” and members of the species that produce eggs are classified as “female.” Eggs are larger and more energetically costly to produce than…

Animals Biology Health

How Does Tissue Regenerate?

November 6, 2018March 25, 2019 Science Connectedregeneration, skin, wound healing

By Noeline Subramaniam (@spicy_scientist) Regeneration often sounds like science fiction—Wolverine’s healing superpowers probably spring to mind. But you don’t have to be a mutant to be able to regenerate. In fact, humans have the ability to regenerate in utero until the beginning of the third trimester. With the exception of our liver and digit tips, we largely lose this capacity as adults—but why? Let’s turn to the animal kingdom for answers. [tweetthis]Why do some animals have regenerative abilities, while humans do not? @spicy_scientist[/tweetthis] Is regeneration lost through evolution? Before we…

Animals Biology

How Spiders Weave the Perfect Web

October 2, 2018October 2, 2018 Science Connectedarachnids, spiders, spiderwebs

By Shayna Keyles (@shaynakeyles). Are you afraid of spiders? I don’t blame you. The spider “embodies the Terrible Mother’s gruesome mysteries of death and dissolution . . . . [I]mages of her terrors are reinforced by the spider’s killing or paralyzing its victims with venom from hollow fangs, and the female’s habitual devouring of the typically smaller male after mating” (Ronnberg, 2010). [tweetthis]#Spooky! #spiderwebs aren’t all the same. Silk-spinners tailor webs to hunt food and hide from predators.[/tweetthis] Despite their reputation as killers and creeps, spiders are often more friendly…